Pentax 17vs Pentax K-3 Mark III
Pentax
Pentax 17 (2024)
Starting from £400 new
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
View Pentax 17
Pentax
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
Starting from £1699 new
Best for DSLR enthusiasts & outdoor photographers
View Pentax K-3 Mark III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Dslr Enthusiasts & Outdoor Photographers — Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021): The finest APS-C DSLR ever made — class-leading weather sealing, optical viewfinder, 5-axis IBIS, and extraordinary build for photographers committed to DSLR.
Who should buy what
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
- DSLR photographers who want the finest APS-C optical viewfinder experience
- Outdoor and weather photographers who need robust all-weather sealing
- Pentax lens owners who want to use their existing K-mount glass
- Photographers who prefer optical viewfinders and refuse to switch to mirrorless
Quick take: The pentax 17 is the most affordable; only the pentax k-3 mark iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Pentax 17 (2024) | Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | 25.7MP APS-C BSI CMOS (AA-filterless) |
| Resolution | — | 25.7MP |
| Video | N/A — film camera | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) | SAFOX 13 phase-detect, 101-point (25 cross-type) |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | 5.5-stop 5-axis IBIS (Shake Reduction III) |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | 12fps |
| Battery Life | 2× CR2 lithium batteries | 800 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~165g (without batteries) | 820g body only |
| Dimensions | 113 × 66 × 44mm | 134.5 × 103.5 × 73.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.05× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) | Pentax KF-mount |
| Memory Cards | 35mm 135-format film cartridge | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Pentax 17 | Pentax K-3 Mark III |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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