Such a genre of artistic photography as lomography, which appeared in 1992, brought the world not only A New Look for everyday things, but also a large number of interesting gadgets for film photography, many of which are still produced today, and are even available for purchase in our country. If you want to get acquainted in more detail with the history of occurrence and the basic principles of the course, we recommend reading the article "", and in the meantime we will consider various lomographic devices, of which there are not so few in the world.

ActionSampler

The first standalone product created by the Lomographic Society was the ActionSampler camera released in 1998. Its fundamental difference from other cameras is the use of four lenses at once, which are triggered with an interval of 25 milliseconds. The images captured with the camera are four mini-frames in one, captured with a slight delay.

The main purpose of ActionSampler is to capture moving objects. An alternative technique could be to move the operator towards an object. As conceived by the developers, the viewfinder is not required here, so it has a removable design and is made in the form of a small plastic frame.

ActionSampler Flash

An advanced modification of ActionSampler has a slightly different construction. It differs from the original model by the presence of a four-segment flash, working in sync with the lenses, and the presence of a full-fledged viewfinder. The approach to shooting remains the same, but the possibility of night photography has been added.

Supersampler

In 2000, another device from the Sampler family appeared, this time with the Super prefix. It uses all the same four lenses, but located not in a square, but in a row. At the same time, the optics used in them are wide-angle, but the view is not horizontally, but vertically. The resulting image looks like four photo strips glued into one frame.

Oktomat

The logical development of the idea of ​​using multiple lenses was the appearance of Oktomat. The camera is equipped with eight optical systems, allowing you to get a small mini-film in one image. The arrangement of mini-frames is made in two rows of four, and the time required for the actuation of all eight shutters is two seconds. Like the ActionSampler, the viewfinder here looks like a plastic frame.

Pop 9

The latest camera with a similar concept developed by the Lomographic Society is the Pop 9. It has nine lenses that create images in the style of Warhol's Merlin Monroe, as the name suggests, which is reminiscent of pop art. The device received a flash and a full-fledged viewfinder.

Fisheye

Next in line is our fisheye lens, a fully automatic ultra-wide-angle camera with a 170-degree field of view and a distinctive circular image caused by uncorrected distortion. Like most lomographic devices, the Fisheye is housed in a lightweight plastic case and has a single shutter release button. True, there is also a viewfinder with a flash.

Fisheye 2

The second version of Fisheye, like the compact version of the Fisheye 2 Baby, received an improved design and more options. There was an infinite shutter speed that allows you to "paint with light" and multiple exposure, designed to superimpose several pictures in one frame. The not very convenient viewfinder used in the first version was replaced by a new one, which not only has a removable design, but also shows the picture the same as it was filmed, that is, with a “fish eye” effect.

All this is complemented by the appearance of a "hot shoe", to which one of the proprietary Colorsplash Flash is supposed to be connected, coloring the frame with a certain shade. The usual modification is made in an aluminum case, while the Baby model is made of plastic, has a reduced size and works with 100 mm film.

Frogeye underwater

The Toad Eye is the only Lomographic camera designed for underwater photography. Has a waterproof construction and built-in flash. The viewfinder, made in the form of a sight, is bent away from the back of the body. Management is all the same - with one button.

Colorsplash

The main idea of ​​this camera, which came from the Colorsplash Flash, is to tint the image in a specific color. The camera has a non-standard design, where the same flash protrudes from the side of the body. The set comes with 12 color filters, making it easy to choose the right shade. In order to achieve interesting shots, it is not necessary to wait for twilight, interesting effects can be achieved during the day, when not the entire image is highlighted, but only the foreground objects.

It is also noteworthy that the flash can be used not only synchronously, but also by manually triggering it. Particularly attractive results are obtained using long exposure times with tint at the very end.

Sprocket rocket

The original panoramic camera with an ultra-wide viewing angle. She has several interesting differences. First, by removing the special caps, you can shoot the entire area of ​​the film, including the perforated area. And secondly, the design provides for the ability to rewind both forward and backward. This allows not only making panoramas of any length, but also shooting with multiple exposure, overlaying as many layers or incomplete overlays as you like. The controls include: an exposure switch (1/100 second or manual), aperture selection (f / 16 or f / 10.6) and a choice of distances (0.6 - 1 m or 1 m - infinity).

