Pentax 17vs A7 IV
Pentax
Pentax 17 (2024)
Starting from £400 new
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
View Pentax 17
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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.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
Who should buy what
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The pentax 17 is the most affordable; only the a7 iv is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Pentax 17 (2024) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 33.0MP |
| Video | N/A — film camera | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 2× CR2 lithium batteries | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~165g (without batteries) | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 113 × 66 × 44mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm 135-format film cartridge | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Pentax 17 | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with Pentax 17
Camera family history