First-Time Film Photographers & Casual Everyday Shooting — Ektar H35 (2022): A delightful entry point into film — affordable, simple, and produces genuinely lovely half-frame pairs. The best value film camera on the market.
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
Quick take: The ektar h35 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Ektar H35 (2022) | Pentax 17 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £40 | £400 |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) |
| Video | N/A — film camera | N/A — film camera |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (~1m to ∞) | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | N/A — film camera |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | Manual wind-on |
| Battery Life | 1× AA alkaline battery | 2× CR2 lithium batteries |
| Weight | ~125g (without battery) | ~165g (without batteries) |
| Dimensions | 105 × 62 × 37mm | 113 × 66 × 44mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines |
| Screen | N/A | N/A |
| Mount | 35mm film (ISO 100–400 recommended) | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm 135-format film cartridge | 35mm 135-format film cartridge |
| Connectivity | N/A | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Ektar H35 | Pentax 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Low Light | ||
| Landscape |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history