The New Lomography MC-A. The new AF point and shoot.

Lomography show it loaded through the slot in a photo of theirs I found so I made sure it was doing it the same. It does need to be easy and fairly idiot proof as this camera is also aimed at new to film people too I assume.

I'll have a go with a second roll once I get the scans back from the first one. I used Lomochrome colour in it thinking that should be perfect as they must have tested it with that or their own films.
 
I pushed mine through with a few mm popping out the other side and it caught well but gave it a couple of winds to ensure it definitely caught and was tight over the sprockets. Then closed the back up. It winds really smoothly with hp5 in.

One of the problem rolls was a Lomo classicolor.

Reddit link here


A few threads on Reddit with advancing/winding/spacing over the past month or so but I put most of it down to incorrect loading, maybe not after all.
I do hope it’s something simple and we’ve not got to send them back, or at least they fix it easily and replace.
 
Film rewound ok so it's off with it to filmprocessing in Plymouth as FilmDev are shut until 5th Jan and that is far too long to wait. Hopefully FP will manage to do it this coming week. :banana:
 
srichards said:
Film rewound ok so it's off with it to filmprocessing in Plymouth as FilmDev are shut until 5th Jan and that is far too long to wait. Hopefully FP will manage to do it this coming week. :banana:
Click to expand...
Fingers crossed for you.

Glad you posted about filmdev, I may need to post mine off if I can finish work early. They will probably have a small backlog too.

Pop a couple on here when you get the scans (y)
 
Last edited:
My camera has moved to "waiting shipment". I'm my eagerness to purchase I'd not realised it was pre-order as the status on the Lomo order page said "available". Ah well, I'll wait.

In the meantime I've been reading up on the potential loading issues and have started reading the manual as preparation.
 
auntiemaryscanary said:
My camera has moved to "waiting shipment". I'm my eagerness to purchase I'd not realised it was pre-order as the status on the Lomo order page said "available". Ah well, I'll wait.

In the meantime I've been reading up on the potential loading issues and have started reading the manual as preparation.
Click to expand...
It will probably arrive in this coming week. Mine arrived in a couple of days from the waiting shipment message.

Enjoy it :banana:
 
Thanks to filmprocessing in Plymouth being like greased lightening the scans are back already!

Quite a few issues with transport. Weirdly over lapping frames that I didn't expect. Also last frame ended up being a triple exposure as I really didn't believe it had run out by frame 27!

Mostly ok apart from the odd definitely bit too underexposed ones but was LomoChromo Classicolor 200ASA so jury is out on that. Left it in program mode the entire time to see what that was like. Focussing pretty good and it generally focussed where I expected it to have. Wasn't phased by water or windows. Didn't lock up apart from the frame counter sensing I think is off.

Overlapping

Lomo MC-A with Lomo Chrome Classicolor by Suzy Richards, on Flickr

Last one shot was a triple:


Lomo MC-A with Lomo Chrome Classicolor by Suzy Richards, on Flickr

Others were generally ok.

Lomo MC-A with Lomo Chrome Classicolor by Suzy Richards, on Flickr

Lomo MC-A with Lomo Chrome Classicolor by Suzy Richards, on Flickr
 
That was quick!

Just had a look on Flickr, most have turned out okay. Shame about the issues with spacing and counting on some.
Some reviews have complained about overlapping on shots 36/37/38 etc. but they’re a bonus on a 36 roll anyway. Yours had some sort of brain fart at 27! I actually checked to see if Lomo had done one of those stupid 27 exp. Rolls on classicolor.

The vignette isn’t as bad as I thought it would be, I can live with it. I still think they have a Lomo look to them.
Dreading mine now, it was almost dark when I was out taking my last shots!!

Not sure about that classicolor though. It takes a lot for me to like colour though, I do prefer b&w.

I’ve shot all of mine in aperture so far and used the exposure dial a bit. I can’t trust p mode when it has a preference for 2.8.

Are you putting another roll through it?
 
bumper said:
That was quick!

Just had a look on Flickr, most have turned out okay. Shame about the issues with spacing and counting on some.
Some reviews have complained about overlapping on shots 36/37/38 etc. but they’re a bonus on a 36 roll anyway. Yours had some sort of brain fart at 27! I actually checked to see if Lomo had done one of those stupid 27 exp. Rolls on classicolor.

The vignette isn’t as bad as I thought it would be, I can live with it. I still think they have a Lomo look to them.
Dreading mine now, it was almost dark when I was out taking my last shots!!

Not sure about that classicolor though. It takes a lot for me to like colour though, I do prefer b&w.

