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How can you not?
Thefuture of film photographyis bright, and thePentax 17heralds a new era.
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
I love film cameras.
I recently had the pleasure of testing the Pentax 17 which quickly became one of myfavorite camerasof all time.
It takes stunning photos and its great for diptychs.
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
I took one look at the Pentax 17 and immediately fell in love.
How could you not?
Its retro design is hard to resist as is its ability to take gorgeous photos.
They feature plasticky builds which don’t necessarily feel premium.
Not the Pentax 17.
This camera’s got looks that could kill.
Yes, some parts are made of plastic but you’re able to tell it’s high-quality.
The dials are solid, and the film crank is the most fun I’ve had advancing film.
What makes the Pentax 17 special is its manual controls, of course.
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
You don’t get a straightforward shutter speed dial as you do on mostmirrorless cameras.
And its viewfinder is so clever that you might see the active focus zone.
Those photos, though
And how about the photos the Pentax 17 captures?
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
Beautiful, and you’re free to see a few examples above.
Color reproduction is faithful, albeit with a little chromatic aberration.
Shadows and highlights are well-balanced too.
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
It essentially doubles the shot count.
If you use a 36-exposure roll like I did, you’ll get 72 photos out of it.
Or you’re free to get two photos developed on one 3x2 sheet like I did.
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
you could view more photos I took on thePentax 17 in my full review.
My travel buddy
But its extensive feature set makes the Pentax 17 an expensive camera.
If you’ve got$499/499to spare, then it’s really a no-brainer.
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
The Pentax 17 is a class apart, the creme de la creme.
It’s also a hopeful sign for the future of film photography.
Pentax launched this camera in late 2024, and I can’t wait to see what’s to come.
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
(Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom’s Guide)
