Pentax has delivered on its promise to create a brand new film camera, and the result is miraculously great.
Pentax 17 Half Frame Film Camera – Worth the Hype?
It may look like one of those knock-off plastic SLRs you used to get for free with magazine subscriptions, but the Pentax 17 could be the most important camera this year. It's a brand-new film camera that doesn't suck and doesn't cost $10,000. What's more, rather than simply re-creating a classic camera design, Pentax has taken a typically left-field approach and created something that's very appealing to people who grew up taking photos with their phones.
"I think Pentax's new 17 camera is a fantastic idea, especially for photographers transitioning from phone cameras and point-and-shoots to film. This camera allows users to maximize their film rolls, a significant benefit considering the cost of a roll of [Kodak's Portra film] can be around $20," professional photographer Charles Moll told Lifewire via email.
Up until now your options for new film cameras have been to buy a Leica for a ridiculous amount of money or grab one of the many cheap plastic point-and-shoots that are essentially disposable cameras that have been converted so you can change film rolls. The 17 costs $500 and is definitely a good camera.
