The
Lomo LC Wide isn't one of the cheap plastic cameras, it even cannot be found
for low prices, but it's similar to the LC-A model shown here. It's easy to handle and doesn't let you know the settings
it chose. It makes part of the
Lomography family and its style of photographing.
You can use it as a half frame camera. There are very few cameras which
can do both formats. Seen today's film prices, it's a nice option.
The
Lomo LC-Wide is a very small ultrawide 35mm film camera with automatic
exposure, in fact it's a Chinese LC-A+ with an ultra wide lens. It was
released in 2011. The original of this camera was the Cosina CX-2, from
which Lomo copied its LC-A widely. It is very easy to handle: You just
slide dustcover open and it's ready. Its main features are:
17mm F4.5 Minitar-1 lens, 2-zone focus, min. focus 0,40m Automatic electronic shutter, +120sec(!!).-1/500, Aperture F 4.5-16. Battery o.k. and exposure warning LED in viewfinder Size 108x68x44,5, Weight 220 gr. 100-1600 ISO, double exposure possibility 3 film formats: 24x36, 24x24, 18x24
A few photos of the camera:
The
newer box. The older ones were delivered in an enormous wooden case. I
have one stored somewhere. If I find it, I will show it as well.
What's in the box: camera, 2 frames for the film plane (one is already
installed in the camera), shutter cable, strap, a heavy book, papers
(no instructions, just a QR code to download). Mine even had the 3
batteries that are needed included.
Well protected behind the "dust cover", ISO setting and indicator, focussing lever. Above. Exposure counter, shutter button, hot shoe with cover, rewind handle.
Dust cover half open for 18x24 format.
Cover open
Seen
from below. It takes 3 LR/SR44 batteries, still available. Motor wind coupling (the motor wind was never released.), rewind unlock button, film advance selector (full/half), double exposure release, tripod socket, battery compartment. Under the lens: cover sliding lever with intermediate setting for 18x24.
Full front view.
Seen from the back. Film type window, viewer, film advance wheel.
Camera open.
A
nice gadget from Lomography: an instant back for Fuji Instax Mini Film.
It uses the Instax back from the LC-A+, but needs an extra adaption
set. The set (shown here, link opens in a new window) contains a viewer and a magnetic compensation lens which
clips in front of the original lens (the LC-A has a compensation lens
which clips behind the lens, inside the camera). The photos cover full
format with very heavy, Lomo-style vignetting. And yes, I own 2 Lomo LC
Wide.
For the half frame format you have to prepare the camera before putting the film:
You have to insert the film mask into the film plane and set the advance to half frame at the bottom of the camera.
The cover has an intermediate setting. The viewer shows less than you will have on the photo.
As the
18x24 format has its own film advance, you can squeeze more than 75
photos on a 36 exp. film and it has its own viewing mask to help framing. I use it a
lot for street photography. Even as half frame the 17mm lens is still
quite wide, the standard focal length for half format being 25mm. Film
advance gives a bit of an uneven spacing, so try to advance quickly and
with one move. Except very bright weather, use at least 400 ISO film to
avoid shake and blur (unless you are into Lomography style).
The 24x24
format is just a film mask inside the camera, spacing is 36mm, so I
don't see the use of it, it's more kind of a gadget.
The Lomo LC Wide is unique. There is no other compact
ultra wide camera with 17mm or near to it. There was the 15mm Zeiss
Hologon camera in the 70s, a full size camera, it was F 8 and it costs
thousands. The Lomo has a F 4.5 lens which has relativly mild
distortion and very low vignetting for such a wide lens. It's a nice
and easy to handle camera. It's very compact, its long exposure
capability distances most of the others. Seen its lens it isn't even
that expensive.
The camera is real fun if you are into wide
angles, like I am. There are many enthusiastic reviews on the web which
I find quite annoying, there is a lot of copy and paste from the clever
Lomography marketing material.
Seen
the price, the build quality
seems to be dubious. This was confirmed to me by a Polish repair firm.
Especially the shutter button seems to be a problem. I have 2 LC Wide
cameras and an LC-A+ with issues, one of them new, but as it was
a present, I could not get my hands on the warranty papers. Thanks to
the Polish guys both versions could be repaired. They have disappeared
from Ebay and I have not heard about any other repair firm. The
repaired LC-Wide died recently (2026). As I use it a lot, I bought a
new camera to have a spare one, but the shutter of the new one
was faulty. So quality control really seems to be dubious. And I fear
that the
wide model is being sold out at the moment. We will see...
Some gereral words about Lomography and their service: There is a
2-year warranty, at least in Europe. My personal experience with their
service is very good. As most of their cameras are made of (cheap)
plastic, there is no repair, they just exchange your defective camera.
You had to send it in to their Vienna office at your expenses, which
was
not cheap if you are not based in Austria, but they tried to compensate
by adding film or so to the return. A 2026 warranty issue was treated
by a new system: they sent me a prepaid shipping voucher. This is much
better. Anyway: You absolutely need a proof of
purchase, there was heavy abuse by fraudulent customers they told me.
So if you buy second hand or your camera is gift, be sure to put your
hands on the proof of purchase. After the 2-years warranty period
it's over. They will try to help for the expensive not-so-plastic
cameras like the LC series, but there is no repair. Keep
this in mind for the prices you pay for older gear.
