Film camera Pentax 17
Pentax 17 £499/$499
Though it may not be the film camera that many had hoped for, it could be the perfect camera for right now https://pentax.eu
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The Pentax 17 looks great – you can see why it has caused so much buzz online.
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The magnesium-alloy material could easily be confused for silver-painted plastic, though.
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The faux-leather finish on the front does not stretch around onto the back of the camera.
Specifications
Lens: HD Pentax lens, 3 elements in 3 groups Focal length: 25mm
(35mm format: 37mm) Max aperture: f/3.5
Magnification: approx. 0.13x (at 0.25m) Filter thread: 40.5mm
Film: 35mm half-frame (24 x 17mm) ISO: 50, 100, 125, 160, 200,
400, 800, 1600, 3200 Film transport: Manual
Shutter speed: 1/350 to 4 secs, Bulb Focus: Manual zone-focusing
Metering: Partial metering, EV 2.5 to 16.5 (ISO 100)
Battery: 1x CR2 cell Battery life: approx 10 cartridges (36 exposures, 50% flash)
Size (W x H x D): approx 127 x 78 x 52mm Weight: approx 290g (excl film and battery)
The Pentax Film Project has been in the works since 2022 – inspired by a resurgence in the popularity of film, Pentax decided to start producing new film cameras once again. Instead of dragging some blueprints out of storage for one of its old legacy models (of which there are many incredible entries), Pentax decided to call on all its engineering history and develop something completely new.
Key features
The first camera to emanate from this project is the Pentax 17. Perhaps not what many photographers envisioned as the first model, based on the iconic cameras Pentax is most renowned for, the Pentax 17 is a half-frame 35mm film camera with a rangefinder-style design. This makes sense, though: the resurgence of film can be credited to social media, especially Instagram, where vertical half-frame images perfectly fit the platform’s favoured 4:5 vertical style. Film is much more expensive now than it was in its heyday, with one 36-exposure roll of Kodak Portra 400 costing anything from £25-50 to buy, develop and scan. Half-frame at least stretches this to 72 frames, doubling the value.