

Film comes in many formats, but the most popular is the 35mm format (36mm x 24mm frame size) — what we call full size in digital photography. The half size is a format in which two pictures (17mm x 24mm) are captured in a single 35mm-format frame, meaning that you can double the number of pictures that can be captured on a single roll of film — 72 pictures on a roll of 36-expsoure film, or 48 pictures on 24-exposure film.

The PENTAX 17 is a half-size-format camera that employs a left-to-right film advance mechanism. When positioned in the normal way, it captures vertical-format pictures, identical to the familiar images captured by smartphones.

The PENTAX 17 uses a manual film-winding mechanism featuring a film advance lever, to recreate the feel of a traditional film camera. To improve the feel of the film-winding action after each shutter release, this lever is designed for optimal finger hold.

The PENTAX 17 features a 25mm F3.5 fixed-focus lens (equivalent to a 37mm lens in the 35mm format). This lens is treated with HD (High Definition) coating — highly acclaimed through its application on PENTAX SLR lenses — to optimize the image quality of half-size pictures. As the result, the PENTAX 17 delivers sharp, clear images.

The PENTAX 17’s optical viewfinder features an Albada-type bright frame finder. It also comes with a close-up visual field compensation frame to help you more easily compose close-up images. It is possible to check the zone marks directly through the viewfinder.

The PENTAX 17 automatically adjusts exposure settings based on the lighting data collected by its metering sensor. In addition to the Full Auto mode in which all exposure settings are selected by the camera, it provides six other shooting modes, including: Slow-speed sync, which is highly useful in twilight photography; and Bulb, which comes in handy for photographing nightscapes and fireworks.

The PENTAX 17 features an independent exposure compensation dial, which lets you swiftly shift the exposure level with a simple turn, making it handy in backlit situations or in adding creative touches.

From close ranges to long distances, the PENTAX 17’s zone-focus system is divided into six zones, indicated by marks that signify each zone. All you have to do to set the camera’s focus is select the mark best suited for the distance to your subject.

Since the PENTAX 17 lets you manually select the ISO sensitivity setting from 50, 100, 125, 160, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200, it lets you try and enjoy different types of film

The PENTAX 17 features an easy-loading system to prevent film-loading errors. Just insert the roll of film and pull the film leader to the film end indicator, close the camera’s back cover, and manually keep winding the film until the film counter reaches “0” (zero). After finishing the roll of film, manually rewind it to complete the manual winding/rewinding actions which are only available with film cameras

By cutting out the end of the film package and inserting it into the camera’s note holder, you can keep track of the type of film in use with just a quick glance

The PENTAX 17 provides two indicator lamps to the right of the viewfinder eyepiece. These blink as warnings to prevent operational errors, when you attempt to take pictures with the lens cap on, fail to wind the film to the next frame, or set the focus zone to Tabletop or Macro

The PENTAX 17 accepts the optional CS-205 Cable Switch, which comes in handy when using a tripod for scenic photography or employing extended exposures in bulb-mode shooting. The cable switch helps you capture sharp, clear photos by minimizing camera shake