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Pentax

Pentax 17

The Pentax 17 is the most exciting new film camera in years — a half-frame 35mm compact with real manual controls, a genuinely sharp 25mm f/3.5 lens, and a build quality that puts most disposables to shame. It shoots two frames per 35mm frame, meaning a 36-exposure roll gives you 72 shots and a natural diptych format. Released in 2024, it proves there is a real appetite for thoughtfully designed new film cameras.

GearFrame's Take

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.

Starting from
£400 new
Average price across retailers: ~£450
Available at 4 retailers
✓ Available at 4 retailers 🔒 No signup needed 📦 UK stock only
RetailerPrice
eBay
eBay
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Wex Photo Video
Wex Photo Video
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Clifton Cameras
Clifton Cameras
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Value & Depreciation
£499
Launch price
£400
Today
=
20%
Value drop
Over ~2 years, this camera has cost roughly £50/year to own (buy at launch price, sell today). That's one of the lower cost-per-year cameras in its class.
Core
Released
2024
Sensor
35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm)
Mount
35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial)
Dimensions
113 × 66 × 44mm
Weight
~165g (without batteries)
Weather Sealed
No
Performance
Autofocus
Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞)
Stabilisation
N/A — film camera
Burst Rate
Manual wind-on
Battery Life
2× CR2 lithium batteries
Features
Video
N/A — film camera
Viewfinder
Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines
Screen
N/A
Memory Cards
35mm 135-format film cartridge
Connectivity
N/A

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GearScore™ — Suitability by Genre
Street
9.0
Travel
9.0
Portrait
7.0
Everyday
9.0
Landscape
7.0
Low Light
4.0
Great For
🏙️
Street Compact and discreet. Zone focus is fast once practiced. Half-frame pairs tell street stories beautifully.
✈️
Travel 72 shots per roll means less swapping mid-trip. Lightweight and pocketable.
👤
Portrait Pleasing subject separation at f/3.5. Manual ISO lets you dial in the film stock perfectly.
📷
Everyday The ideal carry-everywhere film camera — small enough for a jacket pocket, capable enough for anything.
🏔️
Landscape Tripod use unlocks bulb mode. Strong sharpness across the frame stopped down.
⚠️ Not Ideal For
🌙
Low Light f/3.5 is reasonable but not fast. Push-processing a high-ISO film helps considerably.
📝 How suitability scores are calculated Scores reflect the aggregated consensus from verified purchaser reviews across tracked UK retailers, weighted by photography genre tags applied by reviewers. This is community opinion — not GearFrame editorial assessment. See our full methodology →
Price History — Pentax 17

Video reviews and hands-on coverage for the Pentax Pentax 17 from across YouTube.

Video results sourced from YouTube. GearFrame is not affiliated with these channels.

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