Regardless of predictions of digital know-how spelling doom for analog cameras, film photography has by no means totally fizzled out. However because the youthful era buys old school digital point-and-shoots to remain within the second and off their smartphone (even with their high-quality cameras), movie might very effectively be the subsequent step in an growing longing for authenticity and retro know-how. The Pentax 17 is the model’s first new film camera in over 20 years , a conglomeration of classic and fashionable designed to pique the curiosity of latest movie photographers.
Whereas the Pentax 17 makes use of guide movie development and zone focusing, the compact movie digital camera blends vintage-inspired options with these designed to ease fashionable photographers into the outdated artwork type. The 17 makes use of 35mm movie however is a half-frame digital camera, which implies every roll of movie takes twice as many photographs as marketed. Such a design additionally means the Pentax 17 shoots vertically by default — relatively than the extra commonplace horizontal — and in a 17mm by 24mm measurement that is nearer to the area on a smartphone display screen. The digital camera lacks full guide controls however provides important controls like an aperture precedence mode, publicity compensation, and the flexibility to show the built-in flash on and off.
I’ve had an outdated Pentax K1000 on my shelf for years now, an outdated storage sale discover that I’ve by no means actually discovered the time to dabble with. The Pentax 17 has proved to be simply the digital camera I wanted to ease into the waters of movie images earlier than diving headfirst into totally guide movie cameras.
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Pentax 17
The Pentax 17 is a better entry into movie images. The digital camera’s mixture of automated modes and half-frame format will attraction to photographers who’ve by no means tried movie. Critical movie photographers could discover the Pentax 17 missing, nonetheless, because it would not provide guide modes, double publicity, or interchangeable lenses. However, for relieving into movie, the Pentax 17 has lots to supply.
- Straightforward to be taught
- Compact, retro design
- Lovely actual movie photos
- Errors rewinding movie
- No guide publicity
- Battery is not rechargeable
Worth, specs and availability
The Pentax 17 was introduced in June 2024 and retails for about $500. The Pentax 17 is a compact movie digital camera with a hard and fast 25mm lens. Whereas it accepts 35mm movie, it is a half-frame format, which signifies that a roll of 36-exposure movie truly takes 72 photos as a result of every publicity can take two pictures. Its most notable specs embody a zone-focusing system, which is an easier type of guide focusing, and a non-rechargeable CR2 battery.
What I like concerning the Pentax 17
The digital camera is a straightforward introduction to movie images
If a digital and a movie digital camera performed Rooster and collided, I think about the outcome would look one thing just like the Pentax 17. The digital camera is a mishmash of classic and fashionable, however that is not essentially a nasty factor. Like a movie digital camera, the highest homes a guide rewind crank, a movie advance knob and a clicky shutter launch. However, the mode dial has an auto mode in addition to an assortment of different choices, together with a “bokeh” mode for wider apertures and bulb for lengthy exposures.
The Pentax 17 can also be an important mix between snug and transportable. The battery compartment doubles as a bump grip to wrap your fingers round it pretty comfortably. However, at 10.2 ounces, it isn’t exhausting to tuck right into a bag and pull out when a photographic alternative presents itself.
The convergence of recent and traditional helps make the Pentax 17 a beginner-friendly movie digital camera. Two indicator lights proper on the viewfinder assist warn you for those who forgot to advance the movie or the picture is simply too darkish since you forgot to take away the lens cap (responsible as charged). Granted, that is the primary time that I’ve felt the necessity to carry round an instruction guide in my digital camera bag for that second once I wanted to recollect how you can rewind and reload the movie, however the capturing settings themselves felt pure and intuitive.
A part of the 17’s fashionable really feel is the truth that it shoots half-frame photos, or two photos on each single commonplace publicity of 35mm movie. Even the viewfinder is vertical, relatively than horizontal, and also you flip the digital camera to shoot a horizontal picture as an alternative of the opposite method round.
The result’s a vertical picture that is barely wider than a 2:3 facet ratio that feels destined to fill a smartphone display screen. Is a movie digital camera in a format designed for smartphone screens sacrilege? Maybe, however that is the world that we stay in. This additionally permits you to get twice as many photos per roll of movie, which is extra bang on your buck on movie prices however can up the price of creating that movie.
The imperfections did not all the time really feel like a nasty factor.
Whereas the built-in lens performs a job, on a movie digital camera, a lot of the picture high quality as an alternative stems from no matter movie that you simply load inside. I examined the Pentax 17 with Kodak UltraMax colour and Ilford black and white, each ISO 400 movies. The ensuing photos have that stunning, genuine movie really feel that digital filters attempt (and infrequently fail) to mimic. The colour movie delivered the deep but much less saturated greens and reds that remind me of my childhood photographs. The black and white movie delivered deep distinction in a wealthy monochrome picture. Each had beautiful movie grain that merely would not evaluate with the noise of digital sensors.