Diana +

Like the original LOMO LC-A, Diana is a camera from the past, not Soviet, but Chinese. It appeared in the mid-60s and was positioned as one of the most budgetary solutions for amateurs. Over time, interest in it faded and production was discontinued, but in 2007 the Lomographic Society brought Diana back to life, first releasing Diana +, and then a whole family of similar cameras.

The main differences of the device are in the special design of the pinhole type, the use of 120 mm film for shooting and the presence of wide range various accessories, including five interchangeable lenses, a cable release and even a special back for mounting 35mm film. In short, a very interesting lo-fi camera with its own signature style.

Today, there are many different configurations and colors on sale, but the main modifications are the classic Diana +, DianaF + with a flash installed, and Diana Mini, which shoots in half-frame format - 1/2 35 mm, which allows you to get 72 frames or take square images.

Holga

Another gadget from the Chinese past, revived by lovers of lomography. Holga is similar in construction to Diana and also has a set of characteristic distortions that make the footage shot with it. The camera is designed to work with medium format film, on which you can take images of 4.5 × 6 or 6 x 6 cm. The lens of the basic version, like the body, is made of plastic, but glass can be installed as an option.

Also, due to the fact that the camera has a pinhole design, it is possible to shoot without a lens at all, which allows you to get very unusual pictures with a soft image. Holga has many modifications: with flash, color flash, glass lenses, for creating panoramas or even with two optical systems. Accessories for her are produced, however, less than for Diana, but the resulting frames from this are no less interesting.

Spinner 360 °

Spinner 360 ° is a very entertaining mechanical device for creating 360-degree panoramas. You can shoot on ordinary 35 mm film, while using the entire field of the frame together with perforations. The camera is fixed on a special handle, inside of which there is a belt drive, which turns it around its axis. All you have to do is just pull the pin and wait until the device makes a full circle. If you want to get into the frame - keep the gadget in front of you, if not - raise it above your head. The set of settings is traditionally minimal, there is no flash and viewfinder. One panorama takes 8 frames.

Horizon kompakt

A simplified version of the Gorizont-202 panoramic camera, the production of which was started by the Krasnogorsk Mechanical Plant by order of the Lomographic Society in 2005. The original Horizon first appeared back in 1967 and has undergone many changes since then. The camera works with conventional 35mm film to create 24x58mm panoramas.

The lens used is a four-lens MC Industar 8/28, focused at infinity and installed inside a drum that rotates by 120 ° during shooting. The vertical angle of coverage is 45 °. There is a non-removable viewfinder, the use of a flash is not provided. There is also a slightly modified version of Horizon Perfekt with similar design and capabilities.

Lomolitos

Our review is completed by a disposable camera produced by the Lomographic Embassy for those who just want to try their hand at alternative photography. Inside - 24 frames, outside - a red, blue, green or yellow body and a shutter button. The rest is just your imagination.

The digital camera has revolutionized photography. More people have become interested in photography than ever before. But is film photography dead? The lomographic community thinks differently. Undoubtedly, this organization has done more to preserve film photography than any other. Based on 10 Community Guidelines, this guide will help you overcome the challenges of becoming a Lomographer.

Rule 1: Always take your camera with you

The lomography community was founded in the 1990s when a few daring students became familiar with the Russian camera Lomo Compact-Automatic (LC-A). The community now sells, refurbishes and manufactures a huge number of cameras. With "LC-A" as their cornerstone, they aim to offer unique looking cameras, but most are plastic with few (if any) adjustments. They all shoot on film. Lomography helped popularize the Holga and Diana medium format cameras. And they sell refurbished cameras that are no longer in production.

Buying Lomo

Many cameras sold by the lomography community may seem overpriced. For example, many years ago I bought a used Zorkiy 4K, a Russian rangefinder camera, a copy of old watering cans, for $ 35. Shortly thereafter, the Lomographic Society introduced a similar model on its website, now priced at $ 175.

Prices for this camera have now skyrocketed on other internet sites. But what the Lomographic Community offers has several differences. They give an after-sales guarantee and guarantee that their cameras are sold in working order. Also keep in mind that you are supporting a niche market. Many of the cameras sold by the community are not sold anywhere else. They take risk with their business model and by choosing to buy from them, you are maintaining the viability of their business.

The only reason why I pay so much attention to this issue is because of the flood of criticism addressed to the Lomographic community for their prices. I just wanted to show why it is convenient for me to buy from them. The next image was taken with the Holga Wide Pinhole camera - one of many offered by the Lomographic community.

