What's Enzo's Fiat to You?

—Illustration goes here—

Here's a link to a nice picture of Enzo Ferrari, but I can't use it.

A quick question. Jim H. mentioned yesterday that Enzo Ferrari drove a Fiat to work every day—which might have come from a page at the new Fiat 500 site called "75 Reasons to Buy a Fiat 500 Over a Mini."

It brings up a question for me. What's the camera equivalent of Enzo's Fiat for you?

Imagine, if you will, that you have a totally clean slate—you're starting over from zero, no legacy lenses, nothing. Imagine, too, that you have a reasonably generous budget to play with—not a Lotto-win budget, but something like a generous insurance settlement, say, that you have to spend on camera equipment. So you're not terribly constrained for funds.

First, you buy a "big" camera—whatever you want to use when you're doing your "real" work, whatever that is for you. That's the equivalent of Enzo's Ferrari. We're not concerned with that here. But then, you use the money that's left to buy a second, small, toss-in-the-bag, take-along camera for everyday snaps—the equivalent of the Fiat Enzo drove to work.

If you had to choose from the following options for your "Fiat" camera, which among the following would you choose? Clean slate, remember—no pre-existing allegiances or encumbrances. (If you know which actual camera it would be, you can specify in the Comments section—only if you really want to.)

Mike

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Featured Comment by Mark Roberts: "Definitely the Leica D-LUX 5 for me...because than it would be my Fiat Lux (rimshot)."

Featured Comment by Marvin G. Van Drunen: "Canon S95."

Featured Comment by Mjmetts: "I guess it qualifies as a mirrorless camera, but it's different enough I think it merits a comment. I have been loving my Fuji X100 for everyday photography.

"The 35mm-e lens is perfect for how I see, and the huge optical viewfinder makes framing images a wonderful experience. The image quality is wonderful, capable of huge prints.

"I'm a wedding photographer and I use my 'Ferrari' Nikons regularly, but I don't love shooting with them. They're valuable tools. The X100 is the only camera I've had since my Olympus OM-1 that I just love shooting with daily."

Featured Comment by Jean-Yves Mead: "I've already made that choice—a Ricoh GR Digital III with a Leica 28mm finder stuck on top." (Here's a link to the equivalent Ricoh finder —Ed.)

Featured Comment by CK Dexter Haven: "Nikon FM3a. To use exclusively with the Nikon 50mm ƒ/1.8 Series E. The only Nikon 50's I like are the old ones.... If they made an AF lens with the exact same optics as the Series E, I'd probably switch from Canon to Nikon for everything. I also want a Sony NEX-7, but didn't want to 'vote digital.'"

Featured Comment by Bernard: "In my case, it's a Pentax Q. That camera gets a bad rap because the sensor is smaller than other mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, but it's also much much smaller than any other 'serious' option. It makes a G12 look like a Deardorff, and the image quality is a generation ahead of what the G12 provides. It's often said that 'a camel is a horse designed by a committee.' The Pentax Q is a Nikon 1 designed by a photographer."

Featured Comment by Markus Antonius: "Leica M9—the ultimate mirrorless camera...."

Featured Comment by Drew: "For anything I didn't care about enough to use my big camera to photograph, I'd just use an iPhone."

Featured Comment by Tim A: "Good question. With all of the existing cameras out there now, I have to say the X100 gets my vote. The GX1 (once it's out) almost got my vote due to the lenses I already own that I used on the GF1, but then I remembered 'clean slate.' The X100 has not left my side since I got it in May. It looks pretty beat up already but every time I use it, I'm reminded of just how great this little camera is. All the quirks that everyone is quick to point out never bothered me. I guess my style of shooting just fit this camera perfectly. It will never replace my big rig. But it's the camera I have been the most faithful to."

Featured Comment by Peter Vagt: "Thanks for your timely survey Mike! Responding to it was a vicarious thrill. My 'big' camera is just that—a Canon 5DII. The DNG files are a joy to work with but it is impossible to take pictures unnoticed. Mirrorless seems like the next great idea—and my internal debate has been raging among: NEX <—> Lumix <—> PEN because I got a right-sized bonus at work this week!"

