Lomo LCA-120 - worth every penny

[Huss]

I mentioned this before, but the first LC-A 120 I was loaned on this site was garbage. Focus was off, body covering was peeling, it made a weird electrical buzzing sound, exposure did not seem good. It must have been a very early production model, before they got the kinks worked out.

Slow forward a few years... I found a great deal on a like new one on ebay and figured if I didn't like it, I could flip it w/o any loss. This camera rocks. There is nothing else in the film or digital world like it. Super easy and fun to use, with a very good and wide lens, and also a sharp lens. Really.
There is also something crazy to the coating they use on this lens. It saturates colours like I've never seen. It really pounds on blue and cyans, and deepens reds. I did not alter my pics, this is how they look after they are converted using negativelabpro.com.
Film was expired Fuji NPS 160. I get about 11 3/4 to 12 shots per roll. Depending in variations in loading, and I could never quite figure out what it is I do to get 12. I think load it slightly before the start arrow.

There really is nothing else like this camera made. I have Rolleiflexes and Hasseblads and those give perfect images. Natural tones. Evenly lit. But their lenses are not as wide. They are much slower to use. They are much bigger. And the images do not have a bite that just smacks you upside your head. So what if I can get a Yashicamat 124 for $200. It's a great camera but it is more of the same.

Want something different that gives killer colour and intense vignettes? Lomo LC-A 120. Peace out.



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[Huss]

[Huss]

[Huss]

Hmmm, Flickr is really bolloxing up the sharpness/detail. Here is a smaller version, to see if size post makes any difference..

[lynnb]

What a fun camera! Nice shots Huss - thanks for sharing.

[dourbalistar]

Looks like one of the Triplets had a great time in SF! And seems like you got all 42,900 pennies' worth.

One of the blogs I follow has a good review of the LCA-120. I thought it was a fair and balanced assessment of the camera's pros and cons:
https://filmadvance.com/2019/02/revi...-a-120-camera/

[Huss]

Originally Posted by dourbalistar

Looks like one of the Triplets had a great time in SF! And seems like you got all 42,900 pennies' worth.

More like 25,742 pennies

(thank u ebay)

[dwojr]

Nice work Huss.

[Huss]

Thanks! I know Erik started a thread on this but what is up w Flickr? These images look
so downgraded compared to what I see on my end.

[kuvvy]

I have wanted one of these for some time but never find a used one anywhere. I know it has it quirks / faults but I still fancy a go. I wish the review link that member dourbalistar posted above had been more positive.

Paul

[Huss]

Originally Posted by kuvvy

I have wanted one of these for some time but never find a used one anywhere. I know it has it quirks / faults but I still fancy a go. I wish the review link that member dourbalistar posted above had been more positive.

Paul

I actually agree w some of his observations but see his negatives as positives. Glass half full

I really like the pics he took with it:

https://filmadvance.com/2018/11/harvests-end/

https://filmadvance.com/2018/11/while-lake-fence/

https://filmadvance.com/2018/11/ponderosa-pine/

https://filmadvance.com/2018/12/white-lake/

[dourbalistar]

Originally Posted by kuvvy

I have wanted one of these for some time but never find a used one anywhere. I know it has it quirks / faults but I still fancy a go. I wish the review link that member dourbalistar posted above had been more positive.

Paul

Just for clarification's sake, the review is not mine. It's a review done by a blogger that I follow. I liked the review because it gave an honest assessment, rather than just the typical camera review cliches.

[patois]

My Lomo LCA is basically my favorite travel camera. I have thought about springing for one of these because in theory, it is what I love about the LCA just bigger. And of course, uglier.

These are great photos.

[Crazy Fedya]

Huss,
How do you like it compare to Veriwide?

[Huss]

Originally Posted by Crazy Fedya

Huss,
How do you like it compare to Veriwide?

Hmm strangely I never thought about that!. One thing the Veriwide is 6x10 vs 6x6 of the Lomo, so if you need that format and that massive negative then the Veriwide is the choice.
The Veriwide's lens also vignettes, but nowhere near to the extent that the Lomo does. It also has neutral coatings (coating?) so the lens does not seem to add a signature of its own to the image. My Lomo is actually very sharp in the middle and very decent to the sides, but the Veriwide is a bit superior.
Build and shutter release - Veriwide is in a different world of old age craftsmanship.
The Veriwide's lens is much slower, and everything is manual. The Lomo's AE meter works surprisingly well so it is much quicker to shoot. But you have less control over exposure..

They really do not have much in common apart from both offering a veri wide lens...
Veriwides are very expensive and old, while the Lomo is 'cheap', comes with a warranty and if the one you got seems below par, you can just exchange it for another.

One massive advantage for the Lomo is that you can take as many multiple exposure shots as you like. I use this feature all the time. The Veriwide deliberately locks out any way of making a multiple exposure.

Ultimately - super saturated 6x6 images vs classic high quality pseudo panoramic shots at 6x10.

[kuvvy]

Well you’ve done it now guys. After reading this thread, reading reviews and watching videos I’ve now just ordered the LCA 120. Not shot much film for a long while but this has tempted me.
Paul