Rule 2: Use it anytime - day and night

The large variety of cameras offered by the community means there is an option for everyone. People often ask me why I shoot with film when I have a great digital camera. Well, digital cameras are basically the same. And film - no. For example, a panoramic digital camera with a rotating lens, such as Horizon, is not produced.

Don't even try to find a program that will recreate a picture of ISO 3200 black and white film. There are few things in life that are more exciting than choosing a roll of film. It's always a surprise. When I shoot with film, especially with the simplest lomographic cameras, I hardly care about the technical side of exposure. I just shoot, which inspires me to take photos that are unusual for me. Some do well, others not, but I am always learning something new.

Rule 3: Lomography is not an intervention in your life, it is a part of it

I have already said that lomography is a bit like a cult. Go to their website and take a look at the online community. They have over 40 thousand active users. About a quarter of them have Lomodom - a personal page for showing and sharing photos and albums.

There are about 4.5 million photos that users share on the site and these are not their private shots for each other. Participants from all over the world create a constantly updated global snapshot that is always a pleasure to look at.

One of my favorite parts of the site is the list of about 200 cameras. different brands and types. You can read reviews and see sample photos. This part of the site shows well that the Lomographic community is developing photography, and not just selling their specific cameras.

The next shot was taken with a Vivitar Wide and Slim camera, which is popular on the Lomography site, although it is not sold there. You can see the reflection of the camera in the window through which I was shooting.

Rule 4: Shoot from the hip

As I said before, the best part of film photography for me is the surprise that awaits you after the film is developed. In the best way shooting in such a case becomes shooting without looking.

Using the hyperfocal lens setting (a focus point that allows maximum space to be in focus at a given aperture) or using a camera not designed for precise focusing (Holga type or classic Lomo K-A), you can shoot from any angle. Above the head, from the ground or, as the rule says, from the hip.

Rule 5: The Closer, the Better

This advice applies not only to lomography or film photography, but to all photography. Whether you are taking pictures of your friends or flowers. Come closer! I follow the two-step rule. When I start shooting, I find a comfortable distance and then go 2 steps closer.

But this rule can be applied to all of your photography hobby. Get immersed in photography. Explore your equipment, history and the work of great photographers. An important part of photography for me has become and grew to love the knowledge that I use the same cameras and the same processes as people before me for over a hundred years.

Helmut Newton, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Kappa and Ansel Adams have never touched digital cameras while they were at the peak of their careers. Getting closer to understanding the profession is just as important as getting closer to the subject of photography.

Rule 6: Don't Think (William Firebrace)

This rule sounds very simple, right? But I often find myself thinking about exposure and composition. I am a professional, but I still sometimes have bad shots when I get carried away with using some specific techniques. This happens especially often when I do not have a safety net in the form of a screen on the back of the camera.

Lomography is characterized by simple cameras making it easy to film. If your camera only has a shutter button, what is there to think about? On the website of the Lomographic Society, you will find people who follow this rule. The impromptu souvenir photos of their friends are much better than your typical staged shots of handshakes and smiles on camera.

Rule 7: be quick

You have to act quickly when taking photos. But you should also hurry up to start filming. Lomography works wonders to preserve film as a medium, but it is still under threat. Kodak discontinued production of some films, including the famous Kodachrome 64, in 2009.

Polaroid ceased production of its film, but was rescued by another company, aptly named the "Impossible Project," which began producing it in small print runs. Films of the 110 type are almost impossible to buy, except on the Internet. And if you are not lucky enough to live in a city with a large darkroom, you will have to send this film for processing by mail.

In other words, the film may not last forever. Get involved in this part of the story of photography before it's too late. The lomographic community sells many films on their website, even those that are no longer in production. You can also read reviews of films and see sample photos.

Rule 8: You don't have to know in advance what you can do.

Lomographers are not afraid to experiment. One of the most popular applications is cross-process for films. This is when you process the film in reagents designed for a different type of film. The most common technique is to process slide films in reagents for conventional color negative film.

The results are colorful and interesting. Many are experimenting with expired film. The picture below was taken on Kodak Tri-X black and white ISO 400 film, which had an expiration date of 1994. The look of this shot is not overly unusual or dramatic, but some films do change noticeably as they age.

Rule 9: Don't Think About It And Then

Lomography is all about producing photographs that are different. We've all seen perfectly exposed photos, sharp and with the right horizon. It's not bad, but predictable with all the technology packaged in a modern digital point-and-shoot.

