Pentax 17vs A7R
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.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
Who should buy what
A7R (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a7r is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Pentax 17 (2024) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £349 |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | — | 36.4MP |
| Video | N/A — film camera | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | None |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | 4fps |
| Battery Life | 2× CR2 lithium batteries | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~165g (without batteries) | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 113 × 66 × 44mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 35mm 135-format film cartridge | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Pentax 17 | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history