An improved version of LOMO LC-A made in China by Lomographic Society


For the past 12 years, our hearts, minds, and souls have been captive to the whims and demands of one tiny little camera: the Lomo LC-A. Who knew that this unassuming little metal amigo could serve up images incredible and charming enough to inspire the birth and constant expansion of an entire Society dedicated to spontaneous and hyper-creative photography?

Yes, it was that good. The Lomo LC-A was our very best friend and the cornerstone of everything that the Lomographic Society stands upon. A little over a year ago, the production of the original Lomo came to an end, and we knew that it was up to us and the Community of Lomographers to invent a suitable replacement from the ground up.

It was clear that this had to be a team effort. After all, most of the credit for the Lomo’s enduring cult fame and innovative techniques goes to you – our Lomographic friends and colleagues – who worked tirelessly to tease the world’s most compelling and impossible images out of this tiny black box. We harnessed the Lomographic Community’s power by offering an online poll – detailing what the most important features of the Lomo were. In order, they were:

1. The Minitar 1 32.2.8 lens – and the colors & effects that it yields
2. Long exposures with and without a flash
3. Multiple and overlapping exposures
4. The LC-A’s easily portable body and ease of use

The path was set. Over one year later, we are absolutely thrilled to present the brand new Lomo LC-A+. It’s designed as not only a replacement for – but a major improvement upon the original design. It’s the LC-A+ a host of new features. The LC-A+ the input of thousands of Lomo experts. Essentially, it’s the LC-A+ you! For new Lomographers, it provides the same images and effects that the original LC-A was so soundly adored for. For you old-school veterans, it offers a host of new features and technique possibilities within the body and lens that you’re well versed in using.

+Specifications
++ Size: 4.25" (10.5cm) x 2.5" (6cm) x 1.6" (4cm)
++ Weight: 0.65lb (0.3kg)
++ Format: all 35mm (color negative, slide, b&w)
++ Lens: Minitar 1 32/2.8 (Multicoated)
++ Focal length: 32mm
++ Available apertures: 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16
++ Shutter speeds: 1/500 to unlimited (via auto-exposure)
++ Exposure: program automatic (selects aperture & shutter automatically)
++ Multiple Exposure switch for unlimited shots on 1 frame
++ Flash: standard hotshoe with second-curtain sync
++ Standard tripod & cable release thread
++ Film can be processed at any 35mm lab, supermarket, drug store, swapmeet, etc.

Features
The Legendary Minitar 1 32/2.8 lens
The single greatest attribute taken from the original Lomo LC-A design. This multi-coated little beauty is the reason for most of the Lomo’s magical & famous effects – including over-intense color saturation, sharp contrast, vignetting at the edges, occasionally selective focus, and a whole host of other quirks that only the Lomo’s analog wizardy can deliver. Like the original, this Minitar 1 is made exactly to Professor Radionov’s exacting specifications, and is hand-crafted with love and pride. The glass is multicoated to minimize internal reflections and maximize color and contrast. Its wide angle view captures a healthy chunk of everything in front of you and its bright f/2.8 maximum aperture lets all that natural, ambient light come streaming right in. The Minitar 1 lens is produced in two locations. The LC-A+ lens is made in China - at the same factory that produces the camera. The LC-A+ RL lens is produced at the original LOMO factory of St. Petersburg, Russia. Both lenses share identical specifications, and are capable of producing the same gorgeous, Lomo-style images.
Russia, China, the LC-A+ and Us
Each LC-A+ is born with two separate national identities. The body is entirely crafted in China – deep inside a compact old-school camera factory. An entire room is dedicated to production of the LC-A+ and its many components. This production facility has a grand history of crafting intricate mechanical cameras with an old-world attention to detail. The staff is dedicated, talented, and (like us Lomographers) curious and hyperactive to almost extreme degree. This factory – like the beautiful Lomo camera that it produces – is truly one of a kind.

But there’s one import element that still comes from abroad: Professor Radionov’s incredible Minitar 1 lens. Using the original Russian specifications and design, our Chinese factory has duplicated the Minitar’s magic from the ground up. Its brilliant multicoating, its wide-angle view, and its impossibly addictive and content-laden images are all here – just like the original. As our Lomographic friends and colleagues treasured this lens over all other things, we decided to leave it unchanged and uncut.

On top of that – if you hunger for true Russian flavor, then you can opt for the “LC-A+ RL” edition – featuring a lens produced at the original LOMO Optical factory of St. Petersburg Russia. Production of this little gem is limited to 500 units a month. Either way, you’ll receive the same true “lomo-style” images that made this camera a cult icon.

Hand Made With Love
The LC-A+ is hand-crafted under the direct supervision of Ms. Li – the Chief Engineer of Production. Over 300 individual parts and approximately 20 days are required for each camera. The team assigned to LC-A+ production are all seasoned assembly technicians – with plenty of prior experience with mechanical single-lens-reflex and compact rangefinder cameras. And, as the title implies, true love and pride goes into the production of each LC-A+. Given their vast knowledge of camera engineering, the workers are proud to produce a precision, mechanical, and meticulously detailed item – which contrasts sharply against the many cheap electro-digital things coming out of China nowadays.

Source text and images: Lomographic society.
http://shop.lomography.com/lca+