The lomographic approach is not for everyone. Even I don't want all my photos to be overexposed, overwhelmed and blurred. But taking photography more like an adventure than painting is a good medicine for my daily shooting style.

Rule 10: Forget the rules

Lomography covers many different things - interesting cameras and films, the international community, the desire to keep film photography alive, but the most rewarding part for me was the discovery of new things in photography.

Lomography is not the goal of my aspirations, it is the beginning of the path. Lomography introduced me to Russian cameras and showed me that these old-fashioned film "bricks" hidden in the closet could still work. Other places on the web are devoted to these specific issues, but it is difficult to find another place that covers such different aspects of film photography. The Lomographic Community is the information center for all matters of analog photography.

And last but not least, shooting with film cameras assumes that no one will see the picture on the back of your camera. Just say, "Yes, your hair looks great and, yes, I waited for you to eat a huge piece of cake to take a photo."

“You don't know in advance what will happen. And after the shooting you don't know either. Lomography is still popular today thanks to the hipster movement. However, it is not only about fashion, but also about unusual and colorful pictures, showing which one cannot predict what will turn out this time. In the article we will go through the entire history of the development of lomography and find out how the Soviet LOMO plant changed the lives of millions of people.

“You don't know in advance what will happen. And after the shooting you don't know either. Lomography is still popular today thanks to the hipster movement. However, it is not only about fashion, but also about unusual and colorful pictures, showing which one cannot predict what will turn out this time. In this article we will go through the entire history of the development of lomography and find out how the Soviet LOMO plant changed the lives of millions of people.

So what is lomography? This is a type of film photography, which implies photography with a violation of sharpness, the believability of color reproduction, and the uniformity of the frame density. Simply put, this is life captured in its own unique way. This direction of photography appeared thanks to LOMO-compact, the camera with which it all began.

Thirty years ago Igor Kornitsky, Deputy Minister of Defense Industry, who was with a delegation in the German city of Cologne to exchange industrial experience, got into the hands of a small Japanese camera Cosina CX-2. Kornitsky, who paid close attention to the Soviet camera industry, handed it over to his friend and director of the LOMO plant in St. Petersburg, Mikhail Panfilov.

First of all, the Japanese camera was thoroughly studied. “Already at this stage,” recalls Mikhail Kholomyansky, the leading designer of the creative team that worked on the creation of the camera, “it became clear that it would not be possible to fully reproduce it. We took the path of creating our own, in many respects original, design. " Thus, after numerous transformations, our answer to the Japanese Cosina CX-2 - "LOMO-Compact - Automatic" (LOMO LC-A) was born.

In 1984, mass production of the LOMO LC-A began. 1,100 chambers were manufactured per month, and about 1,200 people worked on them. However, in a short time, "Compact-Avtomat" through the Soviet market "seeped" to other communist countries: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Cuba. By the way, since the start of production of the LOMO LC-A, approximately 1.5 million of these cameras have been produced.

In 1991, falling from a Prague used camera shop straight into the hands of the Vienna Academy of Arts students Matthias Figl and Wolfgang Stranzinger, LOMO LC-A pioneered the worldwide pomod movement. Returning from their homeland, traveled far and wide, and having printed the pictures, the friends were amazed at the results of their spontaneous photographs - the frames turned out to be unexpectedly very creative and original, while retaining lovely memorable moments.

Everyone wanted to get the same amazing camera, so students began to visit Russia quite often in order to purchase a LOMO LC-A for friends and relatives.

In 1992, fans of this camera united in the International Lomographic Society, whose headquarters are still located in Vienna.

During the summer, the ten golden rules of lomography, listed below, were written, and on November 5, 1992, they were published in the Vienna Gazette (Wiener Zeitung). Shortly thereafter, the city council granted the community an empty house in the 7th district in Breitegasse. It was here that the very first Lomography exhibition took place, at which 700 LOMO LC-A cameras were sold and one of the most characteristic features of the International Lomography Society - Lomosten was born.

In 1994, the LOMO plant planned to stop the release of its bestseller due to the fall in demand for domestic photographic equipment, but the first Moscow lomographic exhibition, which was held simultaneously in New York, saved the business. And the Viennese friends did their best: they convinced the factory bosses and the then vice-mayor of the city, Vladimir Putin, of the need to continue production of the LC-A.

