Featured guides
Rikard Österlund's Guide to Wet Plate Collodion
Photographer Rikard Österlund walks through wet plate collodion from scratch — the chemistry, the plate holders, and how to shoot tintypes on a large format camera.
Buying A Lens For Your 4x5 Camera
You can't put any lens on a large format camera. This guide covers focal length, image circle and Copal shutter sizes — and where to find good glass at sensible money.
Exploring Large Format Photography: A Comparison of 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 Cameras
4x5, 5x7 or 8x10? A practical comparison of negative size, cost, weight and film availability, to help you pick the format you'll actually carry.
All Guides
Free, practical guides to large format photography and darkroom printing — from choosing your first camera to making prints at home.
The Large Format Lens Explorer
Second-hand large format lenses come described in numbers that mean very little until you can see them. This tool turns those numbers into visuals.
How To Build And Use The Super 120 Kit
Build the Super 120 kit and shoot medium format roll film on any 4x5 camera — several formats on one roll, from 6x4.5 up to 6x12.
How To Shoot Polaroid SX-70 / 600 On a 4x5 Camera
Make a simple film envelope and you can shoot Polaroid SX-70 and 600 instant film on any 4x5 camera. Full step-by-step instructions.
Buying A Lens For Your 8x10 Camera
Choosing a first 8x10 lens: the focal lengths worth having, why image circle matters more at this size, and what to check when buying secondhand.
Exploring Large Format Photography: A Comparison of 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 Cameras
4x5, 5x7 or 8x10? A practical comparison of negative size, cost, weight and film availability, to help you pick the format you'll actually carry.
Buying A Lens For Your 4x5 Camera
You can't put any lens on a large format camera. This guide covers focal length, image circle and Copal shutter sizes — and where to find good glass at sensible money.
Upgrading to the new Enlarger Firmware (v2.11)
What changed in firmware v2.11, how to install it on your Intrepid Enlarger, and what to do if the update doesn't take.
Setting up the Intrepid 4x5 Enlarger
Turn your 4x5 camera into a darkroom enlarger — assembling the head, mounting the camera, and making your first print.
Setting up the Intrepid Compact Enlarger
Set up the Compact Enlarger for 35mm and 120: mounting, alignment, negative carriers and getting your first print out of the tray.