Film cameras back in focus as Ricoh launches its first in 21 years

TOKYO -- Japanese company Ricoh launched presales of its first Pentax film camera in over 20 years in some overseas markets on Tuesday, aiming to attract Generation Z customers looking for a retro experience that stands in contrast to today's digital world where photos can be snapped with smartphones.

The compact Pentax 17 -- which will be sold in Japan from July 12 at a price of around 88,000 yen ($556) -- is the first film camera under the renowned Pentax brand since a single-lens reflex (SLR) model that hit stores in 2003.