Development of photographic equipment for lomography

In 1998, the Lomographic Society introduced the world to the strange plastic camera ActionSampler, which takes four consecutive images on film, and it becomes an instant hit. The lenses in it work in turn with an interval of a quarter of a second, that is, the pictures are asynchronously placed on one photo. With a single press of the shutter button, you can capture a series of four 2 × 2 mini-frames on one standard film frame, allowing you to capture the action in motion.

In 2000 SuperSampler appeared - a camera with only four panoramic lenses arranged in one line. Due to the fact that they are triggered in turn, a row of photo strips is obtained in the photo.

In 2005, the Fisheye Camera was launched, a small camera equipped with a 180 ° wide-angle fisheye lens. Now there is also Fisheye-2 - an improved Fisheye camera with an aluminum body and an additional viewfinder.

In general, the release date is not as important as the model itself, so we list everything that was released.

Frogeye Underwater is a waterproof underwater camera with flash.
Holga is a medium format lomocamera.
Horizon-Compact is a convenient panoramic camera that allows you to take pictures with a viewing angle of 120 °.
Horizon Perfekt is a panoramic camera with tripod mount and advanced settings.
Lomolitos Single Use is a disposable camera loaded with 24 frames film.
Oktomat is a camera with eight lenses that fire in turn.
Pop 9 is a camera with nine mini-lenses and flash that shoot simultaneously.
ActionSampler Flash is a four-lens camera with four-segment flash.
Colorsplash is a camera with an integrated flash with interchangeable multi-colored (up to 12 colors) light filters for highlighting the subject and the ability to set a long exposure.
Spinner 360 ° is a camera that won the 2010 European Consumers Choice Awards.
The Sprocket Rocket is the first camera dedicated entirely to film perforation.

It is worth noting that each camera is available in several color options, and many models released specifically for any event (for example, for the Golden Week in Japan) have unique colors - animalistic and others.

In 2009, Lomography celebrated its 25th anniversary, celebrating this momentous date with the release of limited edition LC-A +, such as No Nukes, designed by South Korean designers.

Ten commandments of the lomographer

These funny rules are fundamental for every lover of lomography.

Always keep your camera with you.
Shoot at any time of the day or night.
Lomography is a part of your life.
Take off from the hip.
Get as close to your subject as possible.
Do not think.
Be fast.
You don't know in advance what will happen.
And after the shooting you don't know either.
Now forget all the rules and shoot.

By the way, lomography is the prototype of Instagram, mobile application for sharing photos, in which you can modify pictures using lomofilters. Therefore, if you use such a program, you can confidently consider yourself a lomographer.

In conclusion, one cannot fail to note the speed with which the scrap movement has spread throughout the world. Lomographers are no longer just "lazy" amateur photographers from Vienna, who did not have enough time, desire and opportunities to create classic photographs according to the rules, they are hundreds of thousands of people around the world united by common interests, this is a subculture of the photo world, which to this day attracts a lot of new supporters who fix the world as it is - amazing, unusual and sunny in any weather!

Today we will talk about the camera, which was lucky to leave a bright mark in world photography history.

The hero of the review is compact camera LOMO Compact-Automatic (LK-A, LC-A).
What is this camera like? It's just a soap dish, to be honest. A trivial soap dish. No advanced ideas from Soviet design ideas and no functionality ahead of its time.

On the other hand, LK-A is an example of how to make reliable, cheap cameras with electronic stuffing. Add a lot of great luck here and here's a recipe for world popularity. :O)

But first things first.

1980 year. A respectable Soviet delegation attends an exhibition of cinematographic equipment, held in the German city of Cologne. The attention of the comrades was attracted by the Japanese compact camera Cosina CX-2.

The apparatus is small, handy, with automatic exposure, and has a modular design.



Everyone liked Cosina, the delegates were high-ranking, and as a result, a decision was made to create a similar apparatus in the USSR.

No sooner said than done. The development was entrusted to LOMO.

To our credit (or as a criticism, which side to look at), I must say that they did not just copy the Cosina device. Our industry could not simply take and reproduce all Japanese technologies.

That's why, new apparatus was created "with an eye" and "based on", but from scratch independently.

The shutter, the lens, and the body, which in the transport position covers the viewfinder and the lens - all these are the developments of the LOMO designers.

Let's see in more detail, what kind of camera did they get?

