No Surprise: Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Vastly Exceeded Expectations

Since it is being produced by a company that already has a hard time keeping its GR III cameras in stock, it should come as no surprise then that pre-orders for the Pentax 17 have been far greater in number than anticipated and that there may be a significant wait to deliver them all.

Just two days after the camera was announced, the rush to order them has resulted in mass sell-outs, at least in Japan where that information is shared (US-based dealers don’t typically note when their allotments are sold out). Ricoh has, as expected, published a public notice regarding the limited stock of the cameras as the pre-orders have outpaced production yet again.

“Thank you very much for your continued patronage of our products. Regarding the Pentax 17, scheduled for release on July 12, 2024, we have received many more pre-orders than initially expected, and due to the current supply situation, it will take a considerable amount of time to deliver the product. For customers who have already placed orders, please note that the product may be delivered after the release date,” Pentax Ricoh says, translated from Japanese.

Beyond that, Ricoh — at least in Japan — will stop accepting orders on its website entirely until it has a better handle on its ability to meet demand.

“In addition, Ricoh Imaging Store and other official EC sites will temporarily suspend accepting orders until we have a certain outlook for product supply. We will notify you on our EC sites etc. regarding the resumption of order acceptance. We sincerely apologize to our customers who have been waiting for this product and to all other related parties for any inconvenience caused.”

In the United States, the product page for the Pentax 17 doesn’t allow buyers to pre-order anymore either — at least not for the standalone camera. However, the Pentax 17 kit, which includes two rolls of film, two film processing coupons, and a two-year extended warranty in addition to the camera — has no restriction and is available to “Buy Now.” PetaPixel was able to proceed through the order process right up to the payment page without any notification of stock issues or a delivery date, but bear in mind there may be complications that aren’t being properly shown.

Pentax Ricoh initially stated the availability of the camera would come in “late June” but the date provided in the apology notice shows July 12. For most, however, the camera is likely to arrive after that if for no other reason than limited stock. U.S. dealers have not provided a specific ship date at the time of publication.

For its part, Pentax Ricoh must be over the moon at the camera’s success. Given that the Pentax Film Project was never meant to be reserved for just a single camera, the demand for the Pentax 17 will likely green-light the development of additional new film cameras.

Image credits: Ricoh Pentax