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

[cmacd123]

more than just competent, actually looks well enough made to justify the retail price. (with a lot of design probably borrowed from current Digtal cameras.

highlight included that the Zone focus zones are discrete.

 

[cmacd123]

FWIW, B&H sent me a notice that they have the Pentax 17 in stock, so one is supposed to be driving its way to me on a UPS truck in the next few days...

proably a bit over priced, but it has been a long while since I could buy a BRAND NEW film Camera.

they still show some in stock, so if you are thinking about one, now is the time.

 

[Pioneer]

Who would have thought that a Film camera would be OUT OF STOCK in this digital market? It would be interesting to know what Pentax's production capacity for this camera is and whether they have had to increase it.

 

[Mackinaw]

Who would have thought that a Film camera would be OUT OF STOCK in this digital market? It would be interesting to know what Pentax's production capacity for this camera is and whether they have had to increase it.

Article is from early July.

https://petapixel.com/2024/07/05/ricoh-is-considering-increasing-pentax-17-production-to-catch-up-to-demand/

 

[Cholentpot]

Who would have thought that a Film camera would be OUT OF STOCK in this digital market? It would be interesting to know what Pentax's production capacity for this camera is and whether they have had to increase it.

Me.

I've said many times that the right camera marketed to the right people would sell like hotcakes.

 

[Chan Tran]

Who would have thought that a Film camera would be OUT OF STOCK in this digital market? It would be interesting to know what Pentax's production capacity for this camera is and whether they have had to increase it.

It would if they make too few of them.

 

[cmacd123]

It would if they make too few of them.

or estimate the initial sales conservatively.

 

[Pioneer]

It would if they make too few of them.

So how many do YOU think they should have made in this day and age?

I think sales just went far beyond what they expected and I think it is great.

Film will never take the place of digital but it does appear that film still has a place in photography.

 

[Chan Tran]

So how many do YOU think they should have made in this day and age?

I think sales just went far beyond what they expected and I think it is great.

Film will never take the place of digital but it does appear that film still has a place in photography.

I don't know how many they made but I think 50,000 is about right.

 

[Pioneer]

I don't know how many they made but I think 50,000 is about right.

Sounds good to me as well. I have heard it was a successful roll-out but I have not seen any sales numbers

 

[Chan Tran]

Sounds good to me as well. I have heard it was a successful roll-out but I have not seen any sales numbers

I figure Leica was able to sell 5000 film cameras in the year 2023 then Pentax 17 which is 1/10 the price should be able to sell 10 times as many.

 

[Agulliver]

I do not know how many 17's Pentax manufactured but I've heard from a couple of retailers that they've been told that the entire first production run was effectively sold within days and that a second run has begun.

This certainly demonstrates that the information one poster gave us, which was that Pentax top brass' research predicted the 17 would fail and that they wanted to bury the whole "it's time for film" project ASAP was a lie from the start.

*if* it's 50,000.....that's comparatively a lot of film cameras being sold in a short period of time. I do know a couple of people who have a 17 and really enjoy them. I have not handled one myself but indications are that despite a plasticky feel it's a really well made piece of gear.

Whether this level of sales can be sustained is anyone's guess....but this has begun really well.

 

[halfaman]

Does anybody know why Pentax says this camera is not compatible with infrared film?

 

[multivoiced]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is anything known about the second film camera?

 

[Cholentpot]

I do not know how many 17's Pentax manufactured but I've heard from a couple of retailers that they've been told that the entire first production run was effectively sold within days and that a second run has begun.

This certainly demonstrates that the information one poster gave us, which was that Pentax top brass' research predicted the 17 would fail and that they wanted to bury the whole "it's time for film" project ASAP was a lie from the start.

*if* it's 50,000.....that's comparatively a lot of film cameras being sold in a short period of time. I do know a couple of people who have a 17 and really enjoy them. I have not handled one myself but indications are that despite a plasticky feel it's a really well made piece of gear.

Whether this level of sales can be sustained is anyone's guess....but this has begun really well.

Either or, I'm sure there are some of the brass that thought it would be a failure and some said give it a chance. I'm glad that it had success so far. Maybe some of the other companies will take a look and put something out.

 

[titrisol]

My guess is that they were very conservative in the initial batch
Ricoh and Pentax are very nippon-centric sometime

Meanwhile this came out and as you can see they only talk about "japanese fans"

New film camera aimed at 'nostalgic' young Japanese fans

Keita Suzuki leads a group of young analogue photography fans around a coastal city in Japan, stopping to snap pastel hydrangea blooms with bulky vintage film cameras. The participants later share their lush retro-looking snaps online -- a trend a top Japanese camera brand wants to capture with...

japantoday.com

 

[Angarian]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is anything known about the second film camera?

AFAIK no further news so far.
Their initial plan has been that if the first, more to beginners aimed camera, is successful at market (that's the case), then a more advanced "premium-like" 35mm compact camera shall follow.
Maybe they also wait now just a little bit and look at the Mint Rollei 35AF, which is announced to be shipped in October (preorders starting in September). And then maybe based on the market reaction to the Rollei further detailed plans are made by Ricoh/Pentax.

 

[Pioneer]

Perhaps waiting for an Xmas rollout.

Or perhaps this success may have tied up production facilities longer than planned.

 

[xkaes]

Or perhaps this success may have tied up production facilities longer than planned.

There's one so much one guy can do!

 

[brbo]

So, we demand another film camera two months after 17?

I'll be over the moon if a new Pentax camera comes out before the end of next year. Especially, if it is an obvious improvement to 17 and not just a bigger (full frame) variant of it.

 

[Pioneer]

There's one so much one guy can do!

So true, so true. That poor guy hasn't had a day off in months.

 

[Cholentpot]

So, we demand another film camera two months after 17?

I'll be over the moon if a new Pentax camera comes out before the end of next year. Especially, if it is an obvious improvement to 17 and not just a bigger (full frame) variant of it.

I think it's going to be a full frame autofocus version of the 17.

 

[Agulliver]

Pentax have hinted that there are four cameras in their roadmap. We have the first. The second is said to be a more premium 35mm compact camera, which could well be something like a full frame AF derived from the 17. Ricoh/Pentax might well look at how the Mint/Rollei camera does though, because those two models *could* end up competing against each other.

It probably isn't difficult to do a full frame 35mm AF P&S now that the groundwork has been done with the 17, so it could come out in time for Christmas 2024....but that decision will also be partially a marketing decision.

The 3rd camera might be an electronic SLR with some manual features. The final stop on the original roadmap is a fully mechanical/manual SLR....which is actually more difficult to build today than an electronic one. Though there are already some rumblings that the success of the 17 and general interest could, if it is kept up, lead to the roadmap being extended.

Though honestly, if they can release another camera in the next 12 months and some sort of SLR in a couple of years I'll still be delighted. That's a lot more serious film cameras on the market than we had 12 months ago.

 

[cmacd123]

I think it's going to be a full frame autofocus version of the 17.

My 17 Came today, and the Presure plate is indeed looking like it would be large enough for a full frame camera. that would make the chassis at least sutable to design a full frame version.

 

[xkaes]

The Pentax 17 is now showing up on EBAY -- used, of course. That's even faster than the Kodak H35.