Intrepid 5x7 launched

[StephenM]

And if it floats, I know who should buy one. No names, no packdrill.

There's also a reducing back to convert the Intrepid 10x8 to 5x7, and a back to use 5x4 in the new 5x7, so a full range.

Although 5x7 film holders are rather rare, they are still made, and there are plans by another camera maker to produce them.

5x7 is a very pleasant proportion, and the camera not much larger than 5x4. The Intrepid actually weighs less than most 5x4 cameras.

 

[FruitFlakes]

The 5x7 is an interesting proposition, especially if you have 4x5 kit already since you can get wider FOVs with your 4x5 lenses (when using 5x7) and with the reducing back you have a more stable platform for heavy lenses and bigger shutters.

 

[Peter B]

And if it floats, I know who should buy one. No names, no packdrill.

There's also a reducing back to convert the Intrepid 10x8 to 5x7, and a back to use 5x4 in the new 5x7, so a full range.

Although 5x7 film holders are rather rare, they are still made, and there are plans by another camera maker to produce them.

5x7 is a very pleasant proportion, and the camera not much larger than 5x4. The Intrepid actually weighs less than most 5x4 cameras.

It weighs an awful lot less than my old Kodak wholeplate as well, and the film is more readily available at a reasonable price. I believe that 13x18 cm film holders should also fit, since 5x7 is 12.7x17.8 cm, but MW Classic are listing a pair of old-but-working 5x7 holders at a bargain £15 and they have another 3 for £19!

 

[StephenM]

Yes, 13x18 holders work in 5x7 cameras (well, they do in my Canham) as do half plate. I have all 3 sizes.

If buying 5x7, it's as well to be certain what the size is, as the holders fit the camera, but the different film sizes need the correct holder. Strictly speaking, I think manufacturing tolerances mean you might get away with the wrong size in specific holders.

One excellent "gotcha" is that some Fidelity holders say 5x7 in the place where Fidelity holders have the size; but then make it plain that the 5x7 refers to the camera, not the film, by having the actual film size in smaller type below. Just where the price sticker was in fact when I bought some - so I got some half plate holders with 5x7 on... I have film in all three sizes, so they can be used.

 

[StephenM]

Just realised that the youngsters here might not be familiar with plate sizes . I am because back in the 1960s, printing papers were mainly in "named" sizes. Postcard, quarter plate, halfplate, whole plate and only then in inches like 10x8 and upward. Apart from 2.5 x 3.5 paper that is, used for contact prints from the negative size now known as 6x9.

Half plate is 4.75 x 6.5.

 

[Woodsy]

I'd be quite interested in the 5x7 actually, as from memory, it's big enough to take 617 film backs without the need to extend the film plane beyond the ground glass (like with a 5x4 camera)?

 

[StephenM]

It is. You need a 5x7 (or larger!) enlarger for that film size.

 

[StephenM]

Just a thought. After you've sold a couple of kidneys and any surplus limbs to allow purchase of a Harrison Jumbo tent, you could use the left over money to buy a Canham motorised 6x17 film back. A snip at $1,345 from ViewCameraStore.

More seriously, the photos on that site show it attached to a Canham MQC so you can see how well 6x17 goes with 5x7.