Ricoh may boost Pentax 17 production

Ricoh is contemplating ramping up production of the new Pentax 17 film camera, as revealed in a recent interview with a Ricoh executive published by ITmedia and recapped by digicame-info.

The project began around 2020 when the idea was presented during a discussion on the next digital camera strategy.

Despite initial scepticism, the executive team was eventually persuaded, allowing the project to move forward to the planning and development stages. The resurgence of interest in film cameras, especially among young people, drove the initiative. Many young users were relying on second-hand cameras, often in poor condition and difficult to repair.