I’ve shot all of mine in aperture so far and used the exposure dial a bit. I can’t trust p mode when it has a preference for 2.8.

Are you putting another roll through it?
Click to expand...

I've put a roll of XP2 in to see if it's better with that. Did wind it further on than last time with the back open to try and double check it was definitely catching on properly. It does feel slightly better on this roll than the last one so hopefully it was just a one off weird result.

Classicolor is a bit meh. Will try it in something else as well to see whether it works better.
 
srichards said:
Classicolor is a bit meh.
Click to expand...
It looks like some expired film, not my thing. May look okay in some gritty urban setting though. Do like the green it produced on the plant and red berries..

Let me know how you get on with the next roll. The speed you’re going at, you’ll be through it before I’m through my first :ROFLMAO:
I’ve not even been working anywhere to use a camera, itching to get out with it. I came across a big pheasant shoot the other day at work but no camera and I’m working inside for the next couple of weeks.
 
Got the negs back already. Can't fault FP in Plymouth.

It's used the whole film but there are several gaps and a couple of overlapping shots. I did wonder whether it was misloaded and just got stuck due to a fat roll but looks like it didn't. There's the big 3 wind gap and several of the 2 wind gaps. Just as I remember. Hmmmm.
 
srichards said:
Got the negs back already. Can't fault FP in Plymouth.

It's used the whole film but there are several gaps and a couple of overlapping shots. I did wonder whether it was misloaded and just got stuck due to a fat roll but looks like it didn't. There's the big 3 wind gap and several of the 2 wind gaps. Just as I remember. Hmmmm.
Click to expand...
Still not been out again with mine but I’m off tomorrow and Friday so I’m going to try and make a note (I may even write down per image so I can match to the negs) of how I advance mine and when I have to do mini winds! The next roll I’m going to ensure I fully use the levers travel. Think it’s 8 clicks per flick of the lever. The crooked angle of negs is probably due to only having a bottom row of sprockets and not perfect loading but I’m sure this mis-spacing can be fixed easily for most. I’m not naive enough to think that a new product won’t have niggles but this overlapping is going to annoy me if it does it on mine. I’ve taken extra time to load film but have a habit of just thumb flicking the lever to advance.

How’s your new roll going now you’ve loaded it slightly differently?
 
bumper said:
Still not been out again with mine but I’m off tomorrow and Friday so I’m going to try and make a note (I may even write down per image so I can match to the negs) of how I advance mine and when I have to do mini winds! The next roll I’m going to ensure I fully use the levers travel. Think it’s 8 clicks per flick of the lever. The crooked angle of negs is probably due to only having a bottom row of sprockets and not perfect loading but I’m sure this mis-spacing can be fixed easily for most. I’m not naive enough to think that a new product won’t have niggles but this overlapping is going to annoy me if it does it on mine. I’ve taken extra time to load film but have a habit of just thumb flicking the lever to advance.

How’s your new roll going now you’ve loaded it slightly differently?
Click to expand...

I've not done anything with it yet. Loaded it and that's all so far.
 
srichards said:
I've not done anything with it yet. Loaded it and that's all so far.
Click to expand...
I used an end roll on one of the 17s last time I went out, wanted to get that finished first. Didn’t realise I had moved the dial while advancing so some have flash/no flash, god knows what’s coming with that roll lol!

There’s a snow/ice warning over the next few days so we may both get through a roll on the mca :banana:
 
Mine has just arrived. Cold but bright for the next couple of days. I'll have to see if I can rattle through a 36 exp C41.

Edit: I've only got expired Pro Image 100 in 35mm C41 so that'll have to do!
 
Last edited:
Lights just nice for pro image 100 here today. Enjoy your next couple of days out with it.
 
auntiemaryscanary said:
Mine has just arrived. Cold but bright for the next couple of days. I'll have to see if I can rattle through a 36 exp C41.

Edit: I've only got expired Pro Image 100 in 35mm C41 so that'll have to do!
Click to expand...

I've got some of that knocking about too. It'll be interesting to see how it gets on with it.

It's -5 here so I'm going nowhere no matter how nice looking it is. :chicken:
 
First impressions before I put the battery on charge.

V well presented packaging and the camera seems well made. Lots of nice accessories especially the UV filter and hand strap. Various modes seem fairly intuitive if you've used a manual camera in the past.

