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 surpassing most analog newcomers available for years and coming closest to classic 90s compacts like the Olympus Mju or Yashica T5.

Lomo MC-A: Finally a "real" camera again?

Let's be honest: Since the big collapse of the analog industry in the 2000s, there has been little reason to celebrate when it comes to new hardware. Mostly, we got plastic toys or extremely expensive niche products. But now Lomography presents the Lomo MC-A, something that makes us in the workshop sit up and take notice.

Is this the long-awaited successor to the legendary compact cameras like the Contax T1, Olympus Mju, or Yashica T5 from the 90s? We took a close look at the technology and the first reports from the community.

Source: Lomography Instagram

Technology instead of toy: What's inside?

First and foremost: The MC-A is not a plastic toy (compared to the admittedly much cheaper Kodak Snapic A1). Lomo uses a metal body here, which you immediately notice by the weight (a hefty 332g). It finally feels like a tool again, not a disposable camera.

The optics: Minitar-II

If I particularly miss something from the good old days of analog technology, it’s the excellent optics. Electronics are much easier and cheaper to reproduce today. Good lenses, however, are still hard to manufacture and therefore rather rare in current cameras. All the more pleasing is that the MC-A comes with a 32mm f/2.8 Minitar-II glass lens (5 elements in 5 groups). The focal length is an exciting sweet spot between the classic 28mm wide-angle and the 35mm reportage lenses. Perfect for street and "always with you." The big advantage of the MC-A compared to the Snapic is the lens’s brightness. With an aperture of f/2.8, you can still expose well in moderate light and 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 of 90s compacts. And for old-school fans: you can still estimate manually using zone focus, but the motor does the work.

Close-up of the focus control

Image quality: Character with quirks

How does it perform in practice? The reports are clear: If you’re looking for clinical sharpness, this is not the camera for you (and maybe you should shoot digital). The MC-A delivers character.

• At f/2.8 (wide open): Here it shows its "Lomo roots." The center is okay, but it gets soft towards the edges (which some people like), with noticeable vignetting. Users describe a "glow," almost like with a ProMist filter. You either love it or hate it.
• From f/5.6: Sharpness increases significantly, and the vignette disappears. This is the working range for "serious" photos.

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

Sharpness performance in close range. Source: Lomo Instagram

Light and shadow (literally)

The exposure metering works solidly but tends (like many cameras of this type) to slight overexposure in high contrast. A small downside is the program auto mode (P mode). It tends to open up quickly to f/2.8 to keep shutter speeds short.

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

Manual control is the key to sharp images.

An important detail about power supply (Ausgeknipst tip!)

Lomo delivers the camera with a rechargeable CR2 battery that has a direct USB-C connection. We think this is technically very well done and very contemporary. No more searching for exotic chargers!

Conclusion: Buy or not?

If you can invest around 500 euros, the MC-A is among the best new analog cameras of the last 20 years — along with the Pentax 17 (which, however, follows a half-frame concept).

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

If you can live with the slight edge softness at wide open (or see it as a stylistic device), you get a tool here that’s really fun.

Have you already tested the MC-A? Write us your experiences!

Sources and further links:
Buy camera at Lomography
Image sources: Lomography Instagram

Video: MC-A in detailed test

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