Featured Comment by Ken Ford: "I've been seeking out just this thing. I first tried a Fuji X10 (too small), and am now happily getting acquainted with a Nikon V1 kit."

Featured Comment by Caleb Courteau: "This was an easy poll. The Micro Four Thirds format is a very goldilocks form factor for me. If I were to choose a specific camera it'd be the Olympus E-P3 with the tilting viewfinder (for sneaky candids).

Featured [partial] Comment by Rick D: "A local pizza place has not one but two Fiat 500s on the floor and they are cute as a bug. My daughter is dying to have one; luckily, she's nine."

Featured Comment by CMS: "'Starting over from zero, no legacy lenses, nothing'? Impossible. I would still have my experience gained from using the equipment I owned till that moment. I wouldn't want to toss that overboard. Therefore it would make sense to again buy what I have learned to use in the last four month, which is the Panasonic G3. It isn't perfect, but you are best served by using something you already know. Still learning a new trick with that Fiat camera every day, though."

Mike replies: Not asking you to imagine a memory-wipe, CMS, just a cabinet-dump.

Featured Comment by Tom Hassler: "My Fiat is a Pentax K-5 and Limited primes. I've always been a Nikon, Hassie and Leica shooter, but this camera has completely won me over. It's a nearly perfect walk-around camera—small, discrete, quiet, built like a real camera. Mainly paired with the 21mm ƒ/3.2 Limited or the amazing 35mm ƒ/2.8 Macro Limited."

Featured Comment by Toto: "You know what's gonna happen to the Fiat 500 in America, don't you? It's going to grow and grow, and before you know it, it will have become an SUV."

Featured Comment by Wayne: "I have to say my Sony NEX5n. Shortly after purchase, I started to sour on it due to the 'quality lens' issue. I then took a chance with the inexpensive Fotodiox adapter plate allowing me to use my Pentax K mount lenses with it. Wow!!! The 35mm ƒ/2.8 DA Macro and the FA 50mm ƒ/1.4 work perfectly as I find the fully manual operation fun and challenging."

Featured Comment by William Schneider: "I weighed prospects for a daily carry-about camera last summer and got the pocketable Olympus XZ-1. It's near perfect for me. My Ferraris are now mostly 'garaged'—especially as my age makes toting big gear increasingly difficult."

Featured Comment by Chris Richards: "My big camera has become a Kiev 60, version Arax—with a waist level finder nobody notices you using it. By the end of the week, it's become too heavy, and I reach for an Olympus Trip." 

1969 Fiat 128

Featured Comment by Jim H.: "Gee, Mike, glad you liked my comment! By the way, the Fiat Enzo drove was a '128' model and I believe it was made famous in a '70s Fiat ad by the same ad guys who immortalized BMW as 'the ultimate driving machine.' I've always had 'Fiat' cameras—a Retina IIIc when I had a Leica, Minox 35 when I had Nikon 35mms, several digital point-and-shoots with the Nikon D1/2/300s and finally an iPhone with my Oly Pens. Yep, the Olys are my 'big' cameras now, even on safari this year! Just look at that 30x40" elephant on the wall over there!"

Featured Comment by Paris: "Olympus E-PL2 (the link is to the current E-PL3 —Ed.) with the 20mm prime lens.

"I test drove the Fiat 500. It's a hoot, although a bit underpowered. One interesting note: bucking the current trend, it comes in 13 different colors, some of them pretty fashion-forward. Olive green. Mocha Latte.

"Sadly, I live in Detroit, where half the vehicles on the road are monster SUVs and pickups whose bumpers are about level with the windshield of the Fiat. Doesn't seem prudent."

Comments

[Richard]

After the big camera - I'm afraid I'm hooked on full frame - I find the iPhone (or any other decent camera phone) is perfect. Any of these in-between small cameras are just too much of a compromise a) compared with the quality of FF, and b) compared with the pocketability of the iPhone.

I used to think that a decent quality small camera would work as a proxy for the big camera - that I could use it as a substitute for the big camera, but if an opportunity comes up for a photo, the results inevitably just made me wish I'd had the big camera with me.