LOMO Compact-Automatic

LOMO Compact-Avtomat has been produced at the Leningrad Optical and Mechanical Association since 1983 and until very recently. Perhaps, it is produced in small batches to this day.

Non-removable high-aperture wide-angle lens Minitar-1 2.8 / 32.

Optical design:

As you can see, Minitar-1 consists of 5 lenses in 3 groups. The Cosina lens, according to sources on the Internet, had a 5/5 scheme and a focal length of 35 mm.

Another proof that the device is not a copy of a foreign analogue.

The shutter, also known as the diaphragm, is central, two-blade. V automatic mode operates continuously from 1/500 at f16 to several seconds at f2.8.

Exposure B is missing.

Perhaps manual control diaphragm. In this case, the shutter speed will be only one 1/60, it is also the sync speed.

The device is equipped with a flash bracket with a central sync terminal.

There is no self-timer.
By analogy with the prototype, several accessories were planned for the LCA. Among them - a flash unit, a power attachment, a box for underwater photography.

The flash was called FE-26 and was the first Soviet flash powered exclusively by batteries.

VE-26 came out as a really successful and massive flash, the main advantage of which is its compactness and mobility. I had one in my childhood.
Hardly anyone from real consumers has seen a power attachment for LK-A, as well as an underwater box….
The weight of my copy of LK-A without batteries is 247 grams.

LK-A is a compact device. The camera body is made of plastic. At the same time, the assembly and materials evoke positive emotions. The plastic doesn't look cheap, its texture is pleasant to the touch. There is no backlash, no squeak.

The layout of the controls is tightly knit. All levers, sliders, buttons - everything runs smoothly and reliably.

The body is covered with a good-to-touch leatherette. Yes, this is not textured plastic, this is leatherette.

The device creates a pleasant weight in the hand.

Control elements:

On the front panel there is a lens and a front viewfinder window in a single superstructure protruding forward.

Both the lens and viewfinder in the stowed position are covered with metal shutters. To open the shutters, you need to slide the slide on the bottom panel.

The lens flap has two parts that extend up and down. It looks cool for those times.

For me, this design of the lock is more effective than that of the prototype.

On the left, the convex eye of the light receiver, the cog wheel for selecting the film sensitivity and the window in which this sensitivity is visible are tightly packed in one place.

On the left, in the lens superstructure, there is a focusing lever.

The lever has 4 discrete positions:
- 0.8 m;
- 1.5 m;
- 3m;
- Infinity.
LK-A is a scaler. He has no focus control devices. You can't expect particularly accurate focusing from it, but the wide-angle lens is largely forgiving this circumstance.

For me, the 32 mm lens should have been installed on all scales.

On the right is the aperture selector lever. In the lowest position, the lever activates automatic mode.

Manual aperture control is actually assumed only when using a flash. With manual aperture, the device operates only a shutter speed of 1/60, no more. And the aperture is determined by the plate on the flash, based on the distance to the subject.
In general, the LK-A is comfortable to hold in your hands. The only thing is that the aforementioned diaphragm lever prevents the middle finger from resting normally on the body.

At the back of the device is a viewfinder eyepiece and a ribbed frame rewind wheel.

Interestingly, the rear viewfinder is not covered by any shutters. The rear window of the viewfinder, of course, is much smaller than the front one, but nevertheless it is quite possible to get dirty. the device is supposed to be carried without a case.
The LK-A has a good viewfinder. The picture, however, is too small and suffers from strong distortion, but very bright.

The viewfinder shows parallax-corrected framing frames for 0.8 meters and distance symbols at the bottom. The arrow moves along the symbols depending on the position of the distance lever.

Convenient and interactive enough for those times.

Also visible in the viewfinder's field of view are battery control lamps and warning lights for shutter speeds slower than 1/30.

Bulbs for '83 are not bad at all!

The Union still produces Zenit-E and Kiev-15 with arrows.

The rewind wheel extends to both the back panel and the side panel. Rewinding the frame simultaneously cocks the shutter. Two movements are enough to rewind the frame.

Bottom left to right are located:
- a pair of electrical contacts for the motor attachment;
- battery compartment cover;
- tripod socket - almost along the axis of the lens;
- a slider that controls the shutters of the lens and viewfinder - on the lower part of the front projection;
- shutter off button;
- a pin with a slot for connecting the frame rewind unit with a motor attachment.
The power source of the camera is three SC-32 elements.

