Pentax 17vs Go Gen 2
Pentax
Pentax 17 (2024)
Starting from £400 new
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
View Pentax 17
VS
Polaroid
Go Gen 2 (2022)
Starting from £85 new
Best for On-the-go shooting & Polaroid fans who want compact
View Go Gen 2
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.
On-The-Go Shooting & Polaroid Fans Who Want Compact — Go Gen 2 (2022): The most pocketable Polaroid ever — genuinely fits in a jacket pocket and produces beautiful prints with that classic white border.
Who should buy what
Go Gen 2 (2022)
- Polaroid fans who want classic square prints in the most pocketable body
- Travellers who want an instant camera that genuinely fits in a jacket pocket
- Anyone who finds standard Polaroid cameras too large to carry daily
- A great gift for someone who loves Polaroid but wants something compact
Quick take: The go gen 2 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Pentax 17 (2024) | Go Gen 2 (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £85 |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | Polaroid Go film (66.6 × 53.9mm / image area 46.4 × 34.7mm) |
| Video | N/A — film camera | N/A — instant film camera |
| Autofocus | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) | Fixed focus (0.55m–∞) |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | N/A |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | N/A |
| Battery Life | 2× CR2 lithium batteries | Rechargeable internal battery (USB-C, ~20 double packs) |
| Weight | ~165g (without batteries) | ~211g |
| Dimensions | 113 × 66 × 44mm | 104.9 × 83.9 × 56.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines | Real-image optical viewfinder |
| Screen | N/A | N/A |
| Mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) | Polaroid Go film (16 shots per double pack) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm 135-format film cartridge | N/A — instant film only |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C (charging) |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Pentax 17 | Go Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Low Light | ||
| Parties & Events | — |
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