EOS RPvs Pentax 17
Pentax
Pentax 17 (2024)
Starting from £400 new
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
View Pentax 17
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Entry Full-Frame Stills Photography — EOS RP (2019): An affordable gateway into the RF system. The RP makes sense as a stepping stone camera — if you're committed to Canon RF glass, this is the cheapest full-frame body to buy those lenses for. Just manage expectations on video and battery life.
Film Photography Enthusiasts & Diptych Storytelling — Pentax 17 (2024): The best new film camera of the decade — manual controls, a sharp lens, and a half-frame format that doubles your roll and forces a new way of seeing.
Who should buy what
EOS RP (2019)
- Canon users who want to start investing in RF glass affordably
- Stills photographers who shoot primarily in good light
- Anyone coming from a Canon DSLR wanting the RF system at low cost
- Travel photographers who prioritise compactness over video specs
Quick take: The pentax 17 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS RP (2019) | Pentax 17 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £400 |
| Sensor | 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) |
| Resolution | 26.2MP | — |
| Video | 4K/24p (with 1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | N/A — film camera |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 manually selectable positions | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | N/A — film camera |
| Burst Rate | 5fps mechanical | Manual wind-on |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) — very limited | 2× CR2 lithium batteries |
| Weight | 485g (body, battery, card) | ~165g (without batteries) |
| Dimensions | 132.5 × 85.0 × 70.0mm | 113 × 66 × 44mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | N/A |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | 35mm 135-format film cartridge |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS RP | Pentax 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Low Light | — |
More comparisons with EOS RP
Camera family history