Originally posted by Imp I love the look! But practically, if it was digital, it looks like there is no mirror?
The illustration is based on the Spotmatic. The mirror box is the same depth as on the K-1. Strangely enough the actual pentaprisms (the glass part) are very similar in size as well. For an indication of additional thickness should IBIS be added, look at the Sony A7II vs the A7.
Originally posted by Imp I don't know how people comfortably used traditional slrs with big heavy metal lenses.
I learned with that class of gear and handling is easier than one would think. As noted above, the camera is cradled from below with the left hand. It also helps that while dense, most film bodies are considerably lighter than comparable format dSLRs. Consider the MZ-S. Its basic capabilities are similar to the K-1, but it weighs half as much and is about the same size as a K-70. Ditto for the more primitive Spotmatic. Shooting with the body in a half-case improves the handling too.
At present, my heaviest combination is my Tamron SP 70-210/3.5 (19AH) paired with my Minolta SRT 101. The pair weighs in at 1.4kg and is hand-holdable, though is best used with a lens support on tripod. (Compare the K-1 + D FA 70-200/2.8 at about 2.8kg...2x the weight.)
To be fair, not all film SLRs handle well. Some are as bad as bricks and a few are far worse than a brick. My Exakta VX1000 is quite possibly the worst-handling camera ever made. It is quite heavy and designed to slip easily from the hand. In addition, all controls including film wind are positioned for left-handed operation. Things are OK with the case on and almost impossible with it off.
Steve