Pentax: Two new compact film cameras planned - Pentax 17 announced June 2024

[Dali]

If you wish to share some of your images then I look forward to seeing your results and comments.

"Sh*t, my pictures are as crappy as before but I am $499 short..."

This is what I would think and this is the reason why I don't put too much expectation on gear...

 

[albireo]

"Sh*t, my pictures are as crappy as before but I am $499 short..."

This is what I would think and this is the reason why I don't put too much expectation on gear...

I mean if your pictures are crappy because you're using some old, rusty, mouldy, 'professionally CLAd' junk from ebay, your pictures might actually become way less crappy with a brand new camera with no age-related issues.

No rotten light seals to replace. No oily shutter blades. No dodgy exposure meters with semi-exhausted cells. Sounds like a dream to me.

 

[xkaes]

@xkaes yow ARE a recognized expert on 16mm and Smaller Still cameras. Lets see if the high level of demand for this guy keeps up, which would mean that Pentax/Ricoh may be tempted to offer something that this crowd would like.

I hope it's a bigger success than the K1000 has been -- nice camera, and I'm still amazed at the prices these sell for (used), even though there are much better cameras selling for much less -- ex., Minolta SRT200 ($20 vs $120).

 

[Pioneer]

That would be awesome if it turned out to be as good as that old K1000. I picked mine up in a pawn shop in the early 80s and it is STILL working wonderfully. But I seriously doubt that any camera is made that good today unless you are willing to shell out astronomical Leica prices.

 

[Dali]

I mean if your pictures are crappy because you're using some old, rusty, mouldy, 'professionally CLAd' junk from ebay, your pictures might actually become way less crappy with a brand new camera with no age-related issues.

No rotten light seals to replace. No oily shutter blades. No dodgy exposure meters with semi-exhausted cells. Sounds like a dream to me.

Eh, my cameras are like me, old but fully functional !

 

[xkaes]

I just got a BLACK Minolta SRT101 (second version -- the best) with 50mm f1.4 MC Rokkor & like new original case, for $10. Works like new -- just a little dusty. My first thought was to sell it, and make a down-payment on a Pentax 17. Any thoughts?

 

[4season]

I just got a BLACK Minolta SRT101 (second version -- the best) with 50mm f1.4 MC Rokkor & like new original case, for $10. Works like new -- just a little dusty. My first thought was to sell it, and make a down-payment on a Pentax 17. Any thoughts?

Depends on your definition of "works like new": My black SRT101 cost me more than double, didn't include a lens, and it needed a considerable amount of work, as the foam was rotted, the lubricants were dried-out, and the galvanometer was shot. Not the easiest camera to service!

 

[Pioneer]

i want a new 35mm Pentax. It should show up eventually.

 

[braxus]

I think you might get better results using a Olympus Pen F for half frame pictures. Sure the lenses are better and you can actually see focus in the viewfinder.

 

[xkaes]

Depends on your definition of "works like new"

Just like I said -- I've even tested the shutter with my Calumet shutter tested, and compared the meter to my Minolta Autometer II.

Just because you've had back luck -- apparently with non-returnable items -- does not mean everyone else has gotten themselves into the same avoidable situation.

 

[ic-racer]

I think you might get better results using a Olympus Pen F for half frame pictures. Sure the lenses are better and you can actually see focus in the viewfinder.

Like one that shows up on ebay? It is expected to function perfectly? Optics are like new? Warranty?

 

[4season]

Just like I said -- I've even tested the shutter with my Calumet shutter tested, and compared the meter to my Minolta Autometer II.

Just because you've had back luck -- apparently with non-returnable items -- does not mean everyone else has gotten themselves into the same avoidable situation.

It might be a difference in the way we tally up our costs: I include shipping, time spent online and in person searching for deals, travel/automobile/transit expenses and so on. The easiest way for me to "boost my stats" might be to make multi-camera/lens purchases, but that too has a cost, because I rarely want more than one or two of the items, and storing/donating/selling the unwanted stuff comes with it's own cost, IMO.

There's also the matter of how flexible a person is willing to be when bargain-hunting, but I tend to fixate on specific models and variations more than the lowest possible price.

 

[4season]

Staff at neighborhood shop told me that "17" had arrived, but all units were pre-sold.

