Pentax 17 Film Camera Film Cameras

I bought this camera as soon as it came to AW, as my £50 Ektar 35 had just broken down on only it's 2nd roll. I figured at £500 the P17 would let me do 20 rolls at least before that happened 😆.I've put 3 rolls through it now, and it has a well made, solid feel to it, but comfortable to have in your pocket, so it's fast become my daily walk about camera. It has zone focusing symbols, which I'm familiar with from having a Holga, with the corresponding feet/meters shown at the bottom of the focus ring, and the symbols show up in the viewfinder too. The wrist strap is also a 23cm measuring guide for taking macro shots which is handy. The lens is glass and renders images nice and sharp.Why only 4 stars?1) The great big loose screw holding the battery compartment on ... MoreI bought this camera as soon as it came to AW, as my £50 Ektar 35 had just broken down on only it's 2nd roll. I figured at £500 the P17 would let me do 20 rolls at least before that happened 😆.I've put 3 rolls through it now, and it has a well made, solid feel to it, but comfortable to have in your pocket, so it's fast become my daily walk about camera. It has zone focusing symbols, which I'm familiar with from having a Holga, with the corresponding feet/meters shown at the bottom of the focus ring, and the symbols show up in the viewfinder too. The wrist strap is also a 23cm measuring guide for taking macro shots which is handy. The lens is glass and renders images nice and sharp.Why only 4 stars?1) The great big loose screw holding the battery compartment on the camera. a) it's ugly, and b) it's easy for old fumble-fingers to have it slip onto the floor and require creaky~knee bending to retrieve it. A hinge would be kinder.2) The programme wheel is easy to accidentally alter when winding the film on and if you don't realise that, you end up shooting in bulb mode when really you wanted to be in P.3) Really don't care for symbols or measurements, would have preferred a manual focus.But on the whole a sturdy little piece of kit that has already become my favourite P&S. Well worth the money.

Thus far I am getting everything I hoped for out of this camera. I am satisfied with the build quality & materials, and the photos I’m getting are sharp & exposed well when I’m operating properly.Zone Focus has a bit of a learning curve, and you may need a few rolls before you become an expert. It’s going to feel more complex if graduating from a basic point and shoot, and less predictable than an SLR. But you get more control than a P&S in a similarly small package. Being able to adjust focus, push/pull, select ISO, etc makes it a more manual and customizable camera.Are there vintage cameras that with more for less? Possibly, but this camera is new, currently serviceable and more reliable than vintage equipment. You can’t put a price on peace of mind.

So this is a return to film from a mainstream camera manufacturer, the first new film camera for many years.I’m writing this while shooting my first roll of Kodak Gold 200 in the camera, so no results to see yet.The camera feels great to use and handle, sturdy construction, the film loading is nice an easy, just lay the leader up to the red marker and close the back and wind on. The viewfinder is lovely and bright and clear and has a similar system to the Pentax MX where the focus setting, on the lens, is reflected in the VF.Once you learn the flashing LEDs, they really help you not make simple mistakes.I often leave it on by accident, not sure why.It would have been nice if Pentax, included or offered a soft case for the camera.Shooting modes are easy to ... MoreSo this is a return to film from a mainstream camera manufacturer, the first new film camera for many years.I’m writing this while shooting my first roll of Kodak Gold 200 in the camera, so no results to see yet.The camera feels great to use and handle, sturdy construction, the film loading is nice an easy, just lay the leader up to the red marker and close the back and wind on. The viewfinder is lovely and bright and clear and has a similar system to the Pentax MX where the focus setting, on the lens, is reflected in the VF.Once you learn the flashing LEDs, they really help you not make simple mistakes.I often leave it on by accident, not sure why.It would have been nice if Pentax, included or offered a soft case for the camera.Shooting modes are easy to understand, I use P with no flash, or the “ Bokeh” mode for short DOF. The shutter and focus are so quiet it makes a great street photography tool. All in all a great new camera, hopefully a full frame version will follow.