The top panel contains:
- rewind head with folding tape measure;
- bracket for flashes with "hot" contact;
- round trigger;
- the round window of the frame counter.
Despite the diminutive size of the device, the shutter button is located quite conveniently and is pleasant in itself.

When the shutters are closed, the release button is locked.

To open LK-A, you need to pull up the rewind knob and pull it up a little more.

Attitude towards the camera.

LK-A is a famous camera without any doubt, because it is he who is the ancestor of Lomography.
What is Lomography?

Lomography is a whole genre of modern photo art!

How is this art related to the LOMO Compact Vending Machine?

Surprisingly connected ... .. If very briefly, then it was something like this:

At the very beginning of the nineties, two students from Vienna brought a Soviet LK-A camera to Western Europe and began to photograph it.

LK-A gave pictures far from the quality standard. The Minitar-1 lens has noticeable vignetting and noticeable distortion. There were also problems with color rendition.

But the drawing of the camera seemed to Western users filled with a kind of charm.

There were really a LOT of people who liked the pictures of LK-A in Europe (!!!). Specialized exhibitions of images taken with this camera began to take place.

In 1992, an international organization - "Lomographic Society" was formed by enthusiasts.

The word "Lomography" really comes from LOMO - Leningrad Optical and Mechanical Association. This logo was on cameras that enthusiasts bought.

True, in the society itself, the decoding is already adapted - LoMo is "love and motion", but the original origin of the name is not disputed by anyone.

As stated in the Wiki, Lomography is a genre of photography that aims to capture life in all its manifestations as it is. It couldn't be better formulated.

Lomographs do not care about the quality of the images. They shoot a lot, offhand, from unusual angles. The objects of shooting are, at times, unexpected objects and situations.

I will not go deep, who is interested - I suggest to google it.

Thanks to Lomography, LK-A devices, as well as medium-format Amateurs, are still produced in small quantities, incl. in the form of their copies abroad.

What influenced the camera's success?

You know, it's hard to say. There was nothing particularly outstanding in LK-A in the nineties.

On the Internet there is a statement that LK-A was the first domestic small-sized camera with a program shutter.

Small-sized software can and was the first. But the first software was not. Let us recall Zorky-10, which has been produced since 1964 and had exactly the same principle of operation of the shutter combined with the diaphragm.

In the segment of shkalnikov there was a modification Zorkiy-11.

Yes, all the earlier programmed exposure control devices were based on a selenium photocell. And this device has a CdS element.

But it doesn't really matter to the consumer. And the Japanese in the 90s offered much more advanced cameras.

The device is also positioned in the literature as the first small-sized system camera... Let's remember a set of accessories.

But of all these accessories, only the flash was really massive. Moreover, any flash with a central contact is suitable for the device.

Imported including.

I think that the systematic nature of LK-A had nothing to do with its success and the appearance of Lomography.

LK-A also bears the title of the first domestic camera, which does not need a case, thanks to the lens and viewfinder shutters, as well as the overall compactness and dense knock-down.

Perhaps this condition is necessary for the success of a mass Western user, but clearly insufficient.

Low price for photo enthusiasm - too necessary condition, but also, perhaps, insufficient.

And the device is not loved for its super-quality. That's for sure.

So what happened?

I can only guess, of course.

LK-A device is really successful. I would even say - very good in the segment of simple soap dishes.

The electronic filling of the device (oh, miracle) met the expectations in this segment at the time.

The price of the LA-A was probably much cheaper than that of its Japanese counterparts (of course, more advanced ones), and the Chinese comrades were even less able to make photographic equipment than we did.

As a result, enthusiasts in the West got a camera that is not a pity to buy for pampering and at the same time, which is comfortable to use.

The main reason for the popularity of the device abroad, apparently, should be considered a combination of circumstances. Accident. Spontaneously emerging fashion.

But an accident is an accident, and if the LK-A had not been a really successful device, then this accident would definitely not have happened.

And on the other hand. There would be purely everyday consumer properties of all domestic devices in the 80-90s higher, such accidents would occur much more often!

That's all for me. I expressed my opinion, you write yours!

P.S. If you often buy something from online stores, I can recommend the LetyShops cashback service. It allows you to get back 2-5 percent of the purchase price.

To use the service, you need to register. Further, on the main page, find the online store you need. The value of the cashback will also be indicated there. Go to the store using the link and make purchases as usual.

After the purchase, the cashback amount will be credited to your LetyShops account. It will become available for withdrawal after receiving the goods.

