Intrepid Mk3 Base Upgrade
Two years ago I bought an Intrepid MKIII 4x5 large format camera. I got into large format with an MPP Technical 4x5. I was great for learning but very heavy. I was convinced by the lightweight of the Intrepid and celebrity endorsements. (I have since noticed the Intrepid doesn’t figure much in Ben Horne’s videos anymore.) I like the camera but it’s quality is commensurate with the price. A little rough in places, it is practical but not a precision instrument. For the price I am comfortable making small modifications; it helps it is made mostly of Baltic birch plywood.
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Intrepid Mk4 (from Intrepid website) |
Recently Intrepid introduced their Mk4. While I was not interested in buying a new one I was intrigued that they offered the base as an upgrade. I was interested because I don’t like the focus mechanism on the MK3. It is a rack and pinion mechanism with two knobs on the far end of the baseplate. The right knob adjusts the focus and the left (facing the ground glass) knob locks the focus. I have some problems with this mechanism. 1) operating the focus requires your arms to be extended to adjust the shutter while you peer at the ground glass. 2) the lock knob often gets tightened by itself while adjusting the focus which often requires the use of both hands. The problem then becomes how to hold the loupe to check the focus. 3) tightening the lock knob can change the focus unless you are careful.
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Intrepid MK3 Focus Mechanism
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| Back of Camera with New Base |
The appeal of the new base is that the focus is adjusted by a knob on a leadscrew at the back of the base right under the ground glass. Because it is a leadscrew there is no need for a lock mechanism. Being at the back of the camera it is more easily accessed under the darkcloth.
The one downside of the new base is it lacks rear standard swing. I have rarely if ever have used this movement so I figured it was not a big sacrifice.
The new base costs £99. I ordered it with a 1-2 week lead time. It arrive about 4 week after I ordered it. These seems to be par for the course for Intrepid. Their shipping times see to be aspirational.
Installation was simple. Remove two hex screws (one on each side) with a 3 mm hex and then remove the two thumbscrews. Installation is just to reverse these steps with the new base.
I did find one hitch. When I went to attach my Manfrotto tripod cleat the screw interfered with the focus adjust mechanism. I considered shimming it but decided finally to file 1mm off the top of the screw. I am certainly glad I fully tested this before I took it out in the field, I would have been sorely disappointed to discover this having driven and walked some distance in the early morning to find the camera did not work!
The old base made it easy to judge the squareness of the front standard when mounting it with a combination of notches and screw heads. With the new base this isn’t so easy to do so I used a square to make pencil marks to help make this alignment.
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| Alignment marks in pencil |
The new base is a big improvement as the focus is smooth and can be done
easily with one hand. I have used it several times now and am very pleased
with it.
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