Obvious downside - the battery cover isn't going to stay pristine for long. Not wanting to use a coin or table knife I used my finger nail and the black paint is already coming off. Used a bit of folded card but not sure if I can get the battery cap on tight enough with that

Wishlist - LCD display to be mirrored in the viewfinder. Proper carry case and not just the folded protective cloth but not a major as I've cases from numerous dead point and shoots. Would have preferred a paper manual instead of the arty Lomo book - can always print a manual off I suppose.

srichards said:
It's -5 here so I'm going nowhere no matter how nice looking it is
Click to expand...
I've some knocking about to do over the next few days so expect to see photos of supermarket trollies, various wood yards and anything near a road that catches my eye!
 
The more I look through the viewfinder, the more it annoys me. It’s deep, so has internal reflections. I also struggle to see the frame lines (same as the 17 ) and I don’t wear glasses.
Took a photo this morning in the bright light and had my eye reflecting into it too ( also same as the 17 but the mc-a is more annoying). It didn’t need a baby wind today though.

I’ve put a link further up in a previous post for the manual and I’ve just used my thumbnail with the battery compartment and it appears to be tight.
 
I wonder if a bit of polarising film stuck on the viewfinder might help with internal reflections?
 
Might be worth a try. To be fair, most days it’s too dull to be an issue. Today is the first sunny day I’ve looked through it!

Do you wear glasses? I think this viewfinder may be a struggle with them.
 
bumper said:
Might be worth a try. To be fair, most days it’s too dull to be an issue. Today is the first sunny day I’ve looked through it!

Do you wear glasses? I think this viewfinder may be a struggle with them.
Click to expand...

I do but I don't use them with most of the cameras I have as they get in the way.
 
I put a film in mine yesterday. I paid special attention to lining up the sprocket holes and gave it a half wind - which went well - before closing the back. The first full wind made a terrible crunch. All others have been fine. Not sure if the film sprocket holes have been shredded and the film isn't being wound on. At the end of the film I think I may open the back in a dark bag and check by feel whether the film has been transported properly, close the back and rewind as in the manual.

About a dozen shots taken yesterday including in my front room and most outsider. All shot fully auto. Seems to find focus easily. I did a half press on some to see what the camera was proposing, all f4 1/250. I wouldn't normally shoot static subjects at these speeds on a manual camera when light is available. Not sure why that bothers me, using a Canon SureShot I don't know the aperture or shutter speeds and never think about it.

Light was less favourable today. Took half a dozen shots in aperture priority. Easy in practice to do but the camera a couple of times said, "no thanks f16 and 1/500 isn't suitable" when I hadn't set f16. It did get shutter speeds of what I was expecting on the second depress. However it did on 2 occasions give me the symbol to "put a film in". Turning the camera off and on resumed operation.

At least 2 or 3 of the shots will be accidental double exposures. I've started to do a wind on check before pressing the shutter.

Still too early to give a full verdict. I certainly want to like it.
 
Last edited:
The arrows on the bottom will be turning if it’s advancing. Was the crunch just the protruding film through the spool when you first started to advance it? I loaded and did 2 lever advances before closing the back so I could check it was on the sprockets okay. I also only use the aperture mode and so far it’s fine but I’m only half way through the first roll. Mine won’t take a shot unless I’ve wound it on, I can only get double exposures when I press the mx button.

Hope the gremlins vanish for you. I feel like you do, really want to like it. Don’t want to start buying eBay knackers again!
 
Mine was the same with a starting louder than you'd expect wind. Had hoped to have heard back from lomo uk by now but haven't. Will have to chase them later in the week.

If it's confused about whether a film is in that's not a good sign. I think I did a full camera on wind with the back open for the second film. Sounded quieter. Film path didn't look flat flat but hopefully the pressure plate is keeping it ok.

I think many of the modern mechanisms seem to cheap out on the hooked sprocket grabbers so the film isn't quite kept under complete control.
 
bumper said:
The arrows on the bottom will be turning if it’s advancing. Was the crunch just the protruding film through the spool when you first started to advance it? I loaded and did 2 lever advances before closing the back so I could check it was on the sprockets okay.
Click to expand...
Thanks, will look at the arrows next time I wind on. Not sure if the crunch was as you describe, hopefully that's the case.

Will also check I've not got MX engaged.
 
srichards said:
If it's confused about whether a film is in that's not a good sign.
Click to expand...
Yes, I found that somewhat perturbing. I'll go through this film and a Kentmere whatever is in the film fridge and if there continues to be issues I will re-evaluate and make a decision on whether I contact Lomo for a return or refund.
 
Unloaded the XP2 as Lomo replied to my chase email this morning and asked for further info and also mentioning repair or replacement so I'm assuming it's all having to go back.
 
