Hello from Berkshire

Alex S

Alex S

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Joined
Jan 12, 2026
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6
Hello, I’m Alex from just outside Reading in Berkshire.

I have joined this forum because I have been mulling buying an Intrepid 5x4 camera after watching a video with Charlie Waite touring the factory. It seems nicely priced.

My photography has always been digital, apart from a year in 2002 shooting a Canon film SLR on auto mode. In 2008, in my late 20s, I bought my first DSLR, read AP and learned how to photograph properly.

Now, having reached middle age, I feel attracted to peace and deliberateness of analogue photography, especially as I spend all day at work on a computer working for a newspaper. Wanting to go to the next level above a mirrorless camera (I am very happy with my current digital camera, a Sony A7 iii), I note that a 150 megapixel digital back from Phase One costs £42,540. That is a little out of my price range!

What I’m planning to explore this year is predominantly black and white (Ilford FP4 Plus?). I have enjoyed reading posts on this website for a few weeks and look forward to contributing as a poster.
 
Welcome, Alex. You're in the right place to learn about large format photography. Intrepid cameras are great for the price but depending on your budget and what you're after there's a huge range of options out there both new and used.
 
Welcome Alex, I'm an Intrepid camera owner, I used to have the Mark 3 5X4 (upgraded to Mark 4) if you want to know the ins and outs, I think the current model has a few extras.
 
Thanks for the welcomes. I'm now gone ahead and placed an order for the camera – and, separately, ordered a 150mm Fujinon lens over eBay from Japan. So in about eight weeks I should be in business!
 
Welcome to the forum from sunny Berkshire.
Do you have a plan for developing and scanning/printing?
Good to get that sorted out in time to be able to use the Intrepid , also I think it’s really important to sacrifice one sheet of film to practice loading and unloading your film holders- double dark slides , it’s really common to misload in the dark tent/bag and then waste film and opportunities when the film is not in the guides when you start out, in daylight you can see what you should do and practice with your eyes closed- oh and smart watches are the work of the devil in a dark tent/bag as well as bright lume trad watches!
 
HowLarge said:
Welcome to the forum from sunny Berkshire.
Do you have a plan for developing and scanning/printing?
Good to get that sorted out in time to be able to use the Intrepid , also I think it’s really important to sacrifice one sheet of film to practice loading and unloading your film holders- double dark slides , it’s really common to misload in the dark tent/bag and then waste film and opportunities when the film is not in the guides when you start out, in daylight you can see what you should do and practice with your eyes closed- oh and smart watches are the work of the devil in a dark tent/bag as well as bright lume trad watches!
Click to expand...
Good point. This is why whenever I sell film holders I ask the buyer if they want a junk sheet of film to practice loading with
 
Welcome from the East End of London ... gawd luv us guvnor (and other such cheerful cockney phrases). :)
 
To start off with, my idea is to use the Harman Lab for developing and scanning.

Yes, the "sacrifice one sheet of film" seems sensible.
 
For what it's worth - I find changing bags useless for loading film holders. I would say dark box/tent is what really is needed ... especially to load more than one or two film holders without getting in a state ... and getting muck in your film stock.
 
That's a useful steer, Marley's Ghost, as I was planning of getting the Patterson changing bag.
 
When I was looking for lenses, I was slightly surprised by how eBay sellers can claim in the headline that an item is "NEAR MINT+" but in the small print disclose there it contains fungus.

Nonetheless, I found a lens I liked the look of with a seller in Japan who seemed trustworthy so I ordered it. And it's been going round the world very quickly. DHL asked for about £50 in tax before it left Japan. It went to Hong Hong, then Stanstead, then Heathrow and it's now in my local delivery depot and estimated for delivery on Tuesday. So I'm quite impressed how speedy and easy it has been.
 
Yes, you need some kind of 3D space to load LF film holders. A tent or a box. Of course, a whole room is even better. You need to decide on a routine and stick to it. I've found it better to do loading and unloading as entirely separate runs, because all the slides and all the films look the same once they're in darkness.
One thing that's never mentioned: empty your bladder just before starting. Then very clean, very dry hands.
 
I just looked up the Harman Lab prices for 4x5 dev and scan .
I can only suggest digesting the “one shot” method and working on that , no experiments no testing and maximum attention to method and process.
Or we can perhaps suggest some achievable home processing and scanning ideas I reckon you will break even at maybe 15-20 sheets or less .And remember once you have a dark tent/bag unloading into a dev tank , is nearly the same as unloading into a box to send away. Scanning via camera or scanner is quick once you establish workflow.
I think printing is where sending out to service is easily worth it , especially as you can get very cheap services for trial or contact type output .
 
I agree, dev & scan at home is the way to go to start with. Dev & contact print down the road if you can set up a darkroom or have access to one. You could convert your Intrepid camera to an enlarger.
 
David M said:
One thing that's never mentioned: empty your bladder just before starting. Then very clean, very dry hands.
Click to expand...
Yep being stuck with a pile of film holders and an open box of paper ... and needing a 'Jimmy Riddle' is not fun ...
Also do similar before starting a 16 minute developing process .... unless you are good at 'sprint and speed-wee' between agitations :)

Seriously though don't be frightened of home development ... it's realy not difficult.

I recommend a simple one shot developer with a reasonable life ... I used Ifotec HC for ages.
 
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