TOKYO -- In the middle of the 2020s, film cameras are still selling.

Tokyo-based Ricoh Imaging Co. released the Pentax 17 this July, the first film camera under the Pentax brand since 2003. At a domestic price of around 88,000 yen (approx. $580), the initial batch of units sold out at the company's online store within the first 15 minutes, and the camera reportedly remains sold out at a number of electronics retailers.

The 21-year gap between the brand's film models coincides with the era in which first digital cameras then smartphones became widespread. To those who were born in this modern era, however, film cameras seem new, and the company sought to win their support.

The need for a film camera in line with the times

Rico Imaging's Takeo Suzuki in 2020 heard from retailers about customers who had brought in their broken film cameras, only to leave in disappointment after hearing about the high cost of repairs or unavailability of replacement parts.

While it is now the norm for people to lightheartedly snap photos with their smartphones, since the 2010s young people have been clamoring for film solutions such as Fujifilm Corp.'s "film with lens" QuickSnap and Polaroid-like Instax series.

Retro-positive comments on social media have included, "I like the soft lighting and the sense of color that's different from smartphones," and, "Since you can't immediately check the results, that actually makes it more fun to leisurely take photos."

But as the film trend grew, related problems surfaced. People who bought used equipment faced high maintenance costs, and some dealers took advantage of customers' ignorance to charge them high prices.

Sensing that young people might move away from film cameras, Suzuki firmly decided that a new model was needed to match the times.

Initial response: lukewarm to 'interesting'

However, response to the idea within the company was lukewarm. When he proposed a film model at a meeting for new product ideas, the room was as still as water.

"This is an age in which new products are expected to be digital. Management was stunned, the mood was like, 'Film? What are you talking about?' and I thought to myself, 'Oh I slipped a cog,'" Suzuki recalled.

During the question and answer period, challenges having to do with parts and other things were pointed out, but a few of those present also voiced their support, calling the idea "interesting."

"I wasn't told to go ahead with it, but I wasn't told to drop it, either," Suzuki said.

Afterward, a team of around five employees got started on development as an after-work project. However, while design schemes and materials of past cameras remained, the team wasn't provided with detailed know-how and continued to work through a steady stream of problems.

In December 2022, members released a video to inform the world that the company was considering developing a new film camera, calling it a "film camera project." The response from across Japan and overseas was beyond their expectations.

Company nurtures interest in analog projects

When smartphones showed up, they forever changed the way people snap photos. With film cameras, households generally shared one device, and the number of photos was also limited. This meant usage tended to be kept to special events, such as trips and friends' weddings, and records of kids' upbringing.

In contrast, a single smartphone can take nearly unlimited photos, which has opened up the possibilities to go beyond special moments and consider everything in the surroundings as a potential subject.

To match the smartphone experience, it was decided the new Pentax 17 would take vertically oriented photos when held normally. Additionally, taking the high cost of film into consideration, the half-frame format was chosen to allow users to get twice the number of photos per roll of full-frame 35mm film.

In an extra effort to appeal to long-time fans, the company decided to also make use of the logo of Pentax's predecessor, the Asahi Optical Corporation. "Analog has survived thanks to the support of users and film manufacturers. Over time, young people began to take an interest in film cameras, leading to the launch of this new product. I'd like to nurture this budding interest," Suzuki noted.

(Japanese original by Ayane Matsuyama, Digital News Group)