Well, at least they appear to be sorting warranty out. I’m still only halfway through a roll, want to get through it to test a full roll and see how it rewinds. Trying to get out but I’ve had a bit of an accident and struggling to walk anywhere. There’s a limit of how many photos of my dog I can take lol!
 
bumper said:
Well, at least they appear to be sorting warranty out. I’m still only halfway through a roll, want to get through it to test a full roll and see how it rewinds. Trying to get out but I’ve had a bit of an accident and struggling to walk anywhere. There’s a limit of how many photos of my dog I can take lol!
Click to expand...

Hope you manage to get about ok soon! Depends on the dog and how amenable to wearing silly hats it is....
 
Well that's a bit disappointing. Sent further info off last week with photo of negs and a couple of scans and Lomo have just sent a returns label with no further discussion so got no clue whether they're refunding, replacing or repairing as it doesn't say.

Makes me wonder if they've got a serious problem like the Rollei 35AF and they under estimated how quickly normal people find problems with things when let loose on them!

Will wait a bit and buy another if they release an improved version I think as it is actually quite a nice camera and I do want to avoid the hassle of used cameras even though ironically the used ones I have bought have been less bother.

God knows how long it will take me to get it all back and boxed together properly as I think I'll have to watch an unboxing video to work out all the bits go together again....
 
srichards said:
Well that's a bit disappointing. Sent further info off last week with photo of negs and a couple of scans and Lomo have just sent a returns label with no further discussion so got no clue whether they're refunding, replacing or repairing as it doesn't say.

Makes me wonder if they've got a serious problem like the Rollei 35AF and they under estimated how quickly normal people find problems with things when let loose on them!

Will wait a bit and buy another if they release an improved version I think as it is actually quite a nice camera and I do want to avoid the hassle of used cameras even though ironically the used ones I have bought have been less bother.

God knows how long it will take me to get it all back and boxed together properly as I think I'll have to watch an unboxing video to work out all the bits go together again....
Click to expand...
Keep us informed. Reviews on the 35af say the ‘niggles’ are fixed now but it’s still a fiddly camera.
I may have to get through this roll and see how mine goes, I hate rushing my film rolls. Internet reviews are coming through very mixed now. Mostly spacing, advancing and rewinding issues with some having no problems at all. I feel that the test units were sent to the wrong people to test, same as the 17(watched a review yesterday loading incorrectly and even opening the back halfway through a roll to ‘check it’ ). looks like it was rushed for sale too. I was going to buy a silver version, but think I’ll hold off for now! At least until I’ve got a few rolls through this one.

Wish Pentax had done a new 35. How have we already forgotten to make a film camera :(

@auntiemaryscanary how’s yours going?
 
Last edited:
I suspect that it's not a case of forgetting, but of no longer having the tooling to make the parts and a customer base prepared to pay a realistic price. A 35mm SLR in the mid 60s, no metering, no autofocus, shutter 1- 1/1000th cost somewhere in the region of £2000 plus in todays money.
 
I’d pay good money for a new metal build pro type body. I see ‘realistic’ as being similar to digital cameras.

I think lots of photographers have become accustomed to buying old and used cameras for pennies.
People will pay lots for digital bodies but want a film body for £50-£100.
 
I'm trying to remember what the AF bodies of Minolta cost. I think the dynax 9 was £600-£700 I think. That was my dream camera.

Think I had a 404si new and that was £200-£250 with kit lens I think with AF and motor wind etc.

The pentax 17 felt a bit cheap in places but mines has been reliable at least. Getting through a film fully and with correct spacing seems a bit of a minimum standard to expect from a new camera. It's a shame the slagging off the 17 got probably killed the 35 or they saw they were going to use the same gubbins as the Rollei 35AF and realised they were a bit of a poop fest in actual use. Using the same focussing system and manual wind as the 17 but full frame would be where I'd take the 17. The fancy pants electronics seem to be more of a problem.

I'm hoping someone is going to test the Lomo more forensically and find out what triggers it misbehaving.
 
Biggest complaint from me about the 17 is my own making. I only buy 36 rolls and it takes me forever to get through a roll. I’ve got 3x 17 bodies on the go at all times with different films in. It takes me forever to get there……….
Sometimes I gets scans and can’t even remember going to the place I shot them at :ROFLMAO:
 
bumper said:
Biggest complaint from me about the 17 is my own making. I only buy 36 rolls and it takes me forever to get through a roll. I’ve got 3x 17 bodies on the go at all times with different films in. It takes me forever to get there……….
Sometimes I gets scans and can’t even remember going to the place I shot them at :ROFLMAO:
Click to expand...

I use my 17 for mostly car shows when there's tons of cars. Makes it much easier to get through a roll of 36 :banana:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top