Z30vs Pentax 17
VS
Pentax
Pentax 17 (2024)
Starting from £400 new
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
View Pentax 17
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel & Everyday Video — Z30 (2022): Nikon's lightest Z-mount body — no fuss, excellent subject tracking, and a flip screen for creators.
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
Z30 (2022)
- Vloggers and content creators who don't need an EVF
- Beginners entering the Nikon Z system at the lowest price point
- Streamers who want a compact interchangeable-lens camera for desk use
- Travel and lifestyle shooters who want a compact APS-C Z body
Quick take: The pentax 17 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Z30 (2022) | Pentax 17 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £479 | £400 |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) |
| Resolution | 20.9MP | — |
| Video | 4K/30p, 4K/60p (with crop), 1080p/120p | N/A — film camera |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 209 points, subject tracking (human/animal/vehicle) | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | N/A — film camera |
| Burst Rate | 11fps | Manual wind-on |
| Battery Life | ~300 shots (CIPA) | 2× CR2 lithium batteries |
| Weight | 405g body only | ~165g (without batteries) |
| Dimensions | 127.5 × 73.5 × 59.5mm | 113 × 66 × 44mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | None | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | N/A |
| Mount | Nikon Z-mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | 35mm 135-format film cartridge |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic input, micro HDMI | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Z30 | Pentax 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Low Light | — |
More comparisons with Z30
Camera family history