Got  thePentax 17 and I kept it in my jacket pocket for a sunny and properly freezing weekend. No special shoot, no “testing day”, no planning. Just real life. Walkaround the city, grab coffee, shoot whatever looks interesting, and try not to lose feeling in your fingers while doing it.

I loaded it with Cinestill 400D (because I’m predictable and I love how it handles light), and after the weekend I realized something: this camera is dangerously easy to enjoy. Like… too easy. The kind of camera that makes you shoot more than you planned, and then makes you happy about it instead of stressed.

Here are the results, and here are my thoughts.
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72 shots per roll is a game changer

Half-frame means you get 72 photos out of anormal 36 exposure roll. And yes, that number sounds ridiculous the first time you hear it, but once you actually use the camera you instantly understand why it matters.

Because film is expensive now. Developing is expensive. Scanning is expensive. And most of the time when I shoot film, there’s always this little voice in the back of my head reminding me that every click is basically a small donation to the film industry.

But with the Pentax 17 that voice shuts up.

Suddenly you stop treating every frame like it needs to be “worth it”. You stop saving shots for later. You stop hesitating.You start experimenting. You shoot the weird reflection, you shoot the random street sign, you shoot your coffee, you shoot your friend mid-laugh, you shoot the same scene twice just because you can. And weirdly, that freedom makes the photos better.

It reminds me of why people fell in love with point-and-shoot film cameras in the first place. You’re not making art. You’re making memories. And half-frame makes it feel like you have permission to do that again.

The lens is surprisingly sharp

The built-in lens is sharp. Like actually sharp. Not “sharp for a cheap film camera”, but sharp enough that when you get the focus right, you can see that Pentax didn’t treat this like a toy.

Of course, half-frame negatives are smaller, so you’re not getting insane amounts of detail, but for what this camera is meant to do, the results are honestly impressive. Cinestill 400D looked great with it too — nice contrast, nice colors, and grain that feels more like texture than a flaw.

That being said, the lens is sharp when you don’t mess up zone focus. Because yes, this camera is not autofocus, and yes, it will happily punish you if you’re lazy. But once you understand how it works, it stops being a problem and starts feeling like part of the experience.

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Zone focus isn’t scary, it’s just… different

The Pentax 17 uses zone focusing, which sounds intimidating until you realize that most of the time you don’t even need to think about it.

Realistically, 90% of the photos I took were shot in infinity mode anyway. Street scenes, architecture, people at a distance, random everyday moments — infinity is basically the default setting for life. And once you commit to that, the camera becomes ridiculously fast. No waiting, no hunting autofocus, no “beep beep” point-and-shoot drama. You just lift it, frame it, and shoot.

And when you do want something closer, the zones are easy enough to get used to. It’s not like a Leica rangefinder where you’re carefully aligning patches and trying to be a perfectionist. It’s more like… you guess the distance, trust yourself, and move on.

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Vertical half-frame is lowkey perfect

Half-frame means your photos are vertical by default, and I didn’t realize how much I would like that until I started scanning and looking through the results.

Because we live in a vertical world now.Instagram posts, stories, reels, even websites — vertical images just fit naturally into how we consume photos today. Most 35mm cameras are horizontal-first, and vertical shots always feel like you’re doing something“extra”. With the Pentax 17 it’s the opposite: vertical is the standard, and horizontal becomes the unusual one.

And I genuinely think this is one of the reasons why this camera makes so much sense in 2026. It’s a film camera that feels built for the way people actually share photos now.

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Half-frame negatives = don’t expect insane detail (but that’s fine)

Let’s be honest: half-frame means smaller negatives. Smaller negatives mean less resolution and more visible grain.That’s just physics. You can’t escape it.

So no, this isn’t the camera for someone who wants perfect detail and super clean scans. If you want huge prints or that“wow I can zoom into the pores of a brick wall” level of sharpness, you’ll probably be happier with a medium format 120 film camera.

But that’s not what the Pentax 17 is for.

This camera is for everyday use. For carrying around. For taking on trips. For documenting friends, streets, random moments, and the kind of photos that look better because they aren’t perfect.Grain shows up quicker, but personally I like that. It adds mood and character.It makes the photos feel like film immediately.

And in a weird way, half-frame makes you focus more on the moment and less on the technical side. Because you know this isn’t meant to be flawless — it’s meant to be fun.

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The best part: it’s new, so it’s reliable

One of the biggest reasons the Pentax 17 is easy to recommend is simply because it’s a new camera.

Old point-and-shoots are fun, but they’re also a gamble. They’re like adopting a cute old cat that might randomly bite you.Sometimes they work perfectly for years, and sometimes they die halfway through a trip and leave you with a half-finished roll of film and emotional damage.

The Pentax 17 doesn’t feel like that.

It feels like something you can trust. Like you can actually take it with you for a weekend trip and not worry about it breaking, malfunctioning, or suddenly deciding that today is the day it eats your film.

And honestly, that reliability is underrated.Especially now, when film is expensive and you don’t want to waste a roll on a camera that decides to quit.

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Who is this camera actually for?

The Pentax 17 is not a “serious photographer’s main camera”. It’s not trying to be a professional tool, and it’s not pretending to replace your main camera.

But it is an incredibly smart camera for someone who wants film photography to feel casual again.

It’s for people who want more photos per roll, less stress, and more freedom to shoot without thinking too much. It’s for travel, street walks, weekends, everyday life. It’s for someone who wants that film look and film experience, but without the constant fear of wasting money every time they press the shutter.

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Final thoughts

After using the Pentax 17 for a weekend, I get why it exists.

It’s fun. It’s simple. It’s surprisingly capable. It makes film feel less precious and more natural, and half-frame is honestly a genius choice for the way people shoot and share photos now.

If you want a film camera that gives you double the shots, a vertical format that feels modern, and the reliability of something new that won’t randomly die on you when you need it — this is a very easy recommendation.

Not a hype camera.

Just a good camera.

And sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

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Want to See More?

📸 Follow me on Instagram for more sample shots from this lens and others:
👉 www.instagram.com/paomees

🛒 Thinking about picking one up? Check current used prices at MPB:
👉 www.mpb.com

Thanks for reading—and let me know if you’ve had a different experience with this camera. I’d love to hear how it’s working for you!