The Pentax 17 is a half-frame 35mm film camera. This slim point-and-shoot is the first launch of the Ricoh Imaging/Pentax Film Project initiative and was designed using all the knowledge from Pentax's past film camera heritage. The Pentax 17 is a half-frame format camera with a recording area of 17 x 24mm (half of the 34 x 24mm full frame format). This smaller, special format has some additional advantages: since the frames take up about half the space on the film, twice as many exposures per roll are achieved as with full-frame cameras. On a 36-exposure roll, approximately 72 exposures can thus be obtained. Since the film runs horizontally in the camera, the image area of 17 x 24 mm is inherently vertical; the viewfinder is set vertically and the camera handles better when shooting vertically. One of the 17's main features is its simplicity and ease of use; it is a true point-and-shoot that uses an accurate automatic exposure system to allow you to concentrate on framing. In terms of exposure variables, users can manually set ISO/ASA (50 to 3200), adjust exposure compensation by /- 2 EV and use the mode dial. The viewfinder is positioned in the centre of the camera body and features a simple design with bright frame lines. The front of the camera has a knurled grip, which can be removed to reveal the single CR2 3V battery that powers the camera's exposure meter and flash. Then there's the lens, an HD PENTAX HF 25mm f/3.5; it's a slightly wide-angle lens, equivalent to the field of view of a 37mm full-frame lens, offering impressive sharpness and colour rendition. It features Pentax's modern HD anti-reflective coating, which helps increase contrast and sharpness. The exposure meter is integrated in the front of the lens housing and the lens also has a 40.5mm thread for attaching filters. The flash built into the front of the camera body has a guide number of 20' at ISO 100 and a recycle time of about 9 seconds. Despite being a brand new camera, the Pentax 17 borrows many details from Pentax cameras of the past for its distinct design.