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I’ve been resisting the temptation to buy one of these since they came out though I might still give in. Going half-frame was a smart move for a few reasons. I hope this camera succeeds and maybe inspires a couple other companies that have film camera history to produce film cameras again.

This is the perfect camera for candid moments. I need one for sure!

As an entry level unit, it's very user-friendly, & given that you're doubling up on film exposures (36 becomes 72), decidely value for money; the rangefinder aspect would take some getting used to - tho' again, the strap utilised for close-ups is a simple & smart innovation. The only real con being the mode selector dial is easily disrupted by the film advance lever. Overall, a neat first buy.

Seems like a perfect nifty everyday carry. Really loved the retro-ish looks ❤

how is she shooitng at slower shutter speeds on the 200 and still looking more overexposed than the 400? I think you are mislabeling somewhere

i think its crazy that a brand new film camera has been released. perfect time to get into film i think, hopefully this leads to a prolific resurgence

Good afternoon. Thanks for the review. I like the way you guys tested them with different conditions and film.

This is a dope camera what a review

Great to see a new film camera coming out. I don’t have a (working) point and shoot so this looks fun!

THANK YOU for such a great review😍 this camera sounds like a dream to me! I have a Pentax k1000. I love it but sometimes I feel like I missed the shot because of trying to manually adjust the focus 😅 I love how Pentax release a brand new film camera in 2024 so we film lover have the hope to see more come out in the future 🥰🎉 I would love to buy one but having a family to raise is hard to have a spare $500 to spend 😭 I hope I can win one and document my little family life with this camera 🥹🥰 hopefully the zone focus can help me to snap a picture faster 😂 love all of your thoughts and work 💕✨ so glad I found you guys 🥹

THANK YOU for such a great review😍 this camera sounds like a dream to me! I have a Pentax k1000. I love it but sometimes I feel like I missed the shot because of trying to manually adjust the focus 😅 I love how Pentax release a brand new film camera in 2024 so we film lover have the hope to see more come out in the future 🥰🎉 I would love to buy one but having a family to raise is hard to have a spare $500 to spend 😭 I hope I can win one and document my little family life with this camera 🥹🥰 hopefully the zone focus can help me to snap a picture faster 😂 love all of your thoughts and work 💕✨ so glad I found you guys 🥹

I think the camera definitely fills an interesting niche in the film world, and it’s super exciting to see a new film camera in 2024 that isn’t an instant one. I’m super impressed by the lens’ sharpness more than anything, since that’s usually a big deterrent from shooting half-frame, and I would really like the chance to get a feel for the zone focusing concept myself. It sounds a little limited/tedious on paper but I would have to try it myself to see how it really integrates into the workflow.

It looks like a great camera to start out in film photography and get your feet wet ! thanks for the review :)

This is an awesome camera! Wish it wasn’t that costly though.

Hi, I’m very curious about this camera. I’ve gotten back into using my Olympus EE.2 for the past few years but I fear that the internal take up gear is slipping. I went to a shop and held one but the AUS price is a whopping $899. It’s a dream at this stage.

Mike I like the comment you made about this being a great daily camera. For me, I'm always apprehensive about "wasting a shot" (and I think thats more of a film issue rather than camera) but the fact that the camera is friendly enough for daily pics is awesome.

Love that Pentax took a leap of faith on a new film camera!! I can definitely see this as a daily carry or a weekend trip camera. I'm digging that it is half frame! Love saving some money to buy more film or upgrade those scans!!

Love working with you guys and making reviews! ;)

This is such a neat origin story. Interesting that you did a bunch of things all at the same time (mental health and film and electronics). Loved hearing about your growth. This is inspirational! Great photos of your film lab in your bedroom, lol!

Looks fun, love that you demonstrated so many different films in the video!

Loved your video! Looks like the Pentax 17 will be a great addition to film photography!

Great video, Mike and crew! We just received our Pentax 17 from Reformed Film Lab yesterday. My partner and I are sharing it and we already have a list started of who shot what. Nice, cooler weather today in Ohio so we will be out and about doing some photo walks.

I just ordered one from you yesterday. IT was my birthday and I couldn't think of anything I needed, so I said "what the hell, I've been carrying an Olympus XA as an everyday carry camera for years, let's try something new. Besides,as a long time Pentax user,both DSLR and film slr, I definitely agree with Ricoh's marketing decisions. The only complaint I have about the video is the first lady's choice of Harman Phoenix. It has to be the crappiest color film released in years, and that's not just my opinion. So when she dissed the quality of her shot, she might have mentioned that that particular film is considered a "work in progress " by the manufacturer. Nowadays I mostly shoot 400d or Aurora 800, so I'm looking forward to shooting with those. Thanks for the review; for the most part I found it really interesting.

