Pentax 17vs A6400
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.
Content Creation & Vlogging — A6400 (2019): The best value APS-C Sony you can buy — especially used. Real-time Eye AF at this price point was transformative when it launched and still makes it one of the most reliable autofocus systems in the lineup.
Who should buy what
A6400 (2019)
- Vloggers and content creators who need a flip screen and reliable AF
- Photographers upgrading from a compact or smartphone
- Beginners who want room to grow into a full E-mount lens ecosystem
- Anyone prioritising autofocus performance at an accessible price
Quick take: The pentax 17 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Pentax 17 (2024) | A6400 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £899 |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | N/A — film camera | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | 2× CR2 lithium batteries | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~165g (without batteries) | 403g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 113 × 66 × 44mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 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 UHS-I |
| Connectivity | N/A | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Pentax 17 | A6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
More comparisons with Pentax 17
Camera family history