Pherdinand
the snow must go on
that wasn't his line, it was said by the russian astronaut sittin on the space station. And, he said "all made in taiwan" 🙂
Who Wants To Test The Lomo LC-A 120 ???????????
- Thread starter CameraQuest
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that wasn't his line, it was said by the russian astronaut sittin on the space station. And, he said "all made in taiwan" 🙂
Pherdinand
the snow must go on
i like this guy😀 he can be really funny while keeping the subject serious as business 😀
Huss
Veteran
Unpackaging video will come Saturday, so we'll just have to pretend I haven't opened the box yet...
First impressions. The box it came in was really heavy! Either Stephen sent me bricks or this camera is made out of steel. It ends up the camera is really light, it is the packaging that is heavy with the display box and a nice book of images that came with it.
Here is what it looks like, with the really flimsy (but genuine leather) strap attached, surrounded by a suitable variety of film that will be used in the test:
Here's what it immediately reminds me of upon picking it up and handling it:
To be continued...
First impressions. The box it came in was really heavy! Either Stephen sent me bricks or this camera is made out of steel. It ends up the camera is really light, it is the packaging that is heavy with the display box and a nice book of images that came with it.
Here is what it looks like, with the really flimsy (but genuine leather) strap attached, surrounded by a suitable variety of film that will be used in the test:
Here's what it immediately reminds me of upon picking it up and handling it:
To be continued...
dwojr
Well-known
I noticed the weight as well. Crazy heavy box for a camera.
Forgot to mention that when I was struggling to load the first roll of film I accidentally knocked out the middle part of the camera that holds the film flat, exposing a circuit board underneath. Luckily it snapped back into place with no difficulty. Make me wonder about long term durability.
I'm still working on my first roll. I hope to use it up this afternoon at a local horse farm where I like to shoot.
Forgot to mention that when I was struggling to load the first roll of film I accidentally knocked out the middle part of the camera that holds the film flat, exposing a circuit board underneath. Luckily it snapped back into place with no difficulty. Make me wonder about long term durability.
I'm still working on my first roll. I hope to use it up this afternoon at a local horse farm where I like to shoot.
Huss
Veteran
More initial impressions:
The camera is really dinky feeling. I handed it to my gf and asked her to guess how much it costs. She first said $5, I said something to the effect of 'no, really', she said $20.
The sliding lens/vf cover moves roughly. For $430 this should be smooooth and precise, clicking into place. Instead it feels like something, eventually, will break. Not saying it would, just feels that way.
The rear cover has a little latch which actually pops open surprisingly well, has nice light seals, and snaps closed nice and tight. The lens/VF cover should feel like this.
The scale focussing lever is easy to use, and what is very cool is the lens is the equivalent of a 21mm lens for 35mm film. This feature, with the auto program exposure, really does make it stand out in the MF field. I cannot think of any other camera that would compare to this. let alone a new one. I'm looking forward to seeing how the lens performs.
Just when you think I'm getting too cozy with the Lomo, more bad stuff... The shutter button may quite honestly be the worst I have ever tried. Even worse than those on disposable one time use 35mm cameras (remember those?). It is a very long, rough, tough squeeze before the shutter finally fires. It feels like you really are fighting against a spring rate chosen more for suspending a Yugo than working a camera. As a bonus, about half way through the travel, the camera emits a faint electrical buzzing/whine. If you want to replicate it, plug in your toaster and hold down the bread lever against the stop. It buzzes like that (but a little fainter).
At least there is a satisfying 'SPROING!' sound when the shutter finally fires. A normal, well adjusted person would object to that part, but a Fuji GW690 III owner would find that quite normal. And Zebedee would love it.
Thing is, it just doesn't feel like it would stand up to many cycles. Time will tell.
A cool feature - it has a multi exposure switch - and as the shutter self cocks (must be that bed spring in it) you can fire as many shots as you want w/o advancing the film.
Film speeds are set with a tiny wheel on the left front of the camera, with the numbers shown in a tiny window. Downside - it only offers it in 'full' steps with no way to set anything in between. So you got your 100 speed setting, then 200, then 400, then 800..
A bit of a bummer seeing that some of my films are rated at ISOs 125 and 160. This also means that any attempt at manually over-riding the program exposure would be limited to full stop values.
A final observation for now - the camera has a hot shoe, but it does not seem to work correctly. I was in suitably dim conditions and both flash units that I tried (a Leica SF24 and a Metx CS 32 which work perfectly on all my other cameras across multiple brands) fired way after the shutter released. Take a shot, delay, exposure complete, flash fires. I did this without any film in the camera, but that would not make any difference as there is no flash metering system built into the camera. The flash goes off if the low speed light in the VF (one of two red leds - the other is a battery check led that always lights when you squeeze on the shutter) is activated.
That's it for now.
The camera is really dinky feeling. I handed it to my gf and asked her to guess how much it costs. She first said $5, I said something to the effect of 'no, really', she said $20.
The sliding lens/vf cover moves roughly. For $430 this should be smooooth and precise, clicking into place. Instead it feels like something, eventually, will break. Not saying it would, just feels that way.
The rear cover has a little latch which actually pops open surprisingly well, has nice light seals, and snaps closed nice and tight. The lens/VF cover should feel like this.
