Holga vs Lomo LC-A 120

[Foto Ludens]

All of these LC-A 120 shots are very nice. Has anyone here tried the 35mm LC-wide camera? If so, how does it compare to the 120?

 

[4season]

All of these LC-A 120 shots are very nice. Has anyone here tried the 35mm LC-wide camera? If so, how does it compare to the 120?

LC-Wide is much wider than LC-A 120 and has such deep depth of field that in most situations, there's no need to focus, something like 1 meter to infinity.

 

[Huss]

35mm film always looks different to 120 film. So not sure how to compare the two. The LC wide has a 17mm lens, while the 120 is equivalent to 21mm. But the DOF is much less on the 120.

 

[Foto Ludens]

Thanks. I suppose my curiosity had more to do with the reliability & quirks of use of the 35mm version than with its specs (though the shallower depth of field of the 120 version might prove to be the deciding factor if I ever spring for one of these). That was a good reminder... thanks again.

 

[xya]

Thanks. I suppose my curiosity had more to do with the reliability & quirks of use of the 35mm version than with its specs (though the shallower depth of field of the 120 version might prove to be the deciding factor if I ever spring for one of these). That was a good reminder... thanks again.

I have 2 LC wides. if they work, they are fantastic, but both of mine had issues with the shutter button. I had them repaired. no problems since then. IMHO the 120 and the LC wide are totally different cameras. google the photos of both and you will see what I mean. I made a page about the LC wide here https://www.plastikcam.com/lomo_lc_wide.htm and about the LCA 120 here https://www.120folder.com/lomo_lca120.htm

 

[Huss]

Hmm, the LC wide has winder attachments, but they never made the winder? I wonder if the winder from the Cosina CX-2 fits.

 

[ericB&W]

I can't understand why the lc 120 hasn't 1/60 syncro speed and the diaphragm control
on the other side , like the lomo 35 mm.
Would have been a great option to work with d.o.f. and to reduce vignetting.

 

[tezzasmall]

Just read through the thread, to find out the original poster didn't return after January this year, and left us hanging, like having a book with the last few pages missing! Did he buy or not in the end?

So curious, that I've just mailed him to ask.

Terry S

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I can't understand why the lc 120 hasn't 1/60 syncro speed and the diaphragm control
on the other side , like the lomo 35 mm.
Would have been a great option to work with d.o.f. and to reduce vignetting.

I think the lack of diaphragm control, along with the associated vignetting, is what lots of the Lomo crowd likes about the camera. It's a little frustrating for me in that I can't control when the vignetting happens, but I don't mind it in general.

 

[4season]

Thanks. I suppose my curiosity had more to do with the reliability & quirks of use of the 35mm version than with its specs (though the shallower depth of field of the 120 version might prove to be the deciding factor if I ever spring for one of these). That was a good reminder... thanks again.

I have repaired the Chinese-made LC-A+ sold by Lomography:. I needed to re-do some of the soldered connections in the LC-A+, but it worked fine afterwards. These cameras aren't very well sealed against dust (few film cameras are)

 

[Foto Ludens]

I have 2 LC wides. if they work, they are fantastic, but both of mine had issues with the shutter button. I had them repaired. no problems since then

That's really good to know. Thanks!

 

[Foto Ludens]

I have repaired the Chinese-made LC-A+ sold by Lomography:. I needed to re-do some of the soldered connections in the LC-A+, but it worked fine afterwards. These cameras aren't very well sealed against dust (few film cameras are)

Also very good to know. Thanks!

 

[Huss]

Lomo LC-A 120, Arista 200, Cinestill DF96 Monobath

 

[Huss]

 

[Huss]

Liked them both.

LCA120 shutter died.

The Holga is still working well. Kind of like an old Kodak Brownie, not a whole lot to go wrong.

I have held onto the LCA 120 in the hopes of using the lens on something else. It is a nice lens.

Bumping this... Pioneer, did you ever try to get it fixed? It is an expensive camera after all so may be worth it. I've used site sponsor Zacks Camera Repair for other stuff with great results.

