Some Pentax 17 Reviews (with Sample Photos)

1. B&H:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/videos/photography/finally-a-new-film-camera-announcing-the-pentax-17/BI/2446/KBID/3285/SID/DFF/DFF/d50

2. Kosmo Foto:

https://kosmofoto.com/2024/06/pentax-17-first-impressions/

3. 35mmc:

https://www.35mmc.com/17/06/2024/pentax-17-review/

4. Casual Photophile:

https://casualphotophile.com/2024/06/17/pentax-17-new-film-camera-review/

5. Mobile 01 (in Chinese):

https://www.mobile01.com/topicdetail.php?f=543&t=6975873

6. Cool3c (in Chinese):

https://www.cool3c.com/article/218393

My opinions on the camera it's fun and interesting. However, the guessing focusing is just not my cup of tea, especially for a $500 camera. I also have some doubt in the image quality of the 3-element lens. 

And, I just wonder why it is stated in the spec that rechargeable CR2 cannot be used, as I have been using a Chinese model in my Fujifilm instant film camera without any problem. The battery life for one single disposable CR2 for only ten rolls of film seems a bit too short. 

Lastly, the manual film speed setting would be a good idea as I usually set a lower speed to expose more to make grains less visible, especially for negatives. However, a DX coded system is yet more fool-proof for novices, though.

Read Also:

The Word First / Pentax First: My Obsolete Pentax Collection

K-3 III Monochrome First Review (with Sample Photos and Video)

https://www.yaotomi.co.jp/blog/walk/2023/04/pentaxk3iii,monochrome-kyoto,sakura.html

(in Japanese)

My impression is that while the B&W photos do have more contrasts and better tonal representation than normal digital cameras' ones, they are yet not as solid as those images produced with better B&W films, even after they are digitalised via professional-grade film scanners.

Besides, there is a side-by-side comparison against the original K-3 III, look this:

(Credit: Yaotomi Camera at Twitter)

The difference is obvious. However, it is just that the B&W IQ of the K-3 III photo is just too low, IMHO.

Lastly, DC Watch reports that the Ricoh has stopped to receive pre-orders of the K-3 III Mono as the tailor-made sensors have already been out-of-stock owing to the overwhelming demand. Besides, Ricoh also said that their production capacity on the Mono units was indeed rather limited.

DPR is Doomed

I received this message from the Dpreview Admin yesterday and thought that was a hoax at the first glance but it is actually true:

https://www.dpreview.com/news/5901145460/dpreview-com-to-close

So, the DPR is really doomed, even earlier than Pentax. :-o

KF Full Review at DC Watch

https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/newproduct/1482066.html

In Japanese, Google translated page here.

K-r Hidden Function of Photo Challenger

According to a latest Japanese IT news report, it is revealed that the Pentax K-r actually had a hidden function of "Photo Challenger" mode which could be activated via an advanced (at its time ;-)) IR data communication mode with another compatible camera,.

(Credit: Japanese Cameota blog)

After linking up with the other camera, two photos can be selected for comparison and the computer will give marks to the photos in three aspects. The loser will have his photo displayed in a cracked glass window at the end.

A demo YouTube video could be found below:

More Sample Photos of the DFA 21 Limited (by Yaotomi)

https://www.yaotomi.co.jp/blog/walk/2021/10/hdpentaxd,fa21mmf24,limited.html

(in Japanese)

Both K-1 Mark II and K-3 Mark III were used to take the samples, but the posted pictures are just too small to tell about the resolution. The colour and 3d rendition as well as bokeh of the lens look nice this time. This lens seems very suitable to be used on both Full Frame and APS-C bodies.

Mapcamera Field Tested the DFA 21 Limited (with Downsized Samples)

https://news.mapcamera.com/KASYAPA/pentax_21_limited/

(in Japanese)

The test pictures were taken with a full-frame K-1 II, all posted sample photos are downsized to 10.7 mega-pixels. IMO, the image centre resolution looks good even when the lens is wide or near opened and that corner-to-corner sharpness is achievable when it is stopped down. However, I am not impressed with the dynamic range of the samples (which looks really bad) and neither the colour rendition of those. Let's see more samples to verify and judge in due course.

Size Comparison and Body Matching with the D-FA 21 Limited

 

Credit: Map Camera (in Japanese)

Comparison Test of Four Different Production Units of the FA 43 Limited

Found this interesting article (in Traditional Chinese, Google English translated page here) that's worth a read.

Side-by-side comparison tests were done with the MZ-S for film and the Fujifilm GFX50S digital cropped medium format body. To view the test pictures in their original size (which can be enlarged), just right click and select to view the pictures in a separate/new tab in browser.

Besides the comments made by the author of the article, you may find other differences by yourself. As for years, I blog, you decide. :-)

DC Watch's Hands-on of the K-3 III

https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1296875.html (Google English translation here)

https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1297078.html (Pentax' brand statement with the K-3 III, Google English translation here)

And, the below video recorded the shutter sound and demonstrates the burst modes of the K-3 III:

 

(https://youtu.be/Pmfrk038Go4)

One More Practical Test of the D FA*85, with Full Samples

http://pentaxfans.net/thread-164498-1-1.html

(in Traditional Chinese, Google translated English page here)

Indeed, this set of photos taken just by an ordinary Pentax user does look better than the set created by the Pentax official Japanese professional photographer IMHO. Despite that some pictures taken at high ISO still look soft when viewed at pixel level, which is just the primitive problem of the K-1II and is actually unavoidable.