It's such a cool camera! 😁

I have the Pentax K1000 and I adore it. I am a self-taught, amateur photographer and still find my K1000 a little bit difficult to shoot, so I have seen myself using my Minolta point-and-shoot one more often. However, the quality of shots is just not as nice, so having the new Pentax 17, would allow me to finally have a middle ground. This camera seems more straightforward to use, much lighter than the K1000, and overall a NO-STRESS kind of camera! Perhaps using this new one will provide more confidence to get better and feel less pressure to shoot film. So glad I found your channel!

Excited to see a new film camera hit the market. Curious about the zone focusing.

Being a half frame is a really economical idea. Especially if you’re new to film like me.

The lens looks sharp. Could be an excellent daily carry. I'd rock that.

I really liked how you had a young target crowd review the camera instead of the so-called analog snobs. I feel I would really enjoy the camera as an edc camera to document daily life. I do think it would take a while to dial in exposure looking at some of the photos. Great vid!

Honestly, it seems like a great casual camera to carry with you whenever you go out hiking or something like that. I'm glad that Pentax is commiting to making brand new film cameras, because we could really use more new ones that are in the middle of lomography/reloadable disposals and a several thousand dollar Leica

Hats off to Pentax for desinging a new film camera. The design of the camera is nice. Would love to put it up against my Olympus Pen FT and see how it compares in image quality. Great video!

I think it’s a great daily carry and a big win to have a brand new major manufacturer camera!

Just recently started with film photography with a Pentax ME and Nikon 100w. Delightful cameras but the Pentax has simething special going on with the build quality. Looking forward to try out the new 17. Very cool video 📷

The Pentax 17 is a really exciting and fun camera to enter the scene right now. It's awesome to see new film cameras being made to make the barrier to entry a little less daunting. I started shooting film last March, so I'm still fairly new, and the Kodak H35 was my first camera. I loved that it was half frame (this isn't a cheap hobby!) and it became my daily carry camera. Since then I've bought a point and shoot and SLR, and I can't describe how much joy film photography has given me over a very tumultuous time in my life. I actually just surprised my friend last week and gifted her my H35 + a roll of Gold 200 after she told me she wanted to start shooting film but was too broke to start. I have a lot of fond memories with the H35 and am really excited to pass on the love to her, though I'll miss shooting with a half frame. This review was perfect for me with the comparisons to the H35, and I would love to win one of the Pentax 17's so that I can have another half frame daily carry in my life! Much love to the RFL team - I discovered y'all late last year and have been sending all my film over to you guys to get developed. Cheers, and good luck everyone! <3

Wow, I was expecting this to be like all the other half frame cameras on the market. Kind of a low res look, not really something I’m into myself. Those prints prove me wrong though, they’re using a pretty decent lens in this thing. Might have to consider one.

I think this is a great entry camera for a lot of new photographers looking to try film in a non-plastic camera way. 72 shots per roll is great. I have always wanted a half frame camera and since I have used full frame 35mm cameras before, I'm really interested to see how the difference affects my shots.

Half frame is one of my favorite formats. Been bummed since my Demi went belly up early this year. The 17 is def. high on my wish list. Thanks for the showdown here!

I don't get why people aren't more excited for a half frame. Documenting everyday life just got cheaper and easier for those wanting to get into film or not spend too much. A brand new camera by a long standing brand in the film industry, that's wanting to INVEST in new cameras in the 20's is remarkable. Just from these examples and others I see, the quality is great and is going to look fine on our small phones and posted on social media.

Shooting on an old minolta x300 rn..this pentax looks so much fun! Built in flash is definitely a pro + having twice the amount on shots 💸💸 Bon chance

It would be interesting to try it out. I just got an Agat 18K which is qualitywise on the opposite end of the spectrum of half-frame cameras

good for peaople trying to save money

Ive been stoked for this for a while! Coming from a pentax k1000, and stealing my wife's kodak half frame, i wanted a little bit more control which the Pentax 17 provides! Hopefully i can win one!!

It's a great camera not only for beginners, but for people who like to document daily life as well💯 I think Pentax gets points for the design, it looks good, and the lens holds up seeing that it renders that good on half frame. The Pentax 17 might just be an edc sleeper

I’m excited about this camera! Hopefully you’ll pick me lol

Affordable modern analog camera, amazing specs and looks sexy as hell! it's perfect!

i kinda like the modern but also retro design, curious about the weight, can't wait to try it out.

Genuinely this looks like a super fun camera to shoot on, would be a great vacation/travel camera as well given how many shots you can get from a single roll and how compact it is as well!

Love it! I think daddy Day is right on the money for its use.

As someone that’s just getting into film photography, this seems like a great first camera! I would love to use it to document everyday life. I’ve always loved flipping through my parents’ old photo albums and seeing all the memories they’ve captured over the years. I want to do the same, and this camera seems like a great way to do it. Thank you for the review!

I see the pros and cons but I'm overall just excited they made this! I've been looking to get into film photography (besides instax) and winning this camera would be the perfect start.