This is a much more significant camera than a 'me too' FF (135) DSLR would be, not least because it has the serious potential to grab users from a bunch of other systems that a FF wouldn't have.

As someone who has used (and still uses) medium format film gear, including a Mamiya 645 outfit, I could easily (cost aside) see me using a 645Z as my only 'proper' camera system. Although bigger (not that much though) and more expensive than a FF DSLR, now that there's no film to worry about the handling is going to be very similar to a DSLR.

While the camera & lenses are more bulky than a FF DSLR, if you're sensible on lens choices, the bag the outfit fits in isn't necessarily much bigger. Once you've added K-3 type technology & handling into the mix, the differences are much smaller and the benefits seem more more enticing.

I get it that this is an important camera and it shows Ricoh's investment in Pentax, but it's not really surprising. The 'web' seems to be gushing about taking state of the art features from the K-3 and putting them in a weather sealed 50+MP medium format body that's compatible with a huge range of existing glass at a comparatively affordable price, as though it's a huge surprise!

Pentax have been doing this with the various 645 models for decades, it's pleasing to see this continue - but not really surprising, surely?

Pentax have left FF too late, they have limited FF lens options available, the only real market for one would be current Pentax users and many of us have too many DA lenses to make the change now anyway.

That said, I don't see the future being FF anyway. Sensor manufacturers will always prefer larger volumes of smaller sensors over smaller volumes of larger ones.

I reckon that the MP count will soon settle around the 10-12MP point (similar to 4K video resolution) on much smaller sensors. It'll be enough for most stills photography and 4K video will be embedded into almost every device (phone, tablet, camera etc.). The MP race will be superseded by the need to offer video at 50/60fps @ 4K - just like all the filters are now branded as 'HD' to be more trendy.

I had an SFXn and am sorry I sold it. It was said it had a stainless steel chassis and when the rubber grip peeled off mine there was a lot of metal underneath. The outer cover was some sort of plastic/rubber material and I felt mine was indestructible.

It was my 'beater' camera and I used it everywhere when I needed something durable. One day it was chucking it down and I had no choice but to continually change lenses in the rain - water was dripping out of the mirror box but it kept going.

The handling/ergonomics were good for me, the AA battery grip helped a bit and I've ended up buying another since.

As Smeggy pointed out, it's kit that's suitable for heavy day-in day-out use, weather sealed, versatile and dependable. Decades ago features were an issue, but most cameras made since the '90s already have too many.

Hi Steve, I'm pretty certain the Super-A screen is not user replaceable - I have a memory that it might have been replaceable by Pentax - although I don't know if there were other types of screen as options.

John.

The SFXn AA battery grip (I'm not sure if it fits the SF7?) replaces the normal grip and is about twice the depth making the handgrip a bit bulkier. It's main use is allow the use of AA batteries (non-rechargeable) instead of the Lithium battery.

They are hard to find - and those advertised are often the Lithium grip incorrectly described.

A definite reason to get a Super-A over a Program-A, the Super-A has a lot of TTL flash options that will work with that beauty.

From what I've seen on the web, some of these lenses commonly suffer from hazing/clouding of the internal focusing elements (assuming it has this formula). Opinions seem to differ as to whether this is separation of the elements/cement or oil residue from the focusing mechanism.

In the second photo there are two flare spots, I think the bottom of the internal focusing elements are around the concentric ring where the greenish flare spot is.

I managed to find a few Billingham's in Selfridges (Trafford Centre) tonight, quite an odd setting really. They had a couple of 225's and a couple of smaller ones, but I'm looking for more of a selection to make a comparison.