The Lomo MC-A is a new compact camera with a metal body (332 g), a 32 mm f/2.8 Minitar-II glass lens (5 elements), and fast autofocus. Technically, it clearly outperforms most new analog cameras available in recent years and comes closest to classic 1990s compacts such as the Olympus Mju and Yashica T5.

Lomo MC-A: Finally, a “real” camera again?

Let’s be honest: Since the great decline of the analog industry in the 2000s, there has been little reason to celebrate when it comes to new hardware. Most of the time, we got plastic toys or extremely expensive niche products. But now Lomography has come up with something in the form of the Lomo MC-A that makes us sit up and take notice here in the workshop.

Is this the long-awaited successor to legendary 1990s compacts like the Contax T1, Olympus Mju, or Yashica T5? We took a close look at the technology and the first reports from the community.

Source: Lomography Instagram

Technology instead of a toy: What’s inside?

Let’s get the most important point out of the way first: The MC-A is not a plastic bargain camera (especially compared with the admittedly much cheaper Kodak Snapic A1). Lomo uses a metal body here, which you immediately notice from the weight (a substantial 332 g). It finally feels like a tool again, not a disposable camera.

The optics: Minitar-II

If there’s one thing I particularly miss from the good old days of analog technology, it’s the excellent optics. Electronics are much easier and cheaper to reproduce today. Good lenses, on the other hand, are still difficult to manufacture, which is why they’re in short supply—especially in current cameras. That makes it all the more pleasing that the MC-A comes with a 32 mm f/2.8 Minitar-II glass lens (5 elements in 5 groups). The focal length is an appealing sweet spot between classic 28 mm wide-angle lenses and 35 mm documentary lenses. Perfect for street photography and “always-with-you” use. The MC-A’s major advantage over the Snapic is the lens’s light-gathering capability. With a maximum aperture of f/2.8, you can still get good exposures in moderate light with a classic ISO 200 film.

The autofocus: Fast and reliable

The MC-A’s autofocus works quickly and precisely. In low light, it delivers significantly better results than the old infrared systems used in 1990s compacts. And for fans of the old school: You can still estimate the distance manually using zone focus, but the motor does the work for you.

Close-up of the focus control

Image quality: Character with rough edges

How does it perform in practice? The reports are clear: If you’re looking for clinical sharpness, this isn’t the camera for you (and you might be better off shooting digitally). The MC-A delivers character.

• At f/2.8 (wide open): This is where it shows its “Lomo roots.” The center is okay, but the image becomes soft toward the edges (which some people like), with noticeable vignetting. Users describe a “glow,” almost like using a ProMist filter. You either love it or hate it.
• From f/5.6: The sharpness improves significantly, and the vignette disappears. This is the working range for “serious” photos.

Example of the image rendering in daylight. Source: Lomo Instagram

Sharpness in the close-up range. Source: Lomo Instagram

Light and shadow—literally

The metering works reliably, but like many cameras of this type, it tends to slightly overexpose in high-contrast situations. One minor drawback is the program auto-exposure mode (P mode). It tends to open up to f/2.8 very quickly in order to maintain fast shutter speeds.

Our tip: Use aperture-priority mode (Av). Set the camera to f/8 when there’s enough light, and you’ll get crisp results.

Manual control is the key to sharp images.

An important detail about the power supply (Ausgeknipst tip!)

Lomo supplies the camera with a rechargeable CR2 battery featuring a direct USB-C port. We think this is an excellent technical solution and very up to date. No more searching for exotic chargers!

Buy or not?

If you can invest just under 500 euros, the MC-A is one of the best new analog cameras of the last 20 years, alongside the Pentax 17 (which, however, uses a half-frame format).

It fills the gap between cheap “reusable” point-and-shoots and completely overpriced, maintenance-prone legends like the Contax T2. You get a point-and-shoot camera with a warranty, modern autofocus, and—if you want—full manual control.

Anyone who can live with the slight edge softness at maximum aperture (or sees it as a stylistic feature) gets a tool here that’s genuinely fun to use.

Have you already tested the MC-A? Tell us about your experience!

Sources and further reading:
Buy the camera from Lomography
Image sources: Lomography Instagram

Video: MC-A in an in-depth review

Peter Forsgård took a close look at the MC-A and shares his impressions after shooting several rolls of film:

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