Lomo LC-A

Last updated
LOMO LC-A
2023 Aparat Lomo LK-A (3).jpg
LOMO LC-A camera
Overview
TypeCompact, point and shoot
Released1984
Lens
Lens Fixed, Minitar 1 32mm f/2.8
Sensor/medium
Film format 35mm (135)
Film size 36mm x 24mm
Film speed 25-400
Film advanceManual
Film rewindManual
Focusing
Focus modesManual, zone focus (0.8m, 1.5m, 3m, )
Exposure/metering
Exposure modesProgrammed auto, manual with fixed shutter speed
Exposure metering Cadmium Sulphide (CdS light meter
Flash
Flash Hot shoe only
Flash synchronization 1/60s; rear sync. only
Shutter
Shutter Electronically controlled
Shutter speed range2m to 1/500s
General
BatteryThree S76
Dimensions 107 x 68 x 43.5 mm
Weight 250g

The LOMO LC-A (Lomo Kompakt Automat) is a fixed lens, 35 mm film, leaf shutter, zone focus, and compact camera introduced in 1984. Its design is based on the Cosina CX-2, with the difference being that it lacks a swiveling front and self-timer. [1] It was built in Soviet-era Leningrad by Leningrad Optics and Mechanics Association (LOMO). [2]

Contents

Production of the camera ceased in 1994. [3] In the mid-1990s, a group of enthusiasts from Vienna persuaded LOMO to restart production, [2] which continued until 2005, and they formed the Lomographic Society International, distributing these cameras around the world.

The LOMO LC-A's replacement, the LC-A+, was introduced in 2006 and production moved to China. [4] The LC-A+ featured the original LC-A Minitar-1 glass lens manufactured by LOMO in Russia. [5] This changed in 2007 and lenses on subsequent models have been made in China. [3] Some LC-As were sold badged as Zenith, [6] this label was only a sticker underneath the lens. Zenit (Zenith in some countries) is a trademark of KMZ (Krasnogorsk Mechanical Works).

Austrian company Lomography now offers three versions of the LC-A, the LC-A+ and LC-Wide in 35 mm format and the LC-A 120 in medium format. [7]

Operation

The only automatic function offered by the LC-A is exposure. Film loading, winding, rewinding, and focus adjustments are accomplished manually. The aperture can also be set manually, the shutter speed is fixed at 160 s (this ability was removed from the LC-A+). [3]

Exposure is completely automatic when the camera is set to "A"; the shutter speeds range from 2 minutes to 1500 s. The aperture range is f/2.8 to f/16. The automatic exposure system compensates for changes in light levels after the shutter is opened by increasing or decreasing the shutter speed. This, in conjunction with the rear-curtain flash-sync, results in interesting effects with flash photography in low ambient light levels. [3]

The lens is focused by selecting one of four zones (0.8 m, 1.5 m, 3 m or ). Older versions of the camera feature viewfinder icons showing the currently selected focus zone, a feature omitted from later models.

A battery checking feature uses a LED inside the viewfinder; if there is sufficient power this illuminates whenever the shutter release button is lightly depressed. Another viewfinder LED illuminates whenever the camera's chosen shutter speed is below 130 s.

Lomo LC-A Viewfinder Lomo Sucher.jpg
Lomo LC-A Viewfinder

Body design

The size and shape is very close to that of the Cosina CX-2, the main difference being that the lens bezel is fixed (unlike the rotating one of the CX-2). Power is supplied by three 1.5v silver oxide cells (S76, LR44).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twin-lens reflex camera</span> Type of camera

A twin-lens reflex camera (TLR) is a type of camera with two objective lenses of the same focal length. One of the lenses is the photographic objective or "taking lens", while the other is used for the viewfinder system, which is usually viewed from above at waist level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holga</span> 120 film camera

The Holga is a medium format 120 film camera, made in Hong Kong, known for its low-fidelity aesthetic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zorki</span>

Zorki is the name of a series of 35mm rangefinder cameras manufactured in the Soviet Union between 1948 and 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cosina</span> Japanese optical equipment manufacturer

Cosina Co., Ltd. is a manufacturer of high-end optical glass, optical precision equipment, cameras, video and electronic related equipment, based in Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lubitel</span>

Lubitel refers to any of the several medium format twin-lens reflex cameras manufactured in Russia by LOMO. The design is based on the early 1930s Voigtländer Brillant camera with various improvements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toy camera</span> Simple, inexpensive film camera

A toy camera is a simple, inexpensive film camera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canon EF camera</span> 1973–1978 single-lens reflex camera

The Canon EF is a manual focus 35mm single-lens reflex camera produced by Canon between 1973 and 1978. It was compatible with Canon's FD-mount lenses. The EF was built as an electro-mechanical version of Canon's top-of-the line wholly mechanical Canon F-1. The shutter is mechanical at all speeds ½ second and faster, but at 1 second and longer the shutter is all electronically controlled, allowing AE exposures from 1/1000 to 30 seconds. The EF shares the F-1's rugged construction and tough metal body. Unlike the F-1, the EF does not support any motor drive for film transport. Neither does it provide any interchangeable viewfinder.

