The Lomo LC-W arrived on Thursday and this morning (Saturday) I took it out for na shakedown cruise. To say I have owned better cameras for a lot less money would be an understatement. Trying to get a brighter view, I bought a Voigtlander 15mm finder at a bargain price. When it arrived, it's the D version for crop sensor digital cameras, giving me a 23mm FOV. I figured for the price, I might as well just keep it and use it.
Things were going well till about halfway through the first roll. The camera felt like it was jamming on advance. It turned out to be the rewind lever was flopping around and catching on the viewfinder. I took the finder off and used a piece of of tape to keep the rewind lever in place. When I got to the end of the roll, no amount of cajoling could get the end of the leader to release from the take up spool. I used the Leatherman to cut the leader and the tweezers to fish out the stuck piece of film.
I have also learned to position my left index finger to keep the distance switch in the far position. More tan a few times the switch had been bumped to close up.
When I dropped the film off, I thought it would be useful to add a small flash so I bought a Godox M20. What I have found so far is, if there was already enough light to take a picture the Lomo will fire the flash at approximately the same time the shutter is open. If it's a particularly long exposure, it will fire the flash when it feels like it. Pretty much defeating the purpose of having the flash.
On the positive side, this is the first camera I've owned in seven years that doesn't require the ritual of reading the meter then setting the speed and aperture before focusing. It really is a point and shoot. It was fun, I had a blast and pictures will be added to the thread.
I have fun with mine. The actual field of view is wider than what the viewfinder shows, and one roll of film jammed and tore when advancing, but it’s been fine since. Interesting about the flash. I haven’t tried using one.
I also have an original Russian LC-A which is more solidly constructed. But I enjoy the LC-Wide, too, aside from that one ruined roll.
Hmm. I have not had the issues w the floppy rewind lever nor the focus switch. But on rewinding the film a few times when it has reached the end and should release from the take up spool, it has been a bit of a struggle which almost felt like the film may tear. But did not!
Looking forward to seeing your snaps, and your realization that the VF image really is way tighter than what appears on film.
FYI my local shop in their used camera case had a small silver Olympus Stylus Zoom for $230...
Here are some from the second roll I took today. A lot of over exposure and it was a bit of work to get some decent images. The oddest thing was when I used the dropper tool to set the white balance. It would set the WB at 2100K giving me images that look like they were taken in a fish tank. Way too much blue and no room to maneuver. Finally, I left it as taken and worked from there. Very much Lomo like.
I’m not sure why you are having issues setting colour balance.
This was taken w my Lomo LC-W and the same Fojak 200 film.
I set colour balance by using the dropper on a bit of unexposed film rebate, not from anything in the image itself.
I used the dropper for the second roll and got the same 2100K but didn't have to struggle like with the first roll. A lot were way overexposed but once I set the first image, the Previous button took care of most of the roll. There were a few that needed more adjustments. I may go back and scan the first roll again.
Lomo LC-W, Fojack 200
Dino Detail, Multnomah Village
Use Other Door
Red Door with Yellow Trim
Little Red Free Library
Cap'n Morgan
Pup and Her Person
Pup with my Finger in the Picture
Pup Spots a Friend
Pup Waves to Friend
Ye Olde Weed Shoppe
Also, the Fujicolor 200 works pretty well but with the gray skies and no way to set the shutter, 400 might be better.
Desmolicious wrote:
I’m not sure why you are having issues setting colour balance.
This was taken w my Lomo LC-W and the same Fojak 200 film.
I set colour balance by using the dropper on a bit of unexposed film rebate, not from anything in the image itself.
madNbad wrote:
I used the dropper for the second roll and got the same 2100K but didn't have to struggle like with the first roll. A lot were way overexposed but once I set the first image, the Previous button took care of most of the roll. There were a few that needed more adjustments. I may go back and scan the first roll again.
ISO is set at 200. Kept my fingers around the bottom of the camera. I could hear the shutter and it often sounded it was staying open far too long for the lighting. Also, I'm not a fan of the camera is making the decision about exposure. If this is any indication of Lomo's QC it's understandable why there are problems with the MC-A. It was far too expensive for what it offers. At this point, the Lomo experiment is done and I'll start a return for refund with B&H.
