I’m just a little embarrassed to confess it, however the movie SLR that I discovered at a storage sale sat on a shelf for years earlier than it turned greater than a paperweight. However the cause that I lastly discovered the braveness to load movie into the dusty previous digital camera from the Nineteen Seventies is definitely resulting from one other digital camera: The Pentax 17.
The Pentax 17 launched in 2024 because the model’s first movie digital camera in additional than 20 years. Pentax, nonetheless, has a protracted historical past of movie cameras, together with the Pentax K1000 that I picked up at a storage sale for a couple of bucks earlier than neglecting it for a number of years.
However whereas the Pentax 17 digital camera got here after a long time of no new movie cameras from the model, the 2024 announcement upset some photographers. The Pentax 17 is a movie digital camera designed for the social media age. It doesn’t have the total guide controls that critical photographers search for, for starters. There’s no interchangeable lens, and focus is a zone-style system.
However whereas I admittedly was a bit upset by the Pentax 17’s lack of superior controls, the straightforward digital camera was precisely what I wanted to start out my movie journey. The Pentax 17 made movie really feel much less daunting. I didn’t must surprise if one thing had damaged during the last 50 years of use, as a result of it was a brand new digital camera. I didn’t must spend an excessive amount of time determining find out how to load movie inside as a result of it’s a brand new digital camera with directions (and plentiful YouTube movies).
The Pentax 17 helped me study the fundamentals of movie. However there’s additionally magnificence in simplicity, and I discovered myself loving the straightforward operation of the digital camera and the photographs that I managed to seize with it. I loved taking footage with an analog digital camera that didn’t weigh me down.
I wanted to ease into movie with a easy digital camera. The Pentax 17 was simply what I wanted, despite the fact that it didn’t have the guide options that I needed.
Did I instantly exit and purchase the Pentax 17 after I needed to return the one which I borrowed? No, I didn’t. I’ll have thought-about it, however the price appeared steep once I had an SLR simply adorning my workplace. As an alternative, I instantly purchased extra movie and at last loaded that previous Pentax K1000 that had been sitting on my shelf for years.
Most photographers need to bounce proper into movie with these classic-looking movie SLRs, however the best approach to study movie is with a point-and-shoot, whether or not that is a compact movie digital camera from 50 years in the past or one from 2024. I wanted to ease into movie with a easy digital camera. The Pentax 17 was simply what I wanted, despite the fact that it didn’t have the guide options that I needed. The largest drawback is that after I acquired my toes moist with movie, I used to be keen to maneuver to interchangeable lenses and guide controls.
I outgrew the Pentax 17 too shortly to make the preliminary funding value it, however I’m glad that I attempted a point-and-shoot movie digital camera earlier than diving into a movie SLR. The Pentax 17 is an effective launching level – and it has a greater lens and extra controls than the Kodak Ektar H35.
I didn’t find yourself including the Pentax 17 to my assortment. However whereas the brand new movie digital camera wasn’t the most effective use of my gear funds, the identical might not be true for extra informal movie photographers and social media creators. The Pentax 17 is easy to make use of, but there are not less than sufficient controls to prioritize bokeh or create lengthy exposures. For alleviating into movie, the Pentax 17 is a straightforward, albeit dear, launching level.
You might also like
Is the Pentax 17 the suitable digital camera for you? Think about these 7 issues earlier than shopping for a Pentax 17. Or browse the finest movie cameras or the finest movie for cameras.