LOMO LC-A

Lomo LC-A image by Rolf F. (Image rights)

Lomography LC-A+ image by John Goetzinger (Image rights)

Lomo LC-A compared with Cosina CX-2 image by delta16v (Image rights)

The LOMO Kompact Automat (LC-A) was produced by LOMO PLC in St. Petersburg, Russia from 1984 until 2005. This compact 35mm film viewfinder camera was copied from the Cosina CX-2, but lacks its self-timer and swiveling front; and is built with cheaper components. The LC-A used a 3-element Minitar lens with noticeable vignetting, while the Cosina CX-2 had a 5-element lens.

The camera was sold with either LOMO, Ломо or ZENIT branding. The latter varient was for export.

It was the LOMO LC-A that sparked the Lomographic Society (LSI).

After production ended, LSI contracted with Phenix Optical Company in China to create an updated version called the Lomography LOMO LC-A+. This features a Chinese copy of the minitar lens but a variant is produced by the LSI, the LC-A+ RL, which features a Russian made Minitar lens.

The LSI have also introduced an ultra wide angled model LC-wide, based on the LC-A+. This features a 17mm ultra wide angle Minigon 1 lens.

LC-A Specifications

• Lens: Minitar-1 3 element 32mm 1:2.8
• Focus: zone focus 0.8, 1.5, 3m or inifinty
• Field of vision angle: 63 degrees
• Frame size: 36x24mm
• Aperture: f/2.8 to f/16
• Shutter: electromechanical program shutter
• Shutter speed: 1/500 second to 2 mins
• Exposure sensor: sits above film speed display
• Viewfinder: Frame lines, parallax error, Battery LED, Low light warning LED (shutter below 1/30sec), focus zone indicators.
• Flash: X-type syncronisation in hotshoe at 1/60. Aperture manually set.
• Film Speed: 25-400ASA (some models rated in GOST)
• Batteries: 3xSR-44P silver oxide
• Standard Tripod mount
• Not threaded for cable release

Links

• Lomo LC-A family and LC-Wide pages at Lomography
• Lomo LC-A FAQ at http://www.kataan.org/
• Lionel's Lomo LC-A page (French)
• Overview of LC-A variations at Sovietcams.com
• LOMO LC-A on Interno in bakelite