Pentax
Pentax 17 2024
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
£400
list price · used from £209 at eBay
Decision tools · Compare
Pentax 17 vs WG-90
Quick take: The WG-90 is the most affordable; only the WG-90 is weather sealed.
16 specs side by side·13 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
Pentax 17 — Film Photography Enthusiasts & Diptych Storytelling: 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
Pentax 17 (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
- Experienced film shooters who want a brand new camera with real manual controls
- Street photographers attracted to the compact half-frame format
- Digital shooters curious about film who want more than a point-and-shoot
- Anyone who finds disposables too limiting but isn't ready for a full SLR
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Pentax 17Pentax · 2024 | WG-90Pentax · 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £379Best |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | 16MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 16.0MP |
| Video | N/A — film camera | 1080p/30p |
| Autofocus | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) | Contrast-detect AF |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | 1fps |
| Battery Life | 2× CR2 lithium batteries | 260 shots (CIPA, estimated)Best |
| Weight | ~165g (without batteries)Best | 194g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 113 × 66 × 44mm | — |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines | None (screen only) |
| Screen | No screen | Fixed screen, no touch |
| Mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) | Fixed 5x zoom lens (28-140mm equivalent) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm 135-format film cartridge | Single SD |
| Connectivity | No wireless connectivity | USB |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Pentax 17
WG-90
Street
9.0/10
5.6/10
Travel
9.0/10
6.1/10
Portrait
7.0/10
3.2/10
Casual
9.0/10
5.6/10
Landscape
7.0/10
3.8/10
Wedding & Events
—
2.5/10
Documentary
—
4.3/10
Food
—
3.5/10
Macro
—
3.0/10
Architecture
—
3.0/10
Astrophotography
—
2.3/10
Underwater
—
5.4/10
Fun & simple
—
5.5/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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