Note that original full sized samples are available for viewing and download via the user's Flickr album here.

DC Watch Reviewed the D FA* 85 F1.4, with Bundle of Full Samples

https://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/newproduct/1270372.html

(in Japanese, Google translated English page here)

Enjoy! But it looks to me that the photos are a bit odd in tone. And, it seems that they are not as airy, transparent and bright as those images produced by its predecessors A* and FA* 85 ishes. But afterall, I blog, you decide, as usual. :-D

When the X-T4 and GFX 100 Produced Images Look the Same

Via FStoppers

I am afraid that same case applies for the Pentax K-New Vs the 645Z, which they have exactly the same APS-C and 44x33mm sensors respectively and that the final conclusion drawn would possibly be the same. :-P

Shootout of D FA* 85 Vs FA* 85 Vs A* 85 on K-1 II

http://pentaxfans.net/thread-164447-1-1.html

(in Traditional Chinese)

The posted test pictures with simple captions are self-explanatory. For the comments made by the tester, the Google-translated English page could be viewed. After all, I do agree with him for most of his comments and observations.

Direct Comparison of D FA*85/1.4 against Zeiss Otus 85/1.4 (Tested in the Field)

A Pentax user at the Chinese Xitek Pentax forum shares his friend's sample photos for a direct side-by-side comparison made between the Pentax D FA* lens (put on a K-1 body) and the Zeiss Otus 85/1.4 lens (put on a Panasonic S1R). Here we go:

(Left: Pana+Zeiss, Right: Pentax; Click to Enlarge in around 2000 to 3000 pixels in width)












EXIF data are partially preserved in the original samples in the original post. Despite that the Pentax pics tend to be darker (and the tester also made some exposure adjustment by himself for some pics) and that the Pana pics tend to be over-exposed a bit, the resolution of the Pentax lens seems to be better when the lenses are wide-opened but yet the Pentax Star lens does exhibit some obvious purple fringing at large apertures, however.

Btw, I prefer the colour rendition of the Pentax gear over the Zeiss on Pana combo. :-)

For other standalone samples of the D FA* lens (with key EXIF), they can be found in this post in the same forum thread. I just downloaded them all and have re-uploaded them here for fast and easy viewing:

(Click to Enlarge to around 2000 to 3000 pixels for the longer side, without EXIF)

A D FA 70-210 F4 Practical Test

http://pentaxfans.net/thread-164343-1-1.html

Article/Post in Traditional Chinese, but the captions in test photos and crops are self-explanatory.

Mapcamera Tested the D FA* 85 F1.4 (with Medium Sized Samples)

https://news.mapcamera.com/KASYAPA/588%e3%80%8ehd-d-fa%e2%98%85-85mm-f1-4-ed-sdm-aw%e3%80%8f/

(in Japanese, Google translated English page here)

Test camera body used was an upgraded K-1 to Mk II. Medium-sized samples in 11MP are available.

Prediction: What New Features of the K-New Would Have?

Presuming that they have the same APS-C sensor, and then going through the specs of that Sony sensor and then the set of features of the X-T4. Here we go, for the possible new features that had never been offered by Pentax before, in their upcoming new flagship:

- 26MP BSI CMOS sensor (for its high ISO performance, this sample at ISO 10000 may shed some light)

- 18.82 fps maximum frame rate with 12-bit RAW (which will be converted to 8-bit JPEG anyway, limit of the sensor for the read-out bit-depth and rate combinations)

- If 14-bit RAW is implemented (KP and K-1/II have 14-bit RAW), the frame rate for continuous shooting still picture will be in between 6.84 (for highest 16-bit readout of the whole picture) and 18.82 (as mentioned above) - the above brief marketing sheet of the sensor does not mention about the 14-bit readout modes and rates

- 10 fps is possible (considering that the XT-4 offers 15 fps continuous shooting with mechanical shutter, unless Pentax's latest mechanical engineering plus image processing speed are yet not up to there. And, the Pentax has a mirror but the Fuji does not. )

- 425 point on-sensor phase-matching AF in Live View mode, which the X-T4 has

- 10-bit full-frame 4k video in 30p (limit of sensor) or 12-bit 2k video at high frame rates (55 to 111 fps which is the limits of the sensor); Or 10-bit 4k video at 60 fps is possible with the 1.18x crop factor of the centre

- 4:2:0 colour sub-sampling for H.264 codec (which is a bit too much for the dropping of the colour data) and 4:2:2 for H.265 (Pentax may have a different codec and implementation, though)

But since that the K-new will not have any articulated screen / flipped monitor, the video capability of it will not be too strong anyway?

Other sample images of the production X-T4 in DPR's latest full review of the camera can be found here. Also, a quick glance with the comparometer at the DPR, it seems that the ISO performance will be improved from the KP's by one to two stop(s), and which will undoubtedly exceed the IQ of the K-1 II.

Yaotomi's YouTube Tests of the D FA* 85

DFA 70-210 Practical Review at Japanese Yaotomi Blog

https://www.yaotomi.co.jp/blog/walk/2020/02/hdpentaxdfa70210mmf4,akashi,mikuriya,ume.html