Intrepid 4×5 MK5 Large Format Camera Review by Taylor Blanchard

Written by Taylor Blanchard

How long once you have a camera until you start plotting for your next?

I was enamored with my first 4×5 camera, a folding Anba Ikeda field camera, until I wasn’t. The Anba is lightweight and a smooth cherry wood, but it had small brass knobs that came off way too easily. Several times I was shooting in the field (even a literal field) when a knob would come off, and I had to search on the ground for a very small piece of brass.

It offered limited movements, only a front rise and tilt. The ground glass was dim, and I considered adding a Fresnel, which would make the image on the ground glass brighter, so it’s easier to focus and compose your image. But, I never added a Fresnel and, instead, started thinking about another 4×5.

After doing a bit of research and looking at my budget, I landed on the Intrepid 4×5 MK5. I chose the limited black edition (at $405, it was a bit more expensive than the natural wood) and added the Fresnel screen (at $34 extra). I bought it directly from Intrepid, and it shipped to me in a few weeks.

Find the Intrepid 4×5 MK5 at B&H Photo or at intrepidcamera.co.uk.

History of Intrepid Camera

Intrepid is a UK-based company that was founded in 2014 with the goal of making a new large format camera that was affordably priced. Most of the large format cameras available at the time were many decades old and getting expensive on the second-hand market. A few new large format cameras were available, but at a steep price tag.

After their first test models, Intrepid launched a Kickstarter campaign for their first 4×5. They construct their cameras from wood, aluminum, and 3D printed components and assemble them by hand. They also make the ground glass by hand.

Over the years, Intrepid has continued to iterate and improve their designs. In addition to the 4×5, they also make 5×7 and 8×10 cameras, a darkroom enlarger (which can convert your 4×5 camera into an enlarger), and several accessories. They have also developed a lens, shutter, and electronic remote, which is currently in a Kickstarter campaign. 

The Feel and Size of the Intrepid 4×5 Camera

Out of the box, the Intrepid MK5 is very lightweight, weighing 2.8 lbs/1.3 kg. It’s small when it’s folded down, at 7”x7”x3.8”, or 180x180x97mm.

The size and weight makes it easy to carry when I’m hiking or traveling. I can fit the camera, lenses, tripod, several other cameras, and film in a moderately sized backpack. (Often my “personal item” I bring on an airplane is all cameras and film!)

The wood is sturdy but doesn’t have the look and feel of cherry or other fine woods in large format cameras. You can tell it’s manufactured, pressed plywood. Intrepid treats the wood, and it’s very sturdy and holds up well against dings and scrapes.

Features of the MK5

You immediately notice the four bubble levels on the Intrepid 4×5 camera – two on the front standard and two on the rear standard – an incredibly helpful feature when composing a photo. On my previous camera, I used the bubble on my tripod when setting up the camera, but if I needed to move the tripod or adjust the camera position, it was a bit of a guessing game if the camera was level.

The rear standard rotates very easily from landscape to portrait, using an ingenious design of magnets to quickly snap into place. This makes switching between landscape and portrait orientation a quick process. My Anba had clips that you would remove to pull the back entirely off, rotate, and then secure in the new position.

The Intrepid has a universal Graflok back, which means you can use any Graflok back, such as the LomoGraflok Instant back by Lomography for shooting Instax Wide film.

The camera uses Linhof/Technika-style lens boards, which are the most common, and supports lenses from 75 to 300mm. (Remember that a 150mm lens on a 4×5 is equivalent to 50mm on a 35mm camera). If you have a 75mm lens, you will need a recessed lens board.

A fun option with Intrepid cameras is to customize your bellows in black, blue, green, and red – or a limited-edition teal or yellow.

In previous designs of the camera, you could not remove the bellows; you can with the MKV. The bellows are waterproof vinyl and quite sturdy. The bellows also fold up quite neatly when you pack your camera – again, another improvement they’ve made. Both of those factors help its resistance to tearing or holes.

