As I skim through here, with the resulting file apparently consisting of the combined shifted image, along with the 4 individual contributing images, once you have separated the individual images, what is the plan to process them back together in post?
LightRoom does not deal with layers, even though its newest version 6, does process HDR now. So, you are left with PhotoShop or Elements, that can handle layers. There are several other post processing utilities that support layers. Pixel Shifting is not quite HDR where there is a cottage industry of a number of independent software developers providing supporting capabilities.
I have to wonder what the plan was that Ricoh was considering? They must have considered that folks were going to go off he beaten path and start experimenting. Not having a support path in place is a recipe for disaster. This is starting to look like the tethering fiasco all over again. Ricoh/Pentax could have designed an API to tie into any one of the third party tethering packages - especially with the 645 and would have received everyone's complements. Instead its just - Pentax dropped the ball yet again.
Going back to the HDR approach, Pentax rolled out a special version of Silkyplex that processed the combined file into its component images, for other post processing utilities to handle. This is a bit more complex, pull out the component images and find a way to post process them back together with additional controls that folks are going to want to try to apply next. Pentax is going to need to come out with a whitepaper indicting what post processing works (or NOT) on the individual layers. Some guidance and suggestions. The also need to find a post processor (Silkyplex) to support the entire image processing chain with the shifting capability.
So, you really need to consider all of this going into the roll out of the full frame. This could just be a small reason to overshadow the ff body, with all the reviewers saying - excellent, but with the PS capability unresolved, what could have been absolutely GREAT, is now just a excellent body with some unresolved issues.
Pentax/Ricoh does NOT need this. All of this needs to be addressed publicly in the very near future. The body has not even been released in the US yet. What is the recovery plan here. They need to get out in front of this situation before it gets worse.
They need to head off a potential Lemon and turn the situation in to Lemonade.