Lomo LC-A+

The Lomo LC-A+ is a 35mm camera from Lomography.

The history of the LC-A+

The Lomo LC-A was the cornerstone and is an important part of Lomography. That’s why the news hit many Lomographers hard in 2005: the production of their beloved LC-A in Russia would be stopped. The reason was among others that the production was no longer economically viable. Therefore, Lomography (Lomographic Society) was feverishly looking for a solution.

The result was, for a new edition of the camera, the production location China. The new edition should not be inferior to the original in anything, but also be extended by some functions, with which the community was asked for suggestions. In 2006 the Lomo LC-A+ was introduced. Since June 2007, the lens is also built in China.

The design of the LC-A+

Externally, it is very similar to the original. The classic design is kept in black. However, there are now some variants with other designs. The viewfinder guard of the Lomo LC-A+ is adorned with the “Lomo boy”.

The features of the LC-A+

The Lomo LC-A+ is a 35mm camera and therefore requires 35mm film (eBay / Amazon*). A Mintar 1 32mm lens is installed in the LC-A+. This provides the typical Lomo look (vignetting, saturated colors, etc.) and is also wide-angle enough for quick snapshots and shooting from the hip. The maximum aperture is f/2.8 and allows shooting in lower light.

The shortest exposure time of the Lomo LC-A+ is 1/500 sec. You can’t set the aperture, just like the exposure time. The exposure meter, which is powered by three small batteries (SR44*, LR44*) (eBay / Amazon*), selects the Lomo LC-A+ automatically. The meter’s ISO setting options go from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, rather than just ISO 400 as with the LC-A. There is no such thing as a longest exposure time on the LC-A. It simply opens the shutter until the photo is properly exposed.

To meter the light, there is a small opening on the top right side, when looking at the camera from the front, into which the light falls. If you don’t want to take long exposures with the Lomo LC-A+ or have overexposed photos, you should not cover this opening.

Focusing is completely manual with the LC-A+. It has a zone focus with four zones (0.8m, 1.5m, 3m, infinity). The focus lever has a scale that shows the currently set distance. With a little practice, however, you can quickly set the distance blindly. The LC-A+ does not have a rangefinder, the distance has to be estimated. After some time, however, this is no longer a problem.

For long exposures, the LC-A+ has a cable release connection in addition to the tripod connection.

Another new feature of the 35mm camera is the small switch on the bottom of the camera. This allows the shutter to be re-tightened without having to carry the film further. This makes it easy to make double and multiple exposures with the Lomo LC-A+.

To prevent overexposure, you should adjust the ISO setting. For ISO 100 film, set the ISO dial to ISO 200 for two exposures. For three exposures, ISO 400, for four exposures, ISO 800, and so on.

Another new feature, of the Lomo LC-A+, is that various accessories can be used with it. For this, it has notches on the front and the back can be removed.

A flash can be connected to the Lomo LC-A+ normally via hot shoe. You don’t necessarily have to use a flash from Lomography, flashes from other manufacturers can also be used with the compact camera.

How do I distinguish an LC-A from an LC-A+ externally?

One clear indication that it is the Plus is that there is only one lever on the front. Another is that the name “LC-A+” is written on the top of the camera.
These two are already a good indication of which camera it is.

What features is the Plus missing compared to the old LC-A?

In addition to many new features, the new edition is missing a few functions. The aperture can no longer be set by lever on the left side if you want to work with a flash, for example. This is especially advantageous in dark places.

The LC-A+, or the LC-A in auto mode, simply selects the widest aperture in this case, because of course it doesn’t know about a flash, so you should be a bit careful to prevent overexposure.

The LC-A+ also lacks the ability to see the set distance in the viewfinder.

While the Plus has added two new ISO settings, it has also lost two, ISO 25 and ISO 50, so if you shoot a lot with low-sensitivity or Redscale film you’d better think twice about buying the LC-A+.