By contrast this doesn't bother me with the iphone, and I've taken a lot of satisfactory shots of the personal type with it.

What have I used as a small camera? Canon G11, Leica Dlux4, Panasonic-something - I'd even include the Pentax K7. All have gone by the board.

I have to agre with the commentator about the M9 however, although I assume that comes under your "big" camera banner

[stevierose]

To echo some of the others, I recently bought a Fuji X10 for just this purpose, mainly because of the optical viewfinder and my general aversion to taking photographs with my arms outstretched in front of me. However, I think there is no doubt that smartphones, like my iPhone 4s, are filling this role for most folks. Their camera functions have gotten much better and they are always in your pocket!

[William Baker]

Going to work every day, it's my iPhone 4s that gets the most action. When I'm out with the intent of taking photos, I've been spending equal time between my Fuji X100 and my NEX5n with the 16mm and the wide adapter attached - I'm finding that combination covers most of my needed bases and would be filled with grief at the loss of either of them. The only real void I find in my life is a lack of a serious film body for some slow, pragmatic moments - for that I've started a fund to save up for a decent used M series body and some nice glass, but that's pretty pie in the sky at present for me.

[Chris Richards]

My big camera has become a Kiev 60, version Arax - with a waist level finder nobody notices you using it. By the end of the week, it's become too heavy, and I reach for an Olympus Trip.

[Steve Barnett]

I guess by 'mirrorless' it was Ok to vote for my Leica M9??

Well it has nothing that a wonder DSLR has, so it is at the other extreme. But the analogy is sound, the M9 gets used 99% of the time and the DSLR comes out only when I need something faster and with more brain than me.

[Barry Reid]

I recently picked up a Contax 159MM and a couple of Zeiss lenses to use alongside my bulky Eos (1Ds, bagful of lenses with red stripes...) system. Not only is it more compact and more fun but, the Zeiss glass and Ektar make such great images I'm finding myself using it more and more in favour of the digital.

[Magma]

When I want a smaller kit, I take off the grip and the usual lens from my trusty Pentax K5. This camera, with the DA 40 mm limited is really tiny, and a joy to use

[Ivan]

I opted for "None of the above" because one option I would choose is missing: "A large-sensor digicam".

Also, "mirrorless camera" is an ambiguous term. I assume you mean "mirrorless interchangeable lens camera" by that?

[Alex Monro]

Another vote for the Fuji X10. I had a play with one in a shop a couple of days ago - lovely little thing. Clear, bright viewfinder (so few compacts have any viewfinder at all :( ) and even a cable release thread on the shutter button! :)

[richardplondon]

How many cupholders does the Fiat 500 have? And can I plug my iPod into it? And, and... will my neighbours think it's kewl, or wussy? I am particularly keen to publicly brag about how understated I am. Will this do the trick? [grin]

[David H.]

If the popularity of the x100 here is any indication, I'm gonna have to pre-order that Fuji x200.

I shall now kick myself even harder for not choosing it over the E-P3.

Oh, yea, got my iphone too. Can add cool effects to make my screw-ups art and upload to FB.

[Steve Burns]

It's either my (used to have) M4P & 35, or my current EPL-1, with a 17 or 20 and their optical VF-1 on it. Something that Tony doesn't have to fix again. Something I'm very comfortable with.

[Panda]

XZ-1 - it's a surprisingly flexible camera. High quality large-aparture lens that you can actually get fairly shallow DoF even at longer focal lengths, as well as a flash hotshoe, with makes it a well-featured camera creatively, if not spec-wise.

E-P3, GX1, NEX and their ilk are far too plush to be considered in this contest.

[Benjamin Marks]

My bag is packed for this weekend with the trusty Nikon D3 and the Olympus EP-2. I am meeting a new nephew for the first time and the Nikon is just the ticket for portraits that will be a part of the family lore for a generation. But I just love using both of these cameras. The Nikon is the pick-up truck and the Oly is the Fiat. And being a bit of a gear-head, I had originally packed a Nex-5, but the Oly just has everything I need in a small, light camera. For me, there is no size, weight, or speed advantage to going smaller (e.g. LX-3).

