WWDC24 and Pentax

Instruction Set, 2024/6/17

Welcome back to Multicore. This is Instruction Set for the week of Monday, June 17th.

This is the WWDC roundup issue, which has taken forever to put together because new details kept popping up every day. I will be real with you and say that it totally got away from me; I’ve been reading a ton of coverage, watching a bunch of sessions, and god-help-me listening to several podcasts on my way to getting this out, and I think it’s time to just put a lid on it. Not least because I actually want to write about fun things like the Pentax 17.

In fact, let’s just do that now instead. Pentax announced a new film camera!

It’s called the Pentax 17, and it’s kind of a fascinating design.

First of all, it’s a half-frame camera. That means you can take twice as many photos from a roll, but they expose a smaller portion of the film. Imagine a landscape 3:2 photo, then cut it in half for two portrait images — you’ll usually get about 72 of those from a 36-exposure roll.

There’s a fixed 25mm f/3.5 lens, which isn’t super fast but will still allow for reasonable background separation given the 35mm film format. That said, I’m unsure what the “bokeh” function on one of the top plate dials is supposed to actually do, because this lens is not really what you’d want to use for that.

The camera uses zone focus, which means you have a few fixed settings for the lens and you have to estimate which to use based on the distance from your subject. The Pentax 17 has settings for common distances like food, portraits, groups, and infinity. It’s a fast way of focusing but of course it’s inherently imprecise compared to autofocus or rangefinders..

The Pentax 17 is going on sale next month for $500.

I’ve seen a lot of criticism of this camera on social media from hardened film photographers, and I do understand some of it. The top plate design is a little awkward. It probably doesn’t need to say “FILM CAMERA” on it, nor “CRAFTSMANSHIP BY PENTAX” right below a separate “PENTAX” logo. I still have no idea what the “bokeh” function does.

On the other hand, why not say it with your chest? Unless I’m forgetting something, this is the first new 35mm film camera from a major camera manufacturer (other than Leica (or Lomography, if you count them)) in well over a decade. The most recent example I can remember is the 2010 white version of the Fujifilm Natura Classica.

Anyway, what I’m saying is I think Pentax deserves a little grace when it comes to the slightly inelegant flexing of its film credibility here. When companies like Pentax regularly made film cameras, they obviously didn’t need to write “film camera” on them. 2024 is a little different.

The half-frame criticism is what it is. I get why it’s a dealbreaker for lots of people, but I think the decision makes a lot of sense. First of all, have you seen the price of film these days? Even in Japan, you’re paying more than $10 for a single roll. Half-frame still gets you great results given the resolution of 35mm film. Also, my guess is that anyone interested in buying a $500 Pentax film camera probably has an Instagram account.

I don’t understand the zone focus complaints at all. Autofocus would’ve been impractical for a 35mm film camera at this price point and arguably undesirable from a durability perspective. Also, zone focus rules! I have never had more fun with photography than when I carried a Lomo LC-A everywhere. Nailing a shot without AF and then waiting days or weeks to find out you nailed it? There’s nothing better.

Here is a totally unedited photo I took in Seoul 13 years ago by resting my LC-A on top of a beer glass and using zone focus. Good camera.

The Pentax 17’s lens is comparatively pretty wide and the aperture is average, so I think the hit rate will be high, especially since you’ll have to stand further back for a lot of half-frame compositions. Zone focus is the right choice for a casual film camera.

And even without autofocus, I really don’t see how Pentax could’ve sold the 17 for much less than $500, especially since they’re giving it a three-year warranty. You can’t compare this to used film cameras you might find at your local store. I really think this would be an ideal first film camera for someone looking to get into it.

Then again, so is the Lomo LC-A, and that’s still only $300. I guess the main difference is whether you want something that’ll be supported by a major camera company, plus I assume Pentax’s lens will deliver slightly less conventionally unhinged results.

I don’t think I’ll be buying a Pentax 17 myself — I should probably just dig out my LC-A or my Natura Classica. But if it doesn’t have any catastrophic design flaws, I think it’ll be a cool, thoughtful product that should make a bunch of people happy. I also hope it prods Fujifilm, Nikon, and others into revisiting film camera design.

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Okay, so let’s get to WWDC.