Intrepid previously said they are making bag bellows for lenses longer than 300mm, but I haven’t seen an update.

Using the Intrepid 4×5

Before my first outing with the Intrepid, I secured my Peak tripod plate to the camera. One of the improvements that Intrepid made over its camera iterations was to upgrade the tripod plate to aluminum. Once the tripod plate is in place and the camera is mounted to the tripod, the camera opens easily. 

Once the camera is open, you must secure the front standard to the base in one of four provided holes with a screw. Apparently, this is an area where Intrepid improved on the design; in previous generations, the pin wasn’t always long enough and the washer was prone to coming off. 

Intrepid also provides zeroing guides, so you can ensure the front standard is aligned and straight.

However, this feature is at the heart of my most significant criticism of this camera. You choose which of the four holes to use based on the focal length of your lens, but your distance to the subject also plays a part. So, you may have to unscrew and re-screw the front standard in the field. I also find it to be the most time-consuming part. With my Anba, I only had to turn the knobs on the side of the camera to move the front standard forwards or backwards.

Setting the lens is straightforward and easy. I had to adjust the sliding clip with an Allen wrench so my lens board would fit without falling out, but it was simple to do.

After your lens is in place, you can use the bubble levels to adjust the position of your camera. Then it’s time to stop down your lens, open the shutter, and examine the scene on the ground glass. I love the bright screen with the Fresnel.

With large format photography, you usually need a dark cloth to cover your head and the back of the camera to block out the light so you can see the scene on the glass. On the Intrepid, the glass is so bright that I often don’t need to use a black cloth. The ground glass includes a very helpful grid in ½” increments.

Once your scene is composed, the front standard has an inner control for rise/fall and an outer control for tilt. You can adjust the front standard for swing, and the back standard can be adjusted for tilt also.

Resources Available

One of the benefits of buying a new camera from an operating company is the ability to have dedicated user support. While Intrepid does not provide a very detailed guide with the camera, they have created many videos about the operation of the camera and general information about shooting large format. I’ve found their chat and email support responsive and helpful. If you are new to 4×5 photography though, you’ll probably find yourself looking at other videos and resources.

I recommend picking up The View Camera by Harvey Shaman and Using the View Camera by Steve Simmons. Mat Marrash’s videos on YouTube, Large Format Friday, are also extremely helpful.

Because I had already purchased everything needed for a 4×5, getting started with the Intrepid was a breeze. Of course, if you’re new to 4×5, you’ll need to buy film holders, a lens and a lens board, and film. Then you will also want to add a dark cloth, loupe for focusing, and a cable release.

Conclusion

If you’re interested in getting into large format photography or if you currently shoot something like a Graflex Crown Graphic and want more movements, the Intrepid 4×5 MK5 is an excellent camera at a reasonable price. I’ve seen criticisms of them over the years, but they continue to listen to user feedback and improve.

Other than the gripe I have with the front standard, the camera is a delight to use. The bubble levels, the bright Fresnel, and the rotating back are lovely. Is it perfect? No. And yes, I already have my next large format camera picked out, a much pricier Chamonix…

Do you have an Intrepid or do you have any questions about the MK5 4×5?

Thank you so much, Taylor! Taylor is a regular contributor here at Shoot It With Film, and you can check out her other articles here, such as Top 4 Darkroom Safety Tips and 7 Lesser-known Color Film Stocks Worth Trying.

You can also check out more of Taylor’s work on Instagram.

Leave your questions about the Intrepid 4×5 MK5 large format camera below in the comments, and you can pick up one for yourself at B&H Photo or at intrepidcamera.co.uk.

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Taylor Blanchard

Taylor Blanchard is a landscape and travel film photographer and a regular contributor for Shoot It With Film. Find her other articles here, such as My Foray Into Large Format Photography and The World of Infrared and Red-Sensitive Black and White Film.

Image Credit: Ashley Thalman

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