P.S. as for smart-phones, my brother has sent pictures of his new son out by phone. My reaction? Head to my favorite web-retailer to buy him an actual camera.

[Account Deleted]

That would be Sony NEX7 with Carl Zeiss Sonnar 24mm f/1.8
Zeiss glass with AF and excellent sensor behind it.

[Kevin Halliburton]

I would kit out an I-phone

[Bryce Lee]

FIAT eh?
Cute, yes!
Reliable, NOT!
Good thing they bought some of Chrysler, two
quite poorly designed and still operating company's merging.
How sweet.
The one and only time I rode in a FIAT rail car, it became consumed by it's own self, burning to a crisp in the local Central African railway station.

FIAT, Fix It Again Tony is the best description of the company and its products!

May it consume Chrysler and remove that brand too from the face of the earth!

[Tony Rowlett]

Off topic, but I had to chuckle at that list of 75 reasons to buy the Fiat over the Mini. Not one single "good" reason on that list for me. If I were buying one today, I'd go for the Mini. Sorry, Fiat.

[Pavel Derka]

I first thought that I would answer the "personal fiat" question with what I have currently, which is a micro four thirds camera.

I really enjoy the system and have had four bodies so far. They have been a welcome simplification and size reduction from my Canon and Nikon systems of the past. However, as good as they are I realize, begrudgingly, that it is and admiration of what the system does - not love. The logical part of me does not understand. But my heart knows better, despite the lack of words to explain. Perhaps I'm tired of the ease of digital? Could it be that no digital camera is really simple as simple could be - as simple as it used to be?

No .... this post has made me aware (thanks a lot mike! This always costs me money!!) that my fiat is a Zeiss Ikon with only a 28 and 50 medium speed lens. I'll carry some 400 speed film with that, I think.

Why not a Leica? Too expensive to be not worried about and that seems to go against the gestalt of it.

That is the thing for me now after a twelve year trip through digital and perhaps forty thousand dollars worth of fun and experience. I want to go back to photography. I don't want Nikon to do it for me, nor Ashton Kutcher to explain how great, super-saturated and easy now is.

No; back to what feels like basics to me and the good feeling of making my mistakes and triumphs with limits that I can understand and limits that I can slowly master.

That may not make sense to many. It hardly makes sense to me as it has hit me out of the blue just now as I pondered your post. Simple and elemental is my Fiat. Film.

So; thank you Mike for giving me a moment of unexpected clarity. Now I only have to wonder what the fuss over Ferraris ever was for me.

[John Caradimas]

I would go with the Fuji X100, but I'd prefer if it had a removable lens, the 35mm is sometimes somewhat long for me. And no, thanks, the M9 is not for me, my car doesn't cost as much as they are asking for it.

Re. cars, the Fiat 128 was my first car. Lovely little car with space for 5 (OK, really only for 4), a decent engine and good handling. I do not know if that was what Enzo was driving, but if it was, I guess I should be proud.

[Chad Thompson]

Well, considering that my camera for "real work" is a huge wet plate rig that requires a dark room on site - any camera is a walk around camera. In fact my current Fiat is a Nikon D700 the same one I use for daily commission work. With the attached Voigtlander 40mm it serves me well. Prior to that was a huge list of often times truly annoying cameras from the likes of Ricoh, Olympus, Minox, Yashica, and the list goes on. Just as digital was starting to get good I had just settled in with the FM3A. I loved that camera but after several months of non use it was the right time to let it go, still the only camera I've ever made any money selling. I thought I had something in my Droid but then an "upgrade" came along and ruined that. So now I'm waiting not-so-patiently for an NEX-7 that's on pre-order. If it weren't for the fact that I need a b roll camera for work and I didn't care about video you can be sure I'd have that Fuji x-100 in my stable. But everything for me is a compromise between what I want and what I should buy. Except the big camera. Custom made to my specs it's the perfect camera for what it is. But much like the Ferarri it very specific.