The Lomo LC-A+ RL

Unlike the regular LC-A+, the RL has a Russian-made lens installed, rather than one made in China. Except for the lens, however, the LC-A+ RL is also built in China. For the Chinese lens, a new mixture is used for the glass, but you won’t notice a difference during normal photography.

Lomography itself says that the results are 98% percent identical. The Russian lens is more for collectors and enthusiasts. RL stands for Russian Lens.

Whether the lens comes from the original Lomo PLC factory in St. Petersburg can be seen by looking at the half opened lens cover. On this stands for the Russian lens “Lens Made in Russia”.

The package contents of the LC-A+

The scope of delivery of the LC-A+ has changed over time. Currently, as of 2012, it comes in a wooden box. In it are the camera, two ISO 100 color negative films, a cable release, the LC-A book, the manual and three 1.5V batteries. Also, the Lomo LC-A+ comes with a small plastic piece that is supposed to protect the hot shoe.

Accessories for the LC-A+

Colorsplash Flash

The Colorsplash Flash is a flash for the LC-A+ and all other cameras with hot shoe. It is quite compact and is therefore well suited as a companion for the compact camera.

The special feature of the Colorsplash Flash is the Colorwheel system. With it, four different filters can be loaded into one wheel. When taking pictures, you can then select the desired color by turning it. You can only put two filters into the flash yourself, two color filters are already pre-installed and cannot be exchanged. The flash comes with 12 different color filters.

It is powered by an AA battery (eBay / Amazon*). A bit of caution is required when taking close-ups in terms of overexposure, since the flash’s output cannot be adjusted. If you still want to get closer to your subject, you can cut a filter out of a milky foil, which you can buy at a craft store. This then swallows some of the power of the flash. Another possibility is to cut a milky film can in half and put it in front of the flash.

Krab

The Krab, like the LC-A+ itself, a reissue a product of Lomo.
With the red underwater housing dives up to 20 meters are possible.

The Krab can be used with the LC-A+ and some old LC-As. If the Russian LC-A has a metal spool gear on the bottom, the housing can also be used with this camera. However, a disadvantage of the housing is that you can not change the distance after insertion.

The housing can also be used with the Lomo LC-Wide.

Splitzer

This accessory is placed in front of the lens of the Lomo LC-A+ and offers new possibilities for multiple exposures. With the Splitzer, the image can be split into small parts. The splitzer can only be used on the LC-A+.

If you don’t want to spend the money for a ready-made splitzer, you can easily make one yourself, e.g. with tape or a film can lid.

Instant Back

The LC-A Instant Back+ is an instant back for the Lomo LC-A(+). The accessories of the Lomo camera (splitter, lenses and flashes) can also be used. The Fujifilm Instax Mini format is used as the instant format. The finished pictures are then about the size of a credit card. The film is only ejected when a button is pressed. This makes multiple exposures easy as well.

The instant back is powered by two CR2 batteries (eBay / Amazon*). Like the Krab, it can also be used with the LC-Wide.

An automatic frame counter and a tripod connection are available.

Tunnelvision Lens

The Tunnelvision lens is an additional lens for the LC-A. It is attached with the help of a metal ring that is glued around the LC-A lens. The Tunnelvision lens is then held to the lens by a magnet. You can then use it to get up to 2.5 cm close to your subject. It also produces images with a high-contrast center. Towards the edge, the image becomes increasingly blurred and softer.

Wide Angle Lens

The Wide Angle Lens is an additional accessory for the Lomo LC-A+ and can be strapped in front of the normal lens. This turns the 32 mm lens, which is already quite wide-angle, into a 20 mm wide-angle. The 20 mm focal length also allows you to get closer to your subject. A new distance scale is attached to the side for this purpose.

With the lens comes an attachable viewfinder, this attaches to the hot shoe port of the Lomo LC-A+.

Lomo L-Case

The Lomo L-Case is a bag for the Lomo LC-A, the Lomo LC-A+ and the LC-Wide. The bag was also made of black leather. It equipped with a snap closure and an adjustable strap.

Sample photos

Kodak Elite Chrome EB 100 in C-41