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Pentax 17vs A5100

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Pentax Pentax 17 Pentax Pentax 17 (2024) Starting from £400 new Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling View Pentax 17
VS
Sony A5100 Sony A5100 (2014) Starting from £200 new Best for Casual & Travel View A5100

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.

↓ Full specifications below

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
Genre Pentax 17A5100
Street
9.0
7.5
Travel
9.0
8.5
Portrait
7.0
7.5
Everyday
9.0
Landscape
7.0
6.5
Low Light
4.0
Casual
9.0
Vlogging & Video
7.0
Sports & Action
6.5

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side Pentax 17 prices → A5100 prices →

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