A straightforward entry into actual movie images

Regardless of predictions of digital expertise spelling doom for analog cameras, film photography has by no means totally fizzled out. However because the youthful era buys old school digital point-and-shoots to remain within the second and off their smartphone (even with their high-quality cameras), movie may very properly be the subsequent step in an rising yearning for authenticity and retro expertise. The Pentax 17 is the model’s first new film camera in over 20 years , a conglomeration of classic and trendy designed to pique the curiosity of recent movie photographers.

Whereas the Pentax 17 makes use of handbook movie development and zone focusing, the compact movie digicam blends vintage-inspired options with these designed to ease trendy photographers into the previous artwork kind. The 17 makes use of 35mm movie however is a half-frame digicam, which suggests every roll of movie takes twice as many images as marketed. Such a design additionally means the Pentax 17 shoots vertically by default — reasonably than the extra commonplace horizontal — and in a 17mm by 24mm measurement that is nearer to the house on a smartphone display screen. The digicam lacks full handbook controls however provides important controls like an aperture precedence mode, publicity compensation, and the power to show the built-in flash on and off.

I’ve had an previous Pentax K1000 on my shelf for years now, an previous storage sale discover that I’ve by no means actually discovered the time to dabble with. The Pentax 17 has proved to be simply the digicam I wanted to ease into the waters of movie images earlier than diving headfirst into totally handbook movie cameras.

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Pentax 17

The Pentax 17 is a neater entry into movie images. The digicam’s mixture of automated modes and half-frame format will enchantment to photographers who’ve by no means tried movie. Critical movie photographers could discover the Pentax 17 missing, nevertheless, because it does not provide handbook modes, double publicity, or interchangeable lenses. However, for alleviating into movie, the Pentax 17 has so much to supply.

Professionals

• Simple to be taught
• Compact, retro design
• Stunning actual movie photographs

Cons

• Errors rewinding movie
• No handbook publicity
• Battery is not rechargeable

Worth, specs and availability

The Pentax 17 was introduced in June 2024 and retails for about $500. The Pentax 17 is a compact movie digicam with a hard and fast 25mm lens. Whereas it accepts 35mm movie, it is a half-frame format, which signifies that a roll of 36-exposure movie really takes 72 photographs as a result of every publicity can take two pictures. Its most notable specs embrace a zone-focusing system, which is an easier type of handbook focusing, and a non-rechargeable CR2 battery.

What I like concerning the Pentax 17

The digicam is a simple introduction to movie images

If a digital and a movie digicam performed Rooster and collided, I think about the outcome would look one thing just like the Pentax 17. The digicam is a mishmash of classic and trendy, however that is not essentially a foul factor. Like a movie digicam, the highest homes a handbook rewind crank, a movie advance knob and a clicky shutter launch. However, the mode dial has an auto mode in addition to an assortment of different choices, together with a “bokeh” mode for wider apertures and bulb for lengthy exposures.

The Pentax 17 can be an ideal mix between snug and moveable. The battery compartment doubles as a bump grip to wrap your fingers round it pretty comfortably. However, at 10.2 ounces, it isn’t exhausting to tuck right into a bag and pull out when a photographic alternative presents itself.

The convergence of contemporary and basic helps make the Pentax 17 a beginner-friendly movie digicam. Two indicator lights proper on the viewfinder assist warn you in the event you forgot to advance the movie or the picture is just too darkish since you forgot to take away the lens cap (responsible as charged). Granted, that is the primary time that I’ve felt the necessity to carry round an instruction handbook in my digicam bag for that second after I wanted to recollect easy methods to rewind and reload the movie, however the taking pictures settings themselves felt pure and intuitive.

A part of the 17’s trendy really feel is the truth that it shoots half-frame photographs, or two photographs on each single commonplace publicity of 35mm movie. Even the viewfinder is vertical, reasonably than horizontal, and also you flip the digicam to shoot a horizontal picture as an alternative of the opposite method round.

The result’s a vertical picture that is barely wider than a 2:3 facet ratio that feels destined to fill a smartphone display screen. Is a movie digicam in a format designed for smartphone screens sacrilege? Maybe, however that is the world that we dwell in. This additionally lets you get twice as many photographs per roll of movie, which is extra bang to your buck on movie prices however can up the price of creating that movie.

