Pentax 17vs A5100
Pentax
Pentax 17 (2024)
Starting from £400 new
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
View Pentax 17
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.
Casual & Travel — A5100 (2014): The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.
Who should buy what
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Quick take: The a5100 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Pentax 17 (2024) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £200 |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 24.3MP |
| Video | N/A — film camera | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | None |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | 6fps |
| Battery Life | 2× CR2 lithium batteries | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~165g (without batteries) | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 113 × 66 × 44mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines | None |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | 35mm 135-format film cartridge | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Pentax 17 | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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