Lomo LC-A+ on sale.

I have an older russian Lomo LC-A model. Mine was a swap meet score for $5. IMO, and I'll preface that with the note that I really really like a lot of cheap cameras, the LC-A is WAAAAAAY overpriced for what you get. If I were to make pros and cons of the camera they would go something like this...

Pros: size, feel, appearance, simplicity, lens vignettes in a very nice way
Cons: not especially reliable, not the best edge to edge sharpness, lens shows a ton of distortion, price

A short list of scale focus cameras I own and have used, that all cost well under $100, and that are IMO better then the LC-A are the XA2, Pen EE, Olympus Trip 35 and even the Fed 50 which has similar image quality but in a standard lens focal length. You could buy all 4 of those for much less then the price of a new, on sale LC-A actually.
 
Indeed. Lomo does some nice things, like the Spinner 360 and a wide range of quirky film, but the hype is built on the LC-A. If you try to explain to people that you'll find a better camera at any, ANY flea market, they just don't want to know. But it keeps the economy going I guess.

A friend wanted to go analogue and instead of a Lomo camera, I got her a Nikon FM10 with a Nikkor 28-70 AF-D, a 50mm f1.8 'E' and a big Agfa Sensotronic flash for less than 70 Euros. Now THAT's value for money.
 
Mine was also the old LC-A, I got it for £80! It was "my" camera before it got hyped up and then I stopped using it.

I've told friends to buy a proper SLR but they still go for the Lomo cameras!

It's okay for a compact point and shoot but I stopped using it a long time ago and it sits on my shelf. Want to sell it but looks kinda nice on my shelf lol!
 
Wow. "Toy" camera's MSRP is now $389.00!! :O Toy camera stopped being fun long ago when the price got above $50.

You can score a Bessa R2 for that price.

Crazy days...
 
$389 normal price? My GOD! I thought Lomos were overpriced back when they were $150. Also, what's up with the Sperm cell on the front??
 
The LC-A is definitely not a "toy" camera, it's only marketed and sold by a company that markets and sells a lot of "toy" cameras. It's a lot like an XA2 really, only not quite as good IMO.
 
coelacanth said:
Wow. "Toy" camera's MSRP is now $389.00!! :O Toy camera stopped being fun long ago when the price got above $50.

You can score a Bessa R2 for that price.

Crazy days...
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The $389 price is for this "special" LC-A+ "wrapped in Italian red goat leather and decorated with fertility symbols".

The "regular" one is $250.


For the same $389, however, the recently released LC-W is well-worth it. You don't get a 17mm (no matter how "lomo" it is) for the price often.
 
Archlich said:
For the same $389, however, the recently released LC-W is well-worth it. You don't get a 17mm (no matter how "lomo" it is) for the price often.
Click to expand...

I think you get Tokina SL17 with a hood and proper body on the back for $200 or about that. Real lens, real body, real controls on lens and body. Just bigger than P&S. Choice is yours.
 
Used to have the LC-A+, I did like it, but the build was shocking. If it was just a little better put together, I'd quite rate them as cameras. So simple, and a pleasant lo-fi output. They are very small and quick to use too.

You just get the feeling it's going to crumble to bits in your pocket though. I'd like to see Lomography make a metal one or something. I really like what they're up to, making film fashionable, and appealing to younger people.
 
The LOMO LC-A+ isn't built of metal? My LC-A is but it's an older Russian "ЛОМO." I just assumed the newer LC-As were the same.
 
There is metal on it, but the top bit is plastic, and off the top of my head, the central lens column is too. I think the back is metal though.
 
Very fun camera. I quite like the lens and wish I hadn't gotten rid of mine. I would say for around a $100 they are worth it. Like it better than an XA2 which I think is the closest competition. The lens has a unique look.

However at the prices they sell for now, I wouldn't consider it. Get an XA2.

Or keep an eye out for a Cosina CX-2 which is the Japanese camera the Lomo is based on. Rumored to be better quality.
 
One day I was at the film developing shop, some punk rock artsy style kid walked in to pick up her roll, and found out there are only 2 visible shots in the whole roll, others are all under exposed(way under cuz they were black)! Lol
Actually, she's my cousin, so I bought her an Olympus mju 2, so she can stop wasting money and films on the Diana lomo whatever...
 
the l-ca+ i have is actually pretty nice. i shoot it with 800 film (usually fuji pro) and get some nice results. definitely not a "toy" in my opinion.
 
I've had an LC-A (russian, though) that I had bought for £50 at a camera shop in Hampstead, NW London. It was a pretty good camera and very easy to handle without needing to look down to know what you're doing. I ended up selling it because I was just not using it that much... but I regret it, really, it would be a great camera to take where I didnt want a bigger one or even to lend to friendds travelling to awesome places. So I ended up getting a mju-II for these purposes. Still finding the LC-A a more friendly camera though, due to the manual controls.. having to always turn off the auto flash is a bit annoying and I keep missing the viewfinder when I take the camera to my face quickly! But to lend to friends being an AF is better, I guess...
 
I own one, and enjoy using it. It has given me some fine shots as well. However, I paid $15 and would never imagine paying the insane prices they sell for. The crazy thing about the distortion is that some images I have taken show gobs of it, while others (like the one below) show none at all.


Boston BW 5 by pdexposures, on Flickr
 
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