 

[Pioneer]

Bumping this... Pioneer, did you ever try to get it fixed? It is an expensive camera after all so may be worth it. I've used site sponsor Zacks Camera Repair for other stuff with great results.

Thanks. I actually hadn't looked into it. I may give them a shout and see if there is anything they can do. It is almost the perfect street camera.

 

[Huss]

Mine shoots a blank frame every other roll. Makes the sound like it is taking a pic, but nothing there. Seems to be commonplace. Interestingly the batteries are really tight in there, so no issue about poor contact. And when I blank fire it to check the shutter, it of course works every time! I can do that 20=30 times in a row and it works every time...

 

[Pioneer]

Zacks Camera Repair got back to me and they do not work on the Lomo. Ergo, mine is still a brick.

Pretty pricey for 3 years of use. Bought it new in August 2016, it died in June 2019.

I think that, for me at least, simple is best. My Holga works. My Kodak Brownie works. The Lomo doesn't.

 

[Huss]

Zacks Camera Repair got back to me and they do not work on the Lomo. Ergo, mine is still a brick.

Pretty pricey for 3 years of use. Bought it new in August 2016, it died in June 2019.

I think that, for me at least, simple is best. My Holga works. My Kodak Brownie works. The Lomo doesn't.

Not just 3 years, but I'm sure not that many rolls.

Yeah, that is a bummer. I'm tempted to sell mine and use my Rolleiflex instead. Yeah it doesn't have that cool super wide lens, but I get 12 shots to a roll everytime with nice spacing, and the shutter fires everytime!

 

[Huss]

Lomo LC-A 120, Ilford Delta 3200 @ 800, Cinestill DF96 Monobath

 

[Pioneer]

Not just 3 years, but I'm sure not that many rolls.

Yeah, that is a bummer. I'm tempted to sell mine and use my Rolleiflex instead. Yeah it doesn't have that cool super wide lens, but I get 12 shots to a roll everytime with nice spacing, and the shutter fires everytime!

I started using my Ikoflex IIa when the Lomo died and I have been loving it. The lens is wonderful and it is surprising how fast you get used to it. Additionally I have had WAY more interesting conversations with people using my TLR than I ever had with the Lomo LCA-120. I had one older lady stop on the street and spent over an hour telling me about using a TLR taking pictures for a small town paper here in Nevada that has long since become a part of history.

 

[Oren Grad]

Zacks Camera Repair got back to me and they do not work on the Lomo. Ergo, mine is still a brick.

Pretty pricey for 3 years of use. Bought it new in August 2016, it died in June 2019.

I think that, for me at least, simple is best. My Holga works. My Kodak Brownie works. The Lomo doesn't.

Apologies if you've already discussed this somewhere: is Lomo itself unwilling / unable to repair it? Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if they consider them disposable - i.e., replace if something breaks under warranty but otherwise you're stuck. So is that in fact what they do?

 

[Pioneer]

Basically the shutter quit firing. I contacted Lomo right away and they sent back some ideas on what to check such as new battery, electrical contacts, etc. All the normal suspects. However they had no suggestions for a repair technician. Although they did not specifically say that it was non repairable I got the sense that there were no real options. I did some on-line searches but didn't find any useful repair resources. Lots of reviews and people posting photos but nothing about serious trouble shooting or repair. I did take it apart far enough to check wiring connections but there was nothing really obviously wrong so I just assumed it was an internal fault on a circuit board. I had been having some occasional blank frames on the two rolls prior to the end so I suspect something had been going wrong for awhile. Since I had occasional film spacing issues I had kind of passed it off.

It was an interesting camera and I certainly had fun with it while it lasted. The metering was awesome and it could spoil you with some of the images. But I have since gotten pretty attached to my little Ikoflex so I guess it has all ended well.

If someone is interested in tearing into it to see if they can discover the problem I would be happy to send it to you for the cost of shipping. Just let me know.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

There's something to be said for the limited depth-of-field in the LCA-120. You don't always want to have EVERYTHING in sharp focus.

 

[Huss]

Just sold my LC-A 120. Had fun with it, I just wish it had better QC.
Time to use my other 120 cameras!