Jeroen
Well-known
Today I received an e-mail from the official Lomography-mailinglist, stating the following. A long piece, but I thought I'd share, especially the last part:
For immediate release
PRODUCTION OF THE LOMO LC-A HAS ENDED. LIMITED STOCK IS REMAINING.
Dear Lomographers from one end of the Earth to the other, We have BAD news, GOOD News and the BEST news. (and a little bit of OLD news)
The Bad News: Lomo LC-A Production has stopped
Listen closely and take a seat. Here is the bad news first. The original and one-and-only Lomo LC-A camera has been taken out of production. Some of the most beautiful items ever created (the original VW bug, Constellation, Tupolev, Concorde and Illushin airplanes, Polaroid SX-70's, Olivetti typewriters, Lambretta scooters, Commodore 64 computers, Wacker Innsbruck, etc.) have disappeared despite the enormous love and respect that they command. According to the LC-A's Russian factory (LOMO PLC), the LC-A has proven too expensive to continue given their existing structure. As they no longer produce any cameras outside of the LC-A, they lost key manufacturing synergies. Engineers and craftsmen experienced in 35mm cameras are a dying breed. Wages and energy costs have skyrocketed. Our beloved LC-A consists of 450 individual parts, and is extremely labor-intensive to construct. The days of its precise assembly by hand have come to an end and its production is no longer cost-effective within their new structure.
The Good News: There is still time
Now for the good news. As the LC-A is first in our heart and soul, we have been fighting these developments for quite some time. Although we could not ensure its future production, we still have a few hundred units for each Lomographic market (USA, Asia, Europe, Africa, & Australia).
Beginning on May 1st, 2005, our last remaining Lomo LC-A units will be sold worldwide through our best partner shops, Lomography.com, and our Asian partner websites. This final stock was produced under the burden of a huge cost increase. We had no choice but to accept, and we regrettably must raise our corresponding retail pricing. Beginning on May 1st, the Standard Lomo LC-A package will cost 260 USD/Eur. The Deluxe Package will increase to 325 USD/Eur.
The next 10 days are your last chance to order an LC-A at the old pricing. All orders must be received by 11:59PM (Vienna Time) on April 30th to qualify.
The Best News: A bright future ahead
And finally...the BEST news. Russia would not be Russia if there wasn't a blazing hot summer after a deep-frozen winter. A task force of Russian, Chinese, and Austrian brains are feverishly working on a new and vastly improved Lomographic camera. Cross your fingers and believe: if this baby is born, it will be the ultimate LOMO snapshot machine - complete with plenty of innovative and exciting new features. The precision and soul of Russian optics, the efficiency of Chinese production, and the Lomographic fever of Austrian ideas & design will forge the camera of your dreams and the Lomo-fied answer to your prayers. Take this to heart - the new Lomo will be the greatest compact camera ever conceived.
Do you have a fond wish, technical suggestion, or burning desire for the new LOMO? Speak now and fill out our online poll . Tell us the greatest, craziest, and most urgent features that you would like to see on the new LC-A. We can't guarantee that every idea will be used, but we can guarantee that every idea will be eagerly read and kept close to our beating hearts. The best 3 ideas will receive a shining prize of 50 Piggypoints. The next 7 runners-up will receive 25 Piggypoints each. That's a total of 10 tasty prizes - so grease up your thinking caps and send us the most earth-shattering ideas that you have. Deadline for entry is Thursday, April 28th.
(The Old News was a link to online Lomo-history). Any thoughts or wishes? How about a re-release of the original XA...?
For immediate release
PRODUCTION OF THE LOMO LC-A HAS ENDED. LIMITED STOCK IS REMAINING.
Dear Lomographers from one end of the Earth to the other, We have BAD news, GOOD News and the BEST news. (and a little bit of OLD news)
The Bad News: Lomo LC-A Production has stopped
Listen closely and take a seat. Here is the bad news first. The original and one-and-only Lomo LC-A camera has been taken out of production. Some of the most beautiful items ever created (the original VW bug, Constellation, Tupolev, Concorde and Illushin airplanes, Polaroid SX-70's, Olivetti typewriters, Lambretta scooters, Commodore 64 computers, Wacker Innsbruck, etc.) have disappeared despite the enormous love and respect that they command. According to the LC-A's Russian factory (LOMO PLC), the LC-A has proven too expensive to continue given their existing structure. As they no longer produce any cameras outside of the LC-A, they lost key manufacturing synergies. Engineers and craftsmen experienced in 35mm cameras are a dying breed. Wages and energy costs have skyrocketed. Our beloved LC-A consists of 450 individual parts, and is extremely labor-intensive to construct. The days of its precise assembly by hand have come to an end and its production is no longer cost-effective within their new structure.
The Good News: There is still time
Now for the good news. As the LC-A is first in our heart and soul, we have been fighting these developments for quite some time. Although we could not ensure its future production, we still have a few hundred units for each Lomographic market (USA, Asia, Europe, Africa, & Australia).
Beginning on May 1st, 2005, our last remaining Lomo LC-A units will be sold worldwide through our best partner shops, Lomography.com, and our Asian partner websites. This final stock was produced under the burden of a huge cost increase. We had no choice but to accept, and we regrettably must raise our corresponding retail pricing. Beginning on May 1st, the Standard Lomo LC-A package will cost 260 USD/Eur. The Deluxe Package will increase to 325 USD/Eur.
The next 10 days are your last chance to order an LC-A at the old pricing. All orders must be received by 11:59PM (Vienna Time) on April 30th to qualify.
The Best News: A bright future ahead
And finally...the BEST news. Russia would not be Russia if there wasn't a blazing hot summer after a deep-frozen winter. A task force of Russian, Chinese, and Austrian brains are feverishly working on a new and vastly improved Lomographic camera. Cross your fingers and believe: if this baby is born, it will be the ultimate LOMO snapshot machine - complete with plenty of innovative and exciting new features. The precision and soul of Russian optics, the efficiency of Chinese production, and the Lomographic fever of Austrian ideas & design will forge the camera of your dreams and the Lomo-fied answer to your prayers. Take this to heart - the new Lomo will be the greatest compact camera ever conceived.
Do you have a fond wish, technical suggestion, or burning desire for the new LOMO? Speak now and fill out our online poll . Tell us the greatest, craziest, and most urgent features that you would like to see on the new LC-A. We can't guarantee that every idea will be used, but we can guarantee that every idea will be eagerly read and kept close to our beating hearts. The best 3 ideas will receive a shining prize of 50 Piggypoints. The next 7 runners-up will receive 25 Piggypoints each. That's a total of 10 tasty prizes - so grease up your thinking caps and send us the most earth-shattering ideas that you have. Deadline for entry is Thursday, April 28th.
(The Old News was a link to online Lomo-history). Any thoughts or wishes? How about a re-release of the original XA...?