The Olympus OM System was a line of 35mm single-lens reflex cameras, lenses and accessories sold by Olympus between 1972 and 2002. The system was introduced by Olympus in 1972. The range was designed by Yoshihisa Maitani, chief designer for Olympus, and his staff; OM stands for Olympus Maitani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikkormat</span> Camera brand

Nikkormat was a brand of cameras produced by the Japanese optics company Nippon Kogaku K. K., as a consumer version of the professional Nikon brand. Nikkormat cameras, produced from 1965 until 1978, were simpler and more affordable than Nikon-branded cameras, but accepted the same lenses as the Nikon F series cameras.

The Kiev 35A is a semi-automatic 35 mm camera made by the Soviet Kiev-Arsenal factory. A copy of the Minox 35 camera and similar to Minox 35EL; it is small and lightweight. It is sometimes compared to the LOMO LC-A camera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minolta XD-7</span> Camera model

The Minolta XD-7 is a 35mm SLR film camera manufactured by Minolta from 1977 until 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konica Hexar RF</span> 35 mm rangefinder camera

The Konica Hexar RF is a 35 mm rangefinder camera which was sold by Konica. It was introduced to the market on 13 October 1999. and subsequently discontinued some time before the end of 2003. The camera used the "Bayonet Konica KM-mount", a copy of the Leica M-mount, thus sharing interchangeable lenses with those designed for Leica cameras and others compatible with them. The Hexar RF has a combined rangefinder/viewfinder modeled on that of Leica cameras, a similar body shape and size - and so is similar to Leica M-mount cameras in many aspects of operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konica Hexar</span> 1990s 35 mm autofocus camera

The Konica Hexar is a 35 mm fixed-lens, fixed focal length autofocus camera which was produced through the 1990s. It was introduced to the market in 1993. While styled like a rangefinder camera, and intended for a similar style of photography, in specification it is more like a larger "point and shoot" camera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">35 mm Bessa</span>

The Bessa family of cameras was manufactured in Japan by Cosina as a revival of the Voigtländer brand name between 1999 and 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minolta 9xi</span> 35mm SLR camera

The Minolta 9xi was, when released in 1992, an advanced 35 mm single-lens reflex camera design. According to the company, it incorporated the world's "fastest autofocus system", had a maximum shutter speed of 1/12000 of a second, and had a 14-zone metering system. It has a shooting speed of 4.5 frames per second without the additional motor pack, a shutter speed of 1/12000 of a second due to carbon-reinforced shutter blades, a pentaprism, and it is compatible with xi zoom lenses having a "power zoom function".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Konica FP-1</span> 35mm SLR camera

The Konica FP-1, introduced in 1981 and discontinued in 1983, was a 35mm SLR camera with TTL metering and a large range of exchangeable optics.

Zuiko is a brand of optical lenses made by Olympus Corporation that was used up to and into the Four Thirds system era. The name Zuiko (瑞光) means 'Holy Light', using a character from the Mizuho Optic Research Laboratory (瑞穂光学研究所), where the lens was developed, and a character from Takachiho Corporation (高千穂製作所), which would eventually become the Olympus Corporation.

The Lomography Lomo'Instant Square Glass is an Instax analog camera made by Lomography. It uses Instax Square and Mini instant film. When introduced in January 2018, it was "the first analog camera to shoot square Instax film."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fujifilm Instax Wide 300</span> Instant camera

The Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 is an analog instant camera from Fujifilm that uses Instax Wide instant film. It has a moderately wide-angle lens with some manually selectable fixed focus zones and a fixed aperture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voigtländer Vito</span> 35mm rangefinder camera

The Vito and Vitomatic, Vitoret, and Vito Automatic were several related lines of 35 mm compact viewfinder and rangefinder cameras made by Voigtländer from the 1940s through the early 1970s, equipped with leaf shutters, similar in concept to and marketed against the competing Kodak Retina cameras manufactured by Kodak. All of these cameras were fixed-lens models; the models in the Vito line identified with Roman numerals were equipped with folding mechanisms and collapsible lenses for portability, while the others were rigid, non-folding cameras.

References

  1. "The Lomo LC-A's Father - The Cosina CX-2". 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2020-03-15 via www.lomography.com.
  2. 1 2 Dowling, Stephen (22 November 2012). "Did the Lomo camera save film photography?". BBC News. Retrieved 2018-05-10 via www.bbc.co.uk.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Lomo LC-A+ 35mm Camera - Microsite - Lomography". Lomo LC-A+ 35mm Camera - Microsite - Lomography. Retrieved 2018-05-10.
  4. "Lomos: New take on an old classic". BBC News. 22 September 2007. Retrieved 2018-05-10 via news.bbc.co.uk.
  5. "Lomography". www.lomography.com. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  6. "LOMO LC-A - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia". camera-wiki.org.
  7. "Classics - Cameras – Lomography". shop.lomography.com. Retrieved 2022-12-06.