Hi Michiel:
You and I both love the 645Z and the 28-45, but unlike in the past, Pentax’s new lenses are now big and heavy. Some background: I attended a print workshop with Charles Cramer in November. He had been using a Z, but recently got a 50s body. He was still using his Pentax lenses (80-160 a favorite) and was quite excited about using an adapter for the Fuji that allows tilt. Not long after the workshop, I went for a long hike in Arches National Park with the Z and 28-45mm -specifically the Fiery Furnace, which requires some gymnastics to negotiate- and the thought of a lightweight equivalent to the 7+ lb camera and lens hanging around my neck seemed very attractive. I was also interested in using the Fuji’s electronic shutter with long Pentax lenses where the shutter shake of the Pentax is problematic. I considered renting a Fuji, but I knew I needed a long period to adjust to and evaluate a camera, so when Fuji had various discounts, I got the 50r and the 32-64mm. It is considerably lighter and more compact than the Z/28-45 (1975g vs. 3271g). The Fuji lens is marginally sharper than the Pentax; however, Fuji lens corrections are baked into the file and so I wonder if it is inherently sharper or a result of some computational enhancement. The 23mm is also lighter and more compact than the discontinued Pentax 25mm. Fuji longer lenses tend to be heavy and large, e.g., the 50s and 250mm is only 10g lighter than the Z with a 300mm f/4, despite the lighter body.
I don’t care for the EVF at all, lots of reasons, mostly personal preference, but certainly not the lovely view through the Pentax. I don’t like the ergonomics of the Fuji, perhaps that is a question of experience, but the Pentax seems designed by camera users and the Fuji less so. One example: the Q button is located on the thumb rest and protrudes, I often accidentally press the button as I bring the camera to my eye and then, instead of seeing the scene, I see a menu where most of the items involve jpegs!
The Fuji is light, sharp and the EFSC is invaluable for long lenses, but it lacks much of what makes the Pentax such a user camera. I did add an L bracket with an enhanced grip- highly recommended, but still not like the Pentax grip. You may find the Fuji perfect for your long walks, but you may also not be willing to give up the 645Z
Tom
Photo of size comparison had been previously posted. L to R; 67II w/55-100; 645Z w/28-45; 50r w/32-64 and K-1 w/28-105
