Pentax 17 Teardown | A Look Inside the New Film Camera from Pentax

[Supisiche]

 

[Jaime100]

Fascinating....a blend of old / new..... That was very interesting.

 

[Rangitoto2025]

Pentax didn't go to fare about the design of the Pentax 17! Take an old receipe and says it's a extraordinary new concept! And the Auto 110 had a very nice set of three lenses!

 

[flektogon]

Oh, what a marvel! i would never expect such a sophisticated machine inside so innocently looking camera. This camera is well worth those $500 (USD).

 

[alex_virt]

Oh, what a marvel! i would never expect such a sophisticated machine inside so innocently looking camera. This camera is well worth those $500 (USD).

I hope that green solenoid is new, not the same solenoid that plagued Pentax DSLRs.

 

[flektogon]

For sure not!

I wished I was younger... Unfortunately, none of my grandkids would be interesting in any of my (especially film) cameras :-( .

 

[Supisiche]

Pentax didn't go to fare about the design of the Pentax 17! Take an old receipe and says it's a extraordinary new concept! And the Auto 110 had a very nice set of three lenses!

Is that the tiny one?

 

[Overrank]

Pentax didn't go to fare about the design of the Pentax 17! Take an old receipe and says it's a extraordinary new concept! And the Auto 110 had a very nice set of three lenses!

Is that the tiny one?

Yes, it has six lenses in total (18mm, 24mm, 50mm, 70mm, 20-40mm zoom and 18mm Pan Focus). The lenses can be adapted directly to m43 (since m43 and 110 are pretty much the same size). There was also a choice of two flashes, a motor drive and a third party teleconverter.



I used to have the full set (bar the TC) and they’d all fit on a copy of National Geographic (I have a photo somewhere)

 

[Overrank]

For sure not!

I wished I was younger... Unfortunately, none of my grandkids would be interesting in any of my (especially film) cameras :-( .

If they’re in their teens or twenties they’re probably the perfect audience for your film cameras

 

[nameless0ne]

Oh, what a marvel! i would never expect such a sophisticated machine inside so innocently looking camera. This camera is well worth those $500 (USD).

I don't see anything hi-end or complex there, rather basic thing with lot of electronics and not lot of mechanics.

 

[Alec246]

I am not an expert, but I have to say the lens group assembly didn't strike me with confidence. The lens are floating above the film it seems, didnt look like a solid structure to me.

This is what I am talking about:

--
You can find some of my Photos here:
https://www.500px.com/alexismmef

 

[flektogon]

Oh, what a marvel! i would never expect such a sophisticated machine inside so innocently looking camera. This camera is well worth those $500 (USD).

I don't see anything hi-end or complex there, rather basic thing with lot of electronics and not lot of mechanics.

Remember, elegance ≡ simplicity! And as an (old time) engineer I can only confirm this. Now, there will be another "new" film camera on the market, the Rellei 35 AF. While its specs are definitely in a different league, I am afraid that this camera will be extremely unreliable. It is so mechanically complex! And this is a sign of the inexperience of its designers.

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Regards,
Peter

 

[Supisiche]

Oh, what a marvel! i would never expect such a sophisticated machine inside so innocently looking camera. This camera is well worth those $500 (USD).

I don't see anything hi-end or complex there, rather basic thing with lot of electronics and not lot of mechanics.

But it should easy to service, unless there's a problem with the electronics.

 

[nameless0ne]

Oh, what a marvel! i would never expect such a sophisticated machine inside so innocently looking camera. This camera is well worth those $500 (USD).

I don't see anything hi-end or complex there, rather basic thing with lot of electronics and not lot of mechanics.

But it should easy to service, unless there's a problem with the electronics.

That is for sure good.

 

[Shooters on My Squad]

Oh, what a marvel! i would never expect such a sophisticated machine inside so innocently looking camera. This camera is well worth those $500 (USD).

I don't see anything hi-end or complex there, rather basic thing with lot of electronics and not lot of mechanics.

I feel you on that. Basic 80-90’s design with some extra flavor, ya dig? Price tag hitting better around $300-400, keepin' it real.

But yaw, it’s more than just the dough. We out here keepin' the company’s hustle alive, lettin' them push forward with those film camera dreams. That’s that warm, fuzzy vibe we all need.

Video was tight too. Now we all know what makes that trusty Pentax 17 tick. Because you know… it’s what’s inside that counts

Peace

 

[sprocket-docket]

I dig. I bet they could have put this camera in around $400, but realistically, they need to regain some of the R&D dollars (well, yen) that went into it. Remember they had to do a lot of research to even know where to start since they had zero remaining film camera production/assembly line stuff and the engineers had retired. I think they deserve to recoup all of that, especially since they've done a bang-up job from the looks of this video.

 

[Shooters on My Squad]

I dig. I bet they could have put this camera in around $400, but realistically, they need to regain some of the R&D dollars (well, yen) that went into it. Remember they had to do a lot of research to even know where to start since they had zero remaining film camera production/assembly line stuff and the engineers had retired. I think they deserve to recoup all of that, especially since they've done a bang-up job from the looks of this video.

Yes, true. And I don’t know why, but I believe in their plan and that it is not just a marketing plot. I watched their YouTube videos, and they honestly communicated that one of the possibilities is also that they’ll stop after the Pentax 17.

So let’s see what the future will bring, and hope that we’ll at least see another new Pentax film camera, and maybe there will be my much desired MF film Pentax at the end of the project, who knows.

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You are talking to crazy. With too many cameras.