Lomo LC-A

LOMO LC-A

LOMO LC-A camera
Type	Compact, point and shoot
Film format	35mm (135)
Film size	36mm x 24mm
Lens	Fixed, Minitar 1 32mm f/2.8
Flash	Hot shoe only
Flash synchronization	1/60s; rear sync. only
Film advance	Manual
Film rewind	Manual
Shutter	Electronically controlled
Shutter speed range	2m to 1/500s
ASA/ISO range	25-400
Exposure metering	Cadmium Sulphide (CdS light meter
Exposure modes	Programmed auto, manual with fixed shutter speed
Focus modes	Manual, zone focus (0.8m, 1.5m, 3m, $\infty$)
Battery	Three S76
Dimensions	107 x 68 x 43.5 mm
Weight	250g
Released	1984

The LOMO LC-A (Lomo Kompakt Automat) is a fixed lens, 35 mm film, leaf shutter, zone focus, compact camera introduced in 1984. The design is based on the Cosina CX-2.

In 2005, production of the original Lomo LC-A was discontinued. Its replacement, the LC-A+, was introduced in 2006 and production moved to China. The LC-A+ featured the original LC-A lens manufactured by LOMO in Russia. This changed in 2007 and lenses on subsequent models have been made in China. Some LC-As were sold badged as Zenith, this label was only a sticker underneath the lens. Zenit (Zenith in some countries) is a trademark of KMZ (Krasnogorsk Mechanical Works).

Operation

The only automatic function offered by the LC-A is exposure. Film loading, winding, rewinding, focus are accomplished manually. Aperture can also be set manually, the shutter speed being fixed at ¹⁄₆₀ s (this ability was removed from the LC-A+).

Exposure is completely automatic when the camera is set to "A"; the shutter speeds range from 2 minutes to ¹⁄₅₀₀ s. The aperture range is f/2.8 to f/16. The automatic exposure system compensates for changes in light levels after the shutter is opened by increasing or decreasing the shutter speed. This, in conjunction with the rear-curtain flash-sync, [1] results in interesting effects with flash photography in low ambient light levels.

The lens is focused by selecting one of four zones (0.8 m, 1.5 m, 3 m or ∞). Older versions of the camera feature viewfinder icons showing the currently selected focus zone, a feature omitted from later models.

A battery checking feature uses a LED inside the viewfinder; if there is sufficient power this illuminates whenever the shutter release button is lightly depressed. Another viewfinder LED illuminates whenever the camera's chosen shutter speed is below ¹⁄₃₀ s.

Lomo LC-A Viewfinder

Body design

The size and shape is very close to that of the Cosina CX-2, the main difference being that the lens bezel is fixed (unlike the rotating one of the CX-2). Power is supplied by three 1.5v Silver Oxide cells (S76, LR44).

See also

• Lomography
• Cosina
• Minox, especially Minox 35 mm compact cameras
• Olympus XA

External links

• LOMO PLC
• Lomographic Society International
• LC-A manual
• Another LC-A manual
• The LCA story
• We use Film