Argentic photography is not dead. On the contrary. Even if we cannot speak of a Renaissance as important as that of vinyl discs, there are active communities dedicated to analog photo, where small cartridges must be inserted in a device to take photos, then brought in a laboratory to develop them and be able to see its shots.
I got there a few months ago myself. A little by nostalgia, of course, but also because I like the whole process of the photo on film, from the choice of the film to the wait (surprisingly gratifying) before seeing the result of his work. Could I have such good photos with a digital device? Certainly. But I would feel less fun doing it.
I was obviously particularly hot at the idea of trying the Pentax 17, a brand new device launched last year by Ricoh. This is not a reproduction of an old device here, but a new model, the main characteristic of which is to photograph in half format, which means that the Pentax 17 manages for example to take 48 shots on a 24-poses film.
After several hundred photos, here are my five main findings on this device.
The half format allows more to experiment than saving money
Even if several semi-format cameras have been launched over the years (such as the Olympus Pen and Canon half ranges), the concept is still poorly known to the general public.
These devices use the same film as 35mm models, but the photos recorded there are twice as small. We can therefore photograph twice as much.
The interest is above all compared to the price. In 2025, the cost of a film, the development and digitization of photos (we no longer receive photos on paper, but rather in digital format) returns to around $ 1 in the photo. With a half-formatx, each photo returns to $ 0.50.
Does that mean that you save compared to a traditional 35 mm camera? Maybe, but not necessarily. In practice, I found that I simply took more photos with the Pentax 17 than with my other devices, especially to experiment (a photo taken at arm’s length, without being able to make composition, for example).
A very correct image quality
The Pentax 17 has a F3.5 fixed lens with a focal length equivalent to 37mm in the 35mm format. Basically, it is neither a great angle nor a telephoto lens: the photos resemble what you see with your eyes.
The image quality is very correct, with good contrasts and images that can be clear. More than with most ” point and shoot »but less than with a 35 mm device with good quality objectives. Very honestly, however, we use the Pentax 17 for experience and for the style of photos than for the quality of the finished product.
For experienced photographers, note that it is more difficult to be in control of the device than with a manual model. The development is done by zone, for example, indicating whether your subject is 50 cm or 1.2 m of you. It is not particularly precise. The Pentax 17 has a bokeh mode and a night mode, but you can not control – or know – the opening or the shutter speed.
The ordinary people in fact risk obtaining the best results by choosing the automatic mode of the Pentax 17, quite simply. Once you agree to use the Pentax 17 as a point and shoot Luxury, not as a manual camera, that’s where we have the most fun using it. It also allows on average to better succeed in your photos.
Note that since the photos are twice smaller on the film than with a 35 mm device, the files you receive are also smaller, about 1500 per 2000 pixels. It’s enough to share on social networks, or to print on a 5 x 7 inch paper, but that’s it. A photo printed from a 35 mm film can usually be twice as large.
The format is practical, and the well -thought -out design
The Pentax 17 is a small device, barely larger than an automatic camera point and shootbut of much better quality. It is, for me, one of his greatest forces. It has often happened to me in recent weeks to take only this one with me, not my main silver apparatus, because I did not want to carry all my usual equipment.
During the WWDC conference of Apple, for example I left my Olympus OM-2N and my goals at home, because they would have taken up all the space in my bag, but I lugged the Pentax 17. As you can see, the photos taken are still successful, and certainly have much more character than those I had taken with my phone.
I also brought it to public events where large cameras are prohibited, and I often carry it in my pockets of short pants. I admit, it is neither elegant nor comfortable.
Even if it is light, it is also solid, much more than any affordable small apparatus. Its different pimples and dials are also well placed. My main criticism is that the exposure compensation wheel is too easy to hang in mistake. A mechanism to find out if we forgot to remove the cap from the lens would also be appreciated.
Diptychs that are difficult to succeed
Since the Pentax 17 poses two photos per frame, the device created by default of diptychs, where two shots that follow can tell a story. I love it when it happens.
Unfortunately, these are difficult to plan, since we never know if we will photograph on the left side or on the right side of the frame. It is also necessary to pose in the same orientation twice (by default, the Pentax 17 poses in portrait mode, so I have many more of these photos than usual with this device).
I generally get one or two interesting diptychs per film, rarely more.
The Pentax 17 stands out above all by the simplicity of the experience
There is also another important aspect to note compared to the simplicity of the Pentax 17: since it is new, you can be sure that it works. Right now, when you buy a camera on marketplace or other, its condition is uncertain, and it can be difficult – and sometimes impossible – to have it repaired or clean it.
The Pentax 17 works, its batteries are still sold (this is not always the case with used models), its objective is clean and it even has a guarantee.
At $ 679, the Pentax 17 is not expensive compared to the launch price of silver cameras at the time, but it is compared to the used models that can be found on Marketplace or Ebay today. But we also pay for this simplicity of experience, and the device is worth its price.
I do not particularly recommend the Pentax 17 as the first silver camera. It is a little too expensive for that. But if you have already started to experiment with a used device, and you appreciate the experience, it is certainly an excellent device to complete your arsenal. Personally, I plan to buy it when my test is finished.