Film Cameras Make a Comeback with New Model Targeting Social Media Generation
Ricoh Co. has released a new film camera, the Pentax 17, marking the first new film camera model to go on sale in Japan in 21 years. The target audience for this camera is the "social media generation," who grew up with digital cameras and smartphones. Ricoh hopes that the retro appeal and unique charm of film photography will resonate with this younger demographic.
The Pentax 17 features a fixed-focal-length lens and manual film winding, reminiscent of classic film cameras. It also boasts dials for adjusting shooting modes and settings, adding to the retro feel. The camera utilizes a format that allows for 72 photos on a standard 35-millimeter film roll, effectively doubling the image capacity.
With social media in mind, the Pentax 17 is designed to capture vertical-format pictures when held in a normal position, similar to smartphones. It also incorporates modern technology, including a metering sensor for automatic exposure adjustments.
While drawing inspiration from past camera designs, the Pentax 17 is not simply a rehash of older models. "We are thinking of this as a new project," said Takeo Suzuki, a Ricoh Imaging Co. worker involved in the product's planning.
The Pentax 17 is priced at around 88,000 yen ($560) and was initially available for pre-order in mid-June. However, due to overwhelming demand, Ricoh has temporarily suspended reservations until they can secure an adequate supply.
This new film camera release comes at a time when digital camera sales are declining due to the increasing capabilities of smartphone cameras. However, Ricoh remains optimistic, believing that there is a demand for cameras that cannot be met by smartphones. They hope that the Pentax 17 will reignite interest in film photography and boost the camera market as a whole.