Pentax has officially launched its new half-frame film compact 35mm camera, called the Pentax 17.
The camera was officially unveiled on Monday (17 June) 18 months after Ricoh Imaging – which owns the Pentax brand – announced the Pentax Film Camera Project. The project was intended to investigate the feasibility of releasing future film camera models.
The Pentax Film Camera Project revealed earlier this year that the first camera, which had already been revealed to be a compact model with manual wind-on, would be a zone-focus half-frame model.
The new Pentax 17 has the following specifications:
- Zone-focus operation
- 25/3.5 lens
- Minimum focusing distance of 25cms
- Six focusing distances viewable in the viewfinder
- Range of shooting modes including Auto, B, Flash and slow-speed flash, and “Bokeh” mode for portraits
- Fully automatic exposure system
- Shutter speeds from 1/350 to 4 secs, plus Bulb
- Exposure compensation of +2/-2
- Metering from ISO 50 to ISO 3200
- Integral flash
- Shutter lock button
- Integrated hand grip
- Optional cable switch for long exposures
The Pentax 17 will be available to buy from the end of June and is priced at £499 in the UK and $599 in the US.
Kosmo Foto was sent one of the first production cameras to test and you can read our test report of the camera here.
It was reported last year that Ricoh Imaging was planning to release two film cameras in 2024 – the half-frame model we now know is the Pentax 17, and a full-frame model. Only the half-frame model has been confirmed, and it’s unclear yet whether other models will follow.
Ricoh Imaging said in a statement: “We first thought, perhaps we should consider a completely mechanical camera, whilst on the other hand we could make a fully automatic one. But then we realised, we are designing a film camera for tomorrow so it was possible to have choose manual features where it would enhance the experience of shooting film, such as the winding lever, and automatic features where it would ensure ease of use and produce accurate results.”
Ricoh Imaging has listed the camera’s attributes in the press release accompanying the launch:
- Half-size format
“The Pentax 17 features the half-size format, in which two 17mm x 24mm pictures are captured in a single 35mm-format frame (36mm x 24mm). It also employs a horizontal film advance mechanism. When positioned in the normal way, it captures vertical-format pictures, identical to the familiar images captured by smartphones, which are commonly used today for picture-taking.”
- Manual camera operation unique to film cameras
“The Pentax 17 features a manual film winding mechanism based on those incorporated in Pentax-brand SLR film cameras. The film advance lever lets the user enjoy the film winding action and a wind-up sound after every shutter release. Its’ easy-loading system is designed to prevent film-loading errors, especially for first-time film camera users. It also features other mechanisms unique to film cameras, such as manual film rewinding operation using the rewind crank; exposure compensation via the exposure compensation dial; and ISO sensitivity setting via the ISO sensitivity dial.”
- Newly developed fixed-focal lens combining time-proven optics and the latest lens coating technology
“The Pentax 17 features a newly developed 25mm F3.5 fixed-focal lens (equivalent to a 37mm lens in the 35mm format). Based on the optics incorporated in the acclaimed Pentax Espio Mini (marketed in 1994), it has been redesigned to fit perfectly in the half-size format. It is also treated with HD (High Definition) coating – a highly acclaimed multi-layer coating – to optimise the clarity and sharpness of half-size pictures. Using the lens used in the Ricoh Auto Half (a best-selling half-size model first marketed in 1962) as a reference, the angle of view and focal length were selected to make casual, everyday picture-taking simple and flawless.”
- Zone-focus system to switch the in-focus area via simple selection of zone marks
“From close-ups to long distances, the Pentax 17’s zone-focus system is divided into six focus zones, indicated by marks that signify each zone. All the user has to do to set the camera’s focus is select the mark best suited for the subject distance on the zone focusing ring. In the Macro focus zone, the user can capture a close-up photo from approximately 25 centimetres away. The hand strap (included as a standard accessory) lets the user measure subject distance more accurately.”
- Bright optical viewfinder for real-time confirmation of a subject image
“The Pentax 17’s optical viewfinder features an Albada-type bright frame finder. It also comes with a close-up visual field compensation frame to help you more easily compose close-up images. It is possible to check the zone marks directly through the viewfinder.”
- Seven shooting modes to accommodate different applications
“The Pentax 17 automatically adjusts exposure settings based on the lighting data collected by its metering sensor. In addition to the Full Auto mode in which all exposure settings are selected by the camera, it provides six other shooting modes, including: Slow-speed sync, which is highly useful in twilight photography; and Bulb, which comes in handy for photographing nightscapes and fireworks. The Pentax 17 also features an independent exposure compensation dial, which allows the user to swiftly shift the exposure level to accommodate different types of subject or express the user’s creative intentions.”
- 7. High-quality body with meticulous attention to every detail
“The Pentax 17’s body has a classic design, hinting at the traditional look of film cameras. The top and bottom covers are made of a solid but lightweight magnesium alloy to optimize the camera body’s rigidity. The 40.5mm filter mounting thread allows the user to mount a range of the filters, which are available for purchase on the market. With meticulous attention paid to every single detail, the Pentax 17 is designed to be a joy to own.”
The development of the Pentax 17 has come alongside Hong Kong’s MiNT Camera announcing a new compact 35mm camera, the Rollei 35AF, based on the iconic Rollei 35.
I'm a New Zealander who has been living in London since the mid-1990s, shooting film seriously since the year 2000. Kosmo Foto was launched in 2012 and has since become a film brand, with the release of my first films Kosmo Foto Mono 35mm (2017) and Kosmo Foto Mono 120 (2019).
I’m doing everything I can to promote film photography in the 21st Century, and help it survive and thrive. If you want to write something for Kosmo Foto, please drop me a line at foto.dowling@gmail.com.
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man i want to support new film cameras but $600 is too much for me 🙁 hope others buy and love it
Zone system focusing? Sounds fancy! 🤪
It certainly sounds like a good camera. I do have concerns about the price (although I note that SLR’s were quite expensive & that the Lomo LC-A+, as well as LCWide are quite pricey as well).