That Photie Place

When Pentax leaked they were going to release a film camera, like a lot of people I was dreaming of a modern version of the 67 or the LX, the last thing I was thinking about was a half frame camera. So when they launched the Pentax 17 I was a little nonplussed, I already owned a 1960 Olympus Pen, that made very good photos, but was kind of awkward to use, so why would I want another half frame camera, especially one that would set me back £500. That’s £500 that could be put towards something really useful, like a deposit on a Mamiya 7.

Yet it was a new film camera that could be bought now and included a warranty, that wasn’t even close to Leica type money, and that fact kind of stayed with me.

So time passed by, and while I watched various mixed reviews on YouTube, I was at the same time seeing many photos on Instagram and BlueSky taken with the Pentax 17. Both photos and series that were beautiful and creative in nature, and kind of gave the finger to many of those YouTube influencers.

So I said to myself, if I can get a good deal on a Pentax 17 I’ll take the plunge, so I kept an eye on various online shops as well as eBay until a good bargain came along, so when an as new boxed one came up at £330, that was it and I was on my way.

Yet even while I was waiting for delivery, I was questioning whether it was good use of the money, and contemplating that I could always sell it and get most of my money back. While it was nice opening a box to a virtually new camera, and I admired how it looked, I still wasn’t 100% convinced, especially as it was so light, and some of the plastic felt not as substantial as I’d like.

Taking the camera out for a test run though, I started to get the feel for the camera, and enjoyed using it. Looking at the negatives from that first test roll I was impressed with how sharp the photos could be, and enjoyed seeing the possible narrow depth of field and bokeh when using the close focus settings.

Two photos from my first roll with the Pentax 17, Ilford Delta 400.

I also realised how the light weight was such an advantage, slipping into a jacket pocket without weighing you down, and also thinking about that build quality, when compared to some of the later 90’s film compacts and SLR’s, the Pentax 17 is definitely a step up from a lot of those builds. I think it’s easy to forget this fact, the Pentax 17 should be compared to the last film cameras made, rather than the dream of those heavy weights of the 1970’s. A camera made today to the quality of something say like a Nikkormat FT2, would surely be in a price bracket not far short of a Leica.

Once I was used to the cameras functions (which essentially meant leaving it in standard P mode for 95% of the time, and just watching out for unevenly lit scenes (where a judicious use of the exposure compensation dial was called for), it was then time to just enjoy using the camera, and let the creativity flow.

This is where when using the Pentax 17 (and many other half frame cameras) an unexpected benefit becomes apparent. Of course the camera is designed to use only half frames, therefore effectively halving your film usage, making for a more economical proposition in these days of increasing film prices. Now to be honest, I had made my 35mm film process pretty economical anyway, by bulk rolling film and developing at home in home made chemicals. Personally using 35mm wasn’t difficult financially, so what was it that attracted me to the half frame, initially it was the equipment size and weight, but on using the Pentax, I realised more what it really was about, at least for me personally. It’s a thing that even Pentax missed off their ‘Key Features’ list, and not many of the reviewer’s picked up on it either, it’s a camera that lets you focus on being creative. Technically you only need to decide on the distance to the subject and nothing else, leaving you to concentrate on the creative side, where it forces you (I know you can turn the camera, but it’s not your first option) to think in portrait mode, and therefore where necessary to think of multiple images to describe a scene or tell a story.

For me it is these little vignettes, telling these short stories where the Pentax absolutely excels. The fixed medium focal length, a 37mm equivalent, works so well for this purpose. Whether it’s a diptych or longer series, it gets you working that way, moving you away from the usual way of thinking, where you are trying to get that one perfect photo of a subject. Instead you are thinking how can I relate this in more than one image, how can I focus in on the important parts, and put them together to tell a complete story, in a more directional way than a single image.

Like you might find on many creative type courses, the idea often is to take you out of your safety zone, and let you discover new ways of expressing. The Pentax 17 does exactly the same thing, makes you look at your subjects and indeed your approach to photography in a whole new way. I never thought I needed a boost to my creativity, I have plenty of project ideas either in process or waiting to get started on, and indeed I have often used diptychs previously to tell stories. Yet despite all that I have found using the Pentax 17 completely refreshing and have received a very welcome boost to my photographic practice.

Yes the Pentax is very economical on film, makes great use of short rolls, is easy to use and carry, while slipping handily into your jacket pocket. Forget all that though, the one take home message you need is, the PENTAX 17 is the King of Creativity, the photographic stimulus you never knew you needed ! I’ll certainly not be putting mine back on the used market, it’s a keeper.