 

[brbo]

@blee1996, can you set the focus position in continuous fashion (place it in-between the marked positions)?

 

[Chan Tran]

When you can come up with this radio in a 110 cassette, I'll be all ears.

The RADICAME has 2 AA batteries to power the AM Radio and the flash.

Google Search

www.google.com

 

[Chan Tran]

I hope it's a bigger success than the K1000 has been -- nice camera, and I'm still amazed at the prices these sell for (used), even though there are much better cameras selling for much less -- ex., Minolta SRT200 ($20 vs $120).

The K1000 was the worst yet the most successful camera in the Pentax K series.

 

[blee1996]

@blee1996, can you set the focus position in continuous fashion (place it in-between the marked positions)?

Unfortunately no, you can only select those 6 pre-defined distances. And it is focus by wire, meaning that:

- When you select the focus distance, the lens will not move at all
- When you press the shutter button to take a photo, the electronic motor will move the lens element to the pre-selected distance

I don't know why they decided to do this, but it introduces at least one annoyance:
- Some delay to each shot, since the lens have to move first before the shutter can be released. This will add to shutter release delay, which is not the best for street photography

Another quirk is that the entire front lens group plus the moving parts are partially exposed to elements, so I will have to add a Skylight or UV filter if I plan to go to wet, dusty or other situations that elements might get inside. So now a 40.5mm Skylight 1A filter is "permanently" living on my Pentax 17.

 

[brbo]

Many thanks for this information, @blee1996.

 

[xkaes]

The RADICAME has 2 AA batteries to power the AM Radio and the flash.

Google Search

www.google.com

Uh, Cholentpot was talking about a radio inside a 110 cassette -- without a battery. The National C-R1, C-R2 & C-R3 Radicame & Radio/Flash models were 110 cameras with a radio inside -- or a radio with a 110 camera inside -- and they needed batteries. The radio was NOT inside the 110 cassette. The 110 cassette was loaded with film.

 

[xkaes]

The K1000 was the worst yet the most successful camera in the Pentax K series.

Worst? It had the least features, but the quality of the camera was the same -- and the photographic results were the same since it used the same lenses. Some would say it was "better" simply because it produced the same results at a lower cost.

 

[xkaes]

Another quirk is that the entire front lens group plus the moving parts are partially exposed to elements

I don't see how this is different than any other lens. I have UV filters on all of my lenses for that reason -- OK, enlarging lenses excepted.

 

[Cholentpot]

Uh, Cholentpot was talking about a radio inside a 110 cassette -- without a battery. The National C-R1, C-R2 & C-R3 Radicame & Radio/Flash models were 110 cameras with a radio inside -- or a radio with a 110 camera inside -- and they needed batteries. The radio was NOT inside the 110 cassette. The 110 cassette was loaded with film.

Yes the radio was in the 110 cassette. I didn't mention if it had a battery or not.

 

[Chan Tran]

Worst? It had the least features, but the quality of the camera was the same -- and the photographic results were the same since it used the same lenses. Some would say it was "better" simply because it produced the same results at a lower cost.

I had several of the K1000. Although it's similar the build quality is significantly worse than that of say the KX. Yes it uses the same lenses but the lens that was generally sold with it the 50mm f/2 was very bad (I had a few of those too). One thing good about it is that it became kind of a cult so although I got all of the one I had for free I got good money selling them.

 

[xkaes]

Yes the radio was in the 110 cassette. I didn't mention if it had a battery or not.

Whatever, I'd love to see a radio on an actual 110 cassette -- absent the film, of course! I'd love to see where the battery or non-battery "lives". We wait with bated breath.

 

[xkaes]

the build quality is significantly worse than that of say the KX.

Mere words. Provide some evidence. I know that can be hard to come by these days -- for some reason -- but supposition & proposition is not proof.

The build-quality of a Minolta SRT 200 is the same as a Minolta SRT 202. ALL of the parts are interchangeable. One simply had fewer features to reduce the cost.

In addition, slower normal lenses generally produce better results that faster ones. That's one of the reasons I keep a Minolta 50mm Rokkox f2.0 in addition to my Minolta Rokkor f1.2 -- unless I need the speed, the f2.0 is better.