First contact with the new Lomo MC-A: A hands-on review
I tested the new Lomography camera, here are my experiences after shooting 15 rolls. It jammed and ruined 3 film rolls. I am thinking about returning it. Developed photos soon.
I loaded film, shot extensively, and put the camera through real-world use. As I write this, the film sits undeveloped in my bag, I’ll develop them in the next few days and post the results, pray for me 😂 .
Although I have no pictures yet, this means I can speak to how the camera handles, how the controls feel, and whether the design decisions make sense during actual shooting, so welcome to this pure operational feedback from someone who opened the box and immediately started photographing.
✨ 📧 SUBSCRIBE TO CAMERA CLARA FOR WEEKLY FILM PHOTOGRAPHY INSIGHTS
Every week, I test film cameras and stocks the way you’d actually use them, like shooting CineStill 800T in subway cars, comparing new Kodak releases against classics, and breaking down home development workflows that cut per-roll costs to $1. No hype, just practical information from someone processing 150+ film rolls annually.
Subscribe to get these posts in your inbox, it’s (and will always be) free.
Opening the Lomo MC-A box feels different than unboxing most cameras. The weight surprises you right away because there’s a substantial book inside. Lomography wrapped the camera in a special cloth that clings to itself through static electricity rather than velcro. I’d never seen this before. The camera sits protected in this material, while accessories arrive in small cardboard boxes scattered throughout the package. A rechargeable battery and USB-C charging cable complete the contents.
Build quality and materials
The top and bottom plates are metal. This stands out because Lomography typically builds cameras from plastic, so the MC-A represents a departure from their usual approach. The internal mechanism remains plastic, but the external shell provides reassuring heft.
The lens uses glass elements instead of plastic. For a Lomography product, this matters. Their typical cameras lean toward toy-like construction, which serves a purpose for their aesthetic. The MC-A aims higher.
Features that work well
I would prefer no “everybody is equal before the lens” quote, but a gaffer tape simply fixes it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The autofocus system relies on infrared LiDAR sensing. From what I can tell, it focuses at the center of the frame. The camera switches to manual zone focusing when you want it, with a minimum focus distance of 40 cm. This beats Leica M lenses, which typically stop at 70 cm.
The viewfinder is small but functional. Blue and red LEDs indicate focus lock and flash status. DX code reading handles film speeds from ISO 16 to ISO 3200. A PC sync port on the side opens options for external flash work. Flash sync speed appears to be 1/30, though I need to verify this precisely.
Lomography engineered a film-saving mechanism. Instead of advancing film solely through the traditional lever and spool on the right side of the camera, a secondary gear closer to the camera’s center pulls the film. This reduces waste during loading, but this film loading mechanism is actually horrible, one of the worst I’ve seen in film cameras, more on that later…
Multiple exposure mode deserves mention. I’ve never encountered this on a point-and-shoot compact. You press the MX button, and the camera allows a further exposures without advancing the film. The mechanism resembles what the Mamiya 7ii uses. Two additional flash modes with second-curtain sync expand creative possibilities. You can also attach colored gels to the flash, and Lomography includes a “Splitzer” filter that masks quadrants of the image for creative multiple exposures.
What this camera is awesome at
Autofocus enables quick shooting that manual focus cameras miss. When you carry a Leica or medium format camera as your primary body, the MC-A fits in your pocket as a secondary option. You can photograph with one hand because the camera handles focus automatically. Pull it out, shoot, return it to your pocket. This workflow works whether you’re shooting professionally or just walking around for fun.
The camera maintains a rectangular profile with a lens that doesn’t protrude. I consider it a true pocket camera that consolidates features from multiple cameras into a compact form. The built-in flash appears strong, though I haven’t measured its guide number yet.
USB-C charging for the rechargeable battery feels modern and practical. I appreciate not hunting for CR2 batteries.
The critical flaw
Here’s where things go wrong. Lomography includes a hand strap with a leather pad that prevents the keyring attachment from scratching the camera. This leather pad blocks the film advance lever’s full travel. The interference is subtle enough that you might not notice, but the lever only completes about 90-95% of its necessary rotation.
By the tenth exposure, the camera’s gears fall out of sync and the film jams. This happened consistently across different film stocks. I tested with thin-base Portra 400 and thicker CineStill 800T. Both jammed.
This suggests Lomography manufactured the camera and strap separately, then packaged them together without testing the complete user experience. They likely tested the camera without the strap, thought “what could go wrong with a hand strap,” and shipped the product. I lost fifteen frames to this problem.
When I contacted Lomography, their response felt dismissive. They asked if I wanted to return the camera rather than acknowledging a design flaw, something I am actually thinking about, since I already own a Leica Minilux and I am on the list for the Analogue AF-1.
If you buy this camera, remove the hand strap immediately. The strap looks nice, but it prevents the camera from functioning correctly.
The packaging question
The box includes a book about Lomography’s culture and philosophy. I would have preferred an 80s-style technical instruction manual. Hire someone to write a detailed, technical manual like Japanese manufacturers produced decades ago, and they would have the gold standard every film photographer is looking to taste. Give me specifications, diagrams, and precise operational instructions. The cultural book feels like marketing when I need technical reference.
Preliminary verdict
The Lomo MC-A attempts something ambitious. It combines autofocus convenience with manual control options, metal construction with compact size, and multiple creative features in a pocket-sized package. The 32mm f/2.8 lens could be faster, and I can’t comment on vignetting or optical quality until I develop film.
The film advance mechanism feels fragile. Time will tell whether it survives extended use. The hand strap issue represents a significant oversight that affects every camera shipped with the included accessories.
For $549, you get a camera that could fill a genuine gap in the current film camera market. Remove the strap, treat the advance lever gently, and it might prove useful as a secondary body or casual shooting option. I’ll follow up with image quality assessment once film development happens.
This represents real-world user experience. I opened the box, loaded film, shot extensively, and documented what works and what doesn’t. The images will tell the rest of the story.
Overall, I think this is camera that has the Lomography fingerprint everywhere. It’s a camera designed and crafted with more excellence when compared to regular Lomo cameras, but something tells me it will produce very Lomo-looking like photos, but this time with slightly better quality, which honestly, it’s something I am looking at.
PS: I am still in doubt, but I am considering returning my unit, simply because a Leica Minilux does it better, for slightly more (although it doesn’t have multi exposure and the Splitzer filter for creative modes).
Will wait for the results. Also can't get why this quote should be written on the body of camera. I always prefer a minimalistic look.