Pentax 17vs RX100 VI
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.
Travel & Vlogging — RX100 VI (2018): The RX100 VI trades fast apertures for a remarkable 24-200mm zoom range — giving it more versatility than any previous model. 4K/30p, 24fps burst, a pop-up EVF, and an articulating screen round out an exceptional compact package. Variable aperture limits low-light performance at the long end, but for travel and events where reach matters, there is no practical alternative at this size.
Who should buy what
RX100 VI (2018)
- Travel photographers who need versatile reach in a pocketable body
- Vloggers and content creators who need 4K and an articulating screen
- Event photographers who want discreet, capable wide-to-tele coverage
- Wildlife and sports enthusiasts who want a compact travel option
Quick take: The pentax 17 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Pentax 17 (2024) | RX100 VI (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £400 | £700 |
| Sensor | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) | 20.1MP 1-inch BSI Stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 20.1MP |
| Video | N/A — film camera | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p, 960fps HFR |
| Autofocus | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) | Fast Hybrid AF, 315 phase-detect points, Eye AF |
| Stabilisation | N/A — film camera | Optical SteadyShot |
| Burst Rate | Manual wind-on | 24fps |
| Battery Life | 2× CR2 lithium batteries | ~240 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | ~165g (without batteries) | 301g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 113 × 66 × 44mm | 101.6 × 58.1 × 42.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines | Pop-up EVF, 2.35M dots |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-200mm f/2.8-4.5 |
| Memory Cards | 35mm 135-format film cartridge | Single SD / Memory Stick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Pentax 17 | RX100 VI |
|---|---|---|
| Street | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Low Light | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
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