The scale focussing lever is easy to use, and what is very cool is the lens is the equivalent of a 21mm lens for 35mm film. This feature, with the auto program exposure, really does make it stand out in the MF field. I cannot think of any other camera that would compare to this. let alone a new one. I'm looking forward to seeing how the lens performs.
Just when you think I'm getting too cozy with the Lomo, more bad stuff... The shutter button may quite honestly be the worst I have ever tried. Even worse than those on disposable one time use 35mm cameras (remember those?). It is a very long, rough, tough squeeze before the shutter finally fires. It feels like you really are fighting against a spring rate chosen more for suspending a Yugo than working a camera. As a bonus, about half way through the travel, the camera emits a faint electrical buzzing/whine. If you want to replicate it, plug in your toaster and hold down the bread lever against the stop. It buzzes like that (but a little fainter).
At least there is a satisfying 'SPROING!' sound when the shutter finally fires. A normal, well adjusted person would object to that part, but a Fuji GW690 III owner would find that quite normal. And Zebedee would love it.
Thing is, it just doesn't feel like it would stand up to many cycles. Time will tell.
A cool feature - it has a multi exposure switch - and as the shutter self cocks (must be that bed spring in it) you can fire as many shots as you want w/o advancing the film.
Film speeds are set with a tiny wheel on the left front of the camera, with the numbers shown in a tiny window. Downside - it only offers it in 'full' steps with no way to set anything in between. So you got your 100 speed setting, then 200, then 400, then 800..
A bit of a bummer seeing that some of my films are rated at ISOs 125 and 160. This also means that any attempt at manually over-riding the program exposure would be limited to full stop values.
A final observation for now - the camera has a hot shoe, but it does not seem to work correctly. I was in suitably dim conditions and both flash units that I tried (a Leica SF24 and a Metx CS 32 which work perfectly on all my other cameras across multiple brands) fired way after the shutter released. Take a shot, delay, exposure complete, flash fires. I did this without any film in the camera, but that would not make any difference as there is no flash metering system built into the camera. The flash goes off if the low speed light in the VF (one of two red leds - the other is a battery check led that always lights when you squeeze on the shutter) is activated.
That's it for now.
Huss, love your entertaining description! Well done and have fun!
Its nice to hear that the famous Lomo build quality that Lomo is so loved for is alive and well!
JoeV
Thin Air, Bright Sun
Given all the mods done to Holgas and Dianas over the years, it wouldn't surprise me if there develops a mod subculture for this camera, too. The first I can think of is the shutter release.
~Joe
~Joe
Huss
Veteran
I'm not one to judge but I just noticed this:
Yep, the body cover is already peeling off this brand spanking new $420 camera. I pushed it down but it seems there is no adhesive there, as it made zero difference.
Just to keep things in perspective, I just bought this for the same price as the Lomo:
Yep, the body cover is already peeling off this brand spanking new $420 camera. I pushed it down but it seems there is no adhesive there, as it made zero difference.
Just to keep things in perspective, I just bought this for the same price as the Lomo:
Huss
Veteran
The Lomo better take freakin' awesome pics...
😉
😉
Sid836
Well-known
I had the chance to try one. Apart from the automated exposure, there is nothing that amazes me with that camera. I prefer my Ikonta 521/A. It is smaller, a bit heavier, but feels better built and you have full control over the exposure.
After this I am left with the impression of a ridiculously overpriced photo gadget.
Just saying.
After this I am left with the impression of a ridiculously overpriced photo gadget.
Just saying.
Archlich
Well-known
Lomo had omitted the fixed flash sync stop of 1/60s when they "updated" the original LC-A to the LC-A+.
Same for the LC-A 120, it has only the slow sync.
What people pay are paying for the 38mm lens. It has crazy vignetting, aberrations and soft corners - everything you'd expect from a such build of a camera - but still saves you $1500 if you want the perspective alone.
Same for the LC-A 120, it has only the slow sync.
What people pay are paying for the 38mm lens. It has crazy vignetting, aberrations and soft corners - everything you'd expect from a such build of a camera - but still saves you $1500 if you want the perspective alone.
Huss
Veteran
That is a very nice camera, but it has the 50mm equivalent lens of a 35mm camera.
The Lomo has a 21mm equivalent lens. It is that, along with the program auto exposure feature, that makes it unique.
Sid836
Well-known
O.k. That could be of something if only that 21mm lens was of some quality. Next weekend I will post a few color scans in here from that lens just to see why it is not worth it. For 500 bucks one has a lot better options even with a wide angle lens on it. Take a Fuji for an example. Better, more reliable, with a wide lens and a 645 format at about the same size (o.k. a bit larger).
It being a square format camera with a 21mm lens makes it unique.
Mark Wood
Well-known
No, Hasselblad beat them to it a very long time ago!
http://fotobistro.com/the-hasselblad-superwide-a-most-amazing-camera-and-lens/
True, but in a much larger and more expensive way.
Mark Wood
Well-known
But then if you add up all of the LOMO cameras you might have to buy before you find one that works for more than a couple of films and calculate how much cupboard space they take up...😀
Haha, good one Mark.
Timmyjoe
Veteran
Just picked up a mint Rolleiflex Automat with a lovely Schneider taking lens for considerably less than that new Lomo. Wonder how many of those they're going to sell.