Pentax 17 - 35mm Film Camera - with fast TRACKED shipping

This review will be a bit long. If it's TL;DR then the summary is that I love the Pentax 17 and would recommend it to anyone, perhaps not as their only film camera, but as a 'go anywhere' point and shoot that isn't 20+ years old it's brilliant and has rejuvenated my interest in photography.

Long version. I've had film cameras for, well, getting on for 50 years, 110, 126, 135 and 120. I shot a lot of Kodachrome before Kodak stopped processing it in 2009, but since then I've not really done a lot of analogue photography and I've missed it. I have a nearly mint Nikon FM2n which I bought new when my daughter was a baby, and a dozen old-ish rolls of HP5, FP4 and Foma in the freezer, so did I really need to spend £500 on a Pentax 17 to reawaken my interest in 'proper' photography? What if I decided to stick with digital after all?

Well, as it turns out, I did need to buy this. It reminds me of the first camera I actually owned, a Kodak Instamatic 177X which I got for Christmas 1977 or '78. I had forgotten how I felt about photography back then - as a child it was all to do with the excitement of being able to make an image, any image, of anything I wanted. I didn't reflect for a single second on the limitations of the technology, I just used it. Fixed focus with two choices of exposure setting, the 177X relied on the wide exposure latitude of colour negative film (and a bit of luck perhaps) to get decent photos out of it. And at the time I neither knew nor cared about any of that.

Compared with an Instamatic, the Pentax 17 offers a wide range of controls - 6 focus settings, a range of exposure modes, and an exposure compensation dial. The lens has decent HD glass in it and the focal length is perfect for a general purpose 'walking about' camera. I was particularly drawn by the advantages of half-frame, which not only doubles the number of images you get from a film, but it means that the grain on each individual photo is emphasised and gives an even more low-res 1970s feel to it. Could I replicate that with a modern digital camera and Lightroom? Of course, but who cares, that's missing the point.

There's a learning curve to any camera, and I'm just starting to get a feel for the 17 after putting just one film through it. There are some things to watch out for - it's easy to inadvertently move the exposure mode dial when winding the film on. Likewise the exposure compensation dial turns easily, and I need to remember to check that and the focus zone setting before every shot. I also need to remember to take the lens cap off, notwithstanding the warning light you get in the viewfinder.

But ultimately this thing is a lot of fun, not a huge amount of money, is actually very usable and it produces images that are a world away from modern digital 'perfection' (whatever that means) and remind me of what made me love photography in the first place. I'll include a few sample images - you'll note some imperfections (sharpness and focus are subjective after all), but I'm happy with them and the results will get better after a few more rolls.

I bought one of these after using a Rollei 35S for years. The Pentax is nice and light, while being really solidly constructed. It has fewer controls than the Rollei, but is a far better option for point & shoot photography ‘on the move’, street photography etc. Has reignited my love for film….

Wasn't too sure at first, but after having used this since it's release day, I can safely say it's very enjoyable. Having an under / over exposure dial is fantastic, and not something that many point and shoots outside of the Contax T2 can offer.

I've had a couple of half frames previously, and always enjoyed them. This one is no different. Having 72 frames reduces pressure to get each frame right and encourages a story telling approach to scenes. The close up setting plus Bokeh mode is good for flexibility.

Getting my Pentax 17 and shooting my first rolls of film in perhaps over twenty years has reignited my passion for photography (both digital and film). It's given me a new angle on my hobby. I love using the P17 although I am probably still struggling with the zone focusing system and missing clear focus far too often. But the excitement of using film again, and the anticipation of seeing the scans, has drawn me in; to the extent that I have now bought a vintage Pentax (the K1000) and thoroughly love using it.
I still love digital photography, but after striving for something different for some time now and embracing a more abstract and different approach, perhaps it's the imperfection of film that is really appealing.
So, taking the plunge, and getting the Pentax 17 has been a real tonic and pushed my photography in a new direction. Shots here are taken on that first film of Kodak Ultramax that came with my bundle.