The Pentax 17 half-frame film camera seems to be the talk of the town at the moment, but its price tag can be a bit daunting. Don't worry, though! There are some fantastic, budget-friendly alternatives out there that can help you take stunning photos without emptying your wallet.

This blog post goes through some of the cheaper alternatives to the Pentax 17 35mm film camera.

The Pentax 17 is a half-frame 35mm film camera released in 2024. The camera has a 3-element 25mm f/3.5 lens with zone focusing. The camera has automatic exposure settings, as well as some settings to manually control the camera. 

The Pentax 17 is partly metal and partly plastic with a glass lens. There are only a few currently manufactured 35mm film cameras and this is the only one with the build quality of a glass lens (correct at time of writing).

Pentax creating a new film camera is a great thing for the analogue photography, however here at Cameras By Max, we are passionate about vintage film cameras. There are thousands of vintage film cameras out there that need refurbishment and are in working condition to continue working for a long time.

The quality of new film cameras being created do not rival the quality of vintage cameras that were produced in film photography's prime. As well as this, the Pentax 17, whilst having some good features, is priced at almost three times the most expensive half-frame camera we sell. 

Disclaimer: we should caveat this by saying these are all cameras that we stock. We stock a wide range of quality film cameras, but are aware that we do not stock every kind of 35mm film camera available. 

We are also aware that vintage film cameras require maintenance and repairs to keep them working; this is work we do prior to sale and we have full confidence that these cameras will last a long time.

We have tried to make this list as easy as possible to read by highlighting each camera we view as an alternative to the Pentax 17, and why we think so.

Olympus Pen EE-3: Cheaper Alternative to the Pentax 17

We think the Olympus Pen EE-3 is one of the best cheaper alternatives to the Pentax 17.

It has a lot of the same features as the Pentax 17, such as a fully metal body, manual winding, the option for manual aperture, and it's a half-frame camera. 

The Pentax 17 has a built-in flash, however the Olympus Pen EE-3 has a flash hotshoe, which means you can add any size flash to the top of the camera.

The lens is very similar and is also capable of achieving sharp images. Whilst you cannot control the focus on the Olympus Pen EE-3, the fixed focus is capable of creating sharp photos in a wide range of scenarios.

Olympus Pen EES-2: Alternative with Zone Focusing

If the zone focusing of the Pentax 17 is a feature that you like, the Olympus Pen EES-2 is a great option for you. Similarly to the Olympus Pen EE-3, it has a flash hotshoe for adding a flash to the camera if needed. 

Its compact size makes it great for travelling and everyday use. It is also almost fully metal and has a three-element glass lens. 

Olympus Pen EF: Alternative with Flash

If having a flash built-in on your half-frame camera is important to you, the Olympus Pen EF is the ideal choice. Similarly to the Olympus Pen EE-3, it has fixed focus, manual winding and is a half-frame camera.

Generally harder to find than the Olympus Pen EE-3 camera, the Olympus Pen EF is similar in size and shape to the Pentax 17. Another bonus is that the Olympus Pen EF is over half the price of the Pentax 17 film camera. 

Yashica Samurai: Alternative with Autofocus

One surprising feature of the Pentax 17 is that it does not have autofocus. If autofocus is an important feature for you, the Yashica Samurai is a fantastic alternative to the Pentax 17 film camera.

The Yashica Samurai also has a zoom lens, automatic winding, is a half-frame camera, and has a really cool design. 

Olympus Trip 35: Full-frame Alternative

This camera may not seem like an alternative to the Pentax 17, but it does have a lot of similar features. The Olympus Trip 35 is a good alternative to the Pentax 17, because it has zone focusing, a three-element glass lens, and manual focusing. 

The main difference is that the Olympus Trip 35 is a full-frame camera, which means your image quality will be slightly higher than the half-frame Pentax 17.

Still stuck on which film camera to buy?

Try our film camera quiz. All you have to do is answer a few questions, and then you will get a list of personalised camera recommendations. 

Or send us a message on Instagram, send us an email, chat to us on our live website chat, or read some more of our blog posts!

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