Whereas the built-in lens performs a job, on a movie digicam, a lot of the picture high quality as an alternative stems from no matter movie that you just load inside. I examined the Pentax 17 with Kodak UltraMax shade and Ilford black and white, each ISO 400 movies. The ensuing photographs have that lovely, genuine movie really feel that digital filters attempt (and sometimes fail) to mimic. The colour movie delivered the deep but much less saturated greens and reds that remind me of my childhood images. The black and white movie delivered deep distinction in a wealthy monochrome picture. Each had beautiful movie grain that merely does not examine with the noise of digital sensors.

The movie photographs really feel much less good, but extra emotive than if I had taken the identical pictures with a digital digicam. Are some out of focus from the type of guesswork that comes with judging how distant the topic is? Sure, however the imperfections did not at all times really feel like a foul factor.

What I did not like concerning the Pentax 17

Rewind directions weren’t clear and a few superior options are lacking

Whereas the Pentax 17 felt like an easier transition from digital to movie, the expertise did not go with out its challenges. The movie didn’t totally rewind in each rolls that I shot. This might have been person error on account of unhealthy directions — as “flip till you are feeling resistance, then flip three extra occasions” feels open to interpretation. Simply how a lot resistance? What occurs if I flip greater than thrice?

On each rolls, after I popped the again open, the movie hadn’t fully rewound. I needed to shoot the door once more and rewind way more than the thrice that the instruction handbook says earlier than the movie totally wound, however by then the injury to the roll was already performed. Both clearer directions or some type of indicator of whether or not the movie was totally rewound would have made a world of distinction — or, maybe, altering the roll out in a darkish room, simply in case.

Whereas the untimely opening of the digicam again — not understanding the movie hadn’t totally rewound — ruined just a few frames, it created mild leaks in others. Sure, a number of the mild leak photographs have been full trash, nevertheless it’s price noting that some have been glad accidents, the place the little bit of glow on the sting of the body added to the texture of the picture, reasonably than detracting from it.

One other facet that I did not love was the main target dial across the lens. The design makes use of small icons to point the final topic distance, like mountains for much away and silverware for a tabletop shot. It is a focusing kind that photographers name zone focusing. Whereas the main target setting seems within the viewfinder as a reminder, I forgot a number of occasions, and even after I did not, a whole lot of it’s guesswork as to how shut the topic is.

I missed the tactile really feel of turning the handbook focus lens and watching the picture come into focus within the viewfinder, one thing the previous 35mm cameras on my shelf provide. With the Pentax 17, you possibly can’t inform utilizing the viewfinder whether or not or not the picture is in focus.

As straightforward because the Pentax 17 was to leap into, I additionally really feel like severe photographers could develop out of the $500 digicam just a little shortly. The Pentax 17 looks like a gateway drug to tougher, severe images. The 17 lacks full handbook publicity management, the lens is mounted and never interchangeable, and the digicam additionally would not let me try a double publicity. I beloved the photographs coming from the Pentax 17, however the introductory expertise to 35mm movie additionally left me desirous to dive into previous SLRs too.

Do you have to purchase the Pentax 17?

It may very well be the gateway to movie images, however with a brief runway

The Pentax 17 eases budding photographers into the world of movie images. With all new components and a whole instruction handbook, the 17 is a neater leap than a used movie digicam. After taking pictures with the 17, I used to be really in a position to determine why the movie wasn’t loading on the previous Pentax K1000 SLR I picked up at a storage sale years in the past. My expertise with the 17 helped construct some much-needed movie troubleshooting abilities.

Whereas the dials and controls on the Pentax 17 combine the fashionable and classic for less complicated operation, the ensuing photographs have that lovely, emotive really feel of movie. The photographs aren’t good, however, truthfully, that is type of the purpose. Getting again a grainy, contrast-filled however imperfect picture looks like a extra trustworthy illustration of the second.

For those who’ve at all times needed to attempt movie images, however newbie’s nerves have at all times gotten in the way in which, purchase the Pentax 17. The digicam is a neater entry into 35mm movie — nevertheless, as you are factoring in the price of the digicam, the price of movie, and the price of movie improvement, you might simply get hooked on movie and need to develop right into a digicam with interchangeable lenses and full handbook controls.

If you wish to dive proper into movie with full handbook controls, then the Pentax 17 is not the fitting alternative. You can even discover extra focal size choices and higher background blur by selecting a digicam that is not half-frame and might swap lenses. One other mark within the “do not buy column” is the associated fee. $500 is nice in comparison with at this time’s digital cameras, nevertheless it’s pretty straightforward to discover a classic 35mm SLR with interchangeable lenses for lower than that.

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Pentax 17