[Tom Duffy]

Mike,
Coincidently, I'm doing a massive clean up of accumulated detritus to get my house ready to sell. I found a copy of Camera and Darkroom (Aug '93) with an interesting interview with Horace Bristol. Also in this issue is an article by yourself, "We asked the photographers on Compuserve a simple question: "If you were limited to four lenses for all your work, which would they be?"" For those who can't immediately put their fingers on their copy of C&D ;), the most popular lens was the 35mm f2 Nikkor AF.

To get to the current survey, the choice would have to have: a good optical finder, quiet shutter, and take a focal length between 50 and 90 mm, because all my best pictures were taken in that focal length range. It would also have to be a film camera, since nothing does B&W better than film and color negative film is unbeaten in terms of capturing high contrast scenes. My answer would be a Leica M6 TTL with a .85 viewfinder and a 75mm Summicron.

The lens is beyond my reach financially, but maybe I could justify it by thinking that it would cost about the same as a 2 year old Fiat 500 will. :)

Take care,
Tom

[Yohan]

Did somebody say Fiat 500? I'll just leave this here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpi2IAec9Ho

A bit racy so depending on your work environment might be NSFW.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

I drove a Yugoslav version of that Fiat 128 for years. If only I knew I am in such a good company (with Enzo Ferrari, that is).

[CMS]

"Not asking you to imagine a memory-wipe, CMS, just a cabinet-dump."

I didn't. I might not have expressed myself clearly, though. My conclusion was that it is probably best to buy again what you have already learned to use.

[Dan Horton-Szar]

The iPhone 4 with the Hipstamatic app has really invigorated my photography in the last year or so since I bought it. Work and life commitments have seriously limited my photography time lately but with the iPhone an various photo apps like Hipstamatic I've managed to make some of the most innovative pictures I've ever taken.

[Robbie Corrigan]

Funny question...
I drive and have driven small Fiats all my life. Starting with a 127GT and onto the later faster models while still keeping small. It is purely personal choice, my wife wants me to get a BMW or Audi or something 'respectable' as she defines it. The 500 in Abarth format is a laugh to drive, especially in Esse format (extra power, stiffer suspension).
My choice is K-5 and 43mm. I have always regarded Pentax as a kind of Fiat :)
Don't forget that Fiat invented recently the common rail diesel, and with the Multi air, electro-hydraulic valve management, they are leaders in engine development.

[Jona]

My big camera is a Rolleicord with Xenar lens. I love the square format and the look of Tessar-type lenses. It's a Ferrari since I'm slow with the Rolleicord and I don't like carrying a light meter in addition to the camera, but I love mechanical cameras and manual focus. So my FIAT version would be a 35mm camera with light meter, manual focus, Tessar-type lens and square format(!). That will never happen so I am going to use Xmas money for my second choice FIAT- a Pentax MX with 50mm f1.4 or f1.7.

If anyone has any ideas on an SLR or rangefinder camera with a Tessar type lens for little money, I would love to hear about it. Why buy a Nikon with the 45mm lens or a Contax with the Tessar when I can get the Pentax MX plus lens for less than just the Nikon or Contax lens? An SLR with a easy to focus viewfinder would be helpful since the Tessar lenses are usually f2.8 and I want to put a yellow filter on it.

[Mike Johnston]

Jona,
I believe Ricoh once made a Tessar-Type in Pentax K-mount, but you'd have to look into it to be sure.

Mike

[Jona]

You're right, Mike. I found some info online on the Ricoh Tessar. It may be tough to track down the lens as I bet it's rare. I wonder if it was made by Cosina or whomever made the Nikon version if it wasn't Nikon. Thanks for the tip!

[Marcelo Guarini]

My brother, who is a wealthy guy, has a Porshe GTX, but he goes to his office every morning in a FIAT 500 Abarth version, which has a turbo engine with an estimated 160 HP. It is just great. Knowing that I am an Oly user since the OM-1, last month he gave me a brand new E-P3 for my birthday. I think the Fiat 500 equivalent of cameras is a mirrorless, like any of the EP series of course.

Regards

[Chris Grover]

A Nikon FM3a with a Voigtlander 40mm f2 and a Fiat 500 full of Portra 400.