The movie photos really feel much less good, but extra emotive than if I had taken the identical photographs with a digital digital camera. Are some out of focus from the type of guesswork that comes with judging how far-off the topic is? Sure, however the imperfections did not all the time really feel like a nasty factor.
What I did not like concerning the Pentax 17
Rewind directions weren’t clear and a few superior options are lacking
Whereas the Pentax 17 felt like an easier transition from digital to movie, the expertise did not go with out its challenges. The movie didn’t totally rewind in each rolls that I shot. This might have been person error as a consequence of dangerous directions — as “flip till you’re feeling resistance, then flip three extra instances” feels open to interpretation. Simply how a lot resistance? What occurs if I flip greater than 3 times?
On each rolls, once I popped the again open, the movie hadn’t fully rewound. I needed to shoot the door once more and rewind way more than the 3 times that the instruction guide says earlier than the movie totally wound, however by then the injury to the roll was already completed. Both clearer directions or some type of indicator of whether or not the movie was totally rewound would have made a world of distinction — or, maybe, altering the roll out in a darkish room, simply in case.
Whereas the untimely opening of the digital camera again — not realizing the movie hadn’t totally rewound — ruined just a few frames, it created gentle leaks in others. Sure, among the gentle leak photos had been full trash, nevertheless it’s value noting that some had been completely happy accidents, the place the little bit of glow on the sting of the body added to the texture of the picture, relatively than detracting from it.
One other facet that I did not love was the main focus dial across the lens. The design makes use of small icons to point the overall topic distance, like mountains for much away and silverware for a tabletop shot. It is a focusing kind that photographers name zone focusing. Whereas the main focus setting seems within the viewfinder as a reminder, I forgot a number of instances, and even once I did not, loads of it’s guesswork as to how shut the topic is.
I missed the tactile really feel of turning the guide focus lens and watching the picture come into focus within the viewfinder, one thing the outdated 35mm cameras on my shelf provide. With the Pentax 17, you possibly can’t inform utilizing the viewfinder whether or not or not the picture is in focus.
I believe a chargeable battery would go one step additional into making the 17 the most effective of each outdated and new, however, alas, the battery is the throwaway kind.
As simple because the Pentax 17 was to leap into, I additionally really feel like critical photographers could develop out of the $500 digital camera a bit of shortly. The Pentax 17 seems like a gateway drug to tougher, critical images. The 17 lacks full guide publicity management, the lens is mounted and never interchangeable, and the digital camera additionally would not let me try a double publicity. I beloved the photographs coming from the Pentax 17, however the introductory expertise to 35mm movie additionally left me eager to dive into outdated SLRs too.
Must you purchase the Pentax 17?
It might be the gateway to movie images, however with a brief runway
The Pentax 17 eases budding photographers into the world of movie images. With all new elements and a whole instruction guide, the 17 is a better soar than a used movie digital camera. After capturing with the 17, I used to be truly in a position to determine why the movie wasn’t loading on the outdated Pentax K1000 SLR I picked up at a storage sale years in the past. My expertise with the 17 helped construct some much-needed movie troubleshooting abilities.
Whereas the dials and controls on the Pentax 17 combine the fashionable and classic for easier operation, the ensuing photos have that stunning, emotive really feel of movie. The photographs aren’t good, however, truthfully, that is type of the purpose. Getting again a grainy, contrast-filled however imperfect picture seems like a extra trustworthy illustration of the second.
It is pretty simple to discover a classic 35mm SLR with interchangeable lenses for much less.
For those who’ve all the time wished to attempt movie images, however newbie’s nerves have all the time gotten in the way in which, purchase the Pentax 17. The digital camera is a better entry into 35mm movie — nonetheless, as you are factoring in the price of the digital camera, the price of movie, and the price of movie growth, it’s possible you’ll simply get hooked on movie and need to develop right into a digital camera with interchangeable lenses and full guide controls.
If you wish to dive proper into movie with full guide controls, then the Pentax 17 is not the precise selection. You may also discover extra focal size choices and higher background blur by selecting a digital camera that is not half-frame and may swap lenses. One other mark within the “do not buy column” is the associated fee. $500 is nice in comparison with in the present day’s digital cameras, nevertheless it’s pretty simple to discover a classic 35mm SLR with interchangeable lenses for lower than that.
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Pentax 17
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