You can withdraw money in different ways. I transfer to cell phone balance. There are no commissions with this option.

There is a limitation on withdrawal minimum amount 500 rubles, but if you use promo codes that are easy to find on the network, then this limitation is removed.

Dear Readers!
V social networks pages - business cards were created for the site Phototechnics of the USSR.
If you are interested in my resource, I invite you to support the project and become a member of any of the communities. Share your experience, express your thoughts, ask questions, participate in discussions!
I pay special attention to the new page on Instagram.

Instructions:

Digital cameras have revolutionized the photographic world and art. People were fond of photography before, but this required a certain amount of effort, because the film photo process was slow. And now photography has become a “simpler” activity. From a technical point of view; nothing has changed with the creative one, and it pleases! The passion for photography has become available to a huge number of people. However, for all its attractiveness and accessibility, digital photography lacks the charm and charm inherent in film photography. So the Lomographic Community believes that the days of the "film" are by no means numbered and the world should know about it.

The peculiarity of lomographic photography is the method of photography. This is done without using the viewfinder - the pictures are taken from the position "from the shoulder", "from the hip", "from the knee", from behind, on an outstretched arm - whatever you like, the main thing is fast and "without aiming", and the shooting itself is carried out on simple automatic film camera.

The name of this direction comes from the name of the LOMO cameras, produced by the Leningrad Optical and Mechanical Association. At one time, these cameras were produced in millions of copies and were available to everyone Soviet family... So, there is a very high probability that compact film "LOMO" are still stored in the mezzanine in many post-Soviet families.

Here is the “Lubitel” camera of the “LOMO” association. My grandfather had one, though broken; he became one of my first children's toys. There was no talk of any photography at the age of four. I just liked the way the mine doors open with a dry crack. Yes, it has a mine viewfinder. And much later I found out that this device is medium format - it is designed for wide film, and negatives are 6x6 centimeters in size, which is considered cool nowadays! After all, we know that medium-format Hasselblads cost exorbitant money and are almost a status thing! And here is a simple "Amateur"! 🙂

How lomography came about

Lomography, as a new photographic and very creative direction, emerged in 1991 in Austria. Lomography refers to the type or method of photographing and the final photographs, the artistic value of which is not so much the individual image in the photograph as total amount photographs, a series of them, united by one, global idea.

Once, two Austrian students of the Vienna Academy of Arts were spending their holidays in Prague. One of them, in a thrift store, just for fun, for 12 dollars bought a "hellish machine" - a camera "LOMO-compact automatic". During a trip to Prague, friends took pictures of everything without bothering to look through the viewfinder.

Returning home and printing Prague photographs, the friends laid out panels from them. The result amazed them greatly: the colors in the photographs were brighter and more intense than usual, and invisible but tangible waves of warmth and kindness emanated from the pictures.

Due to the fact that the camera transmitted images with significant color and geometric distortions, it turned out, as it were, a peculiar and non-trivial view of the world... And the lack of a well-thought-out staging of the shot documented everyday life events "as they are." The successful combination of technical imperfection and photographing life "as it is" was given the name "lomography" by the Viennese students.

The friends decided that the exhibition of lomography (photographs taken with the "LOMO-compact automatic machine") simply had to take place. At the same time, the students did not have money to organize and conduct the event. Friends got out of the situation by registering themselves as official organization and seeking help from the Vienna authorities. In such a simple way, in 1991, the International Lomographic Society appeared in Austria.

Currently, the Lomographic Society is a powerful organization, with offices in 70 countries. The ranks of lomographers are constantly growing, and the photographic direction itself is spreading around the world by leaps and bounds. Lomographic representations help novice lomographers, distribute the latest news from other countries, arrange and conduct scrap contests, scrap meetings, scrap parties. The motto of the Lomographic Society is the phrase "love and motion" - this is how the Austrian creators deciphered the name LoMo - "love and motion".

Cameras for lomography

Not every camera, even if it is produced at the LOMO plant, is suitable for lomography. A peculiar and specific "lomo-frame", in most cases, can be achieved only with the help of "LOMO-Compact automatic". This becomes possible due to the fact that the device is equipped with a wide-angle lens (due to which the pictures are obtained as if vignetted, with the effect of darkening the corners) and an automatic exposure meter, which often does not work very accurately. Photos taken with this unit are sharper, more saturated and with characteristic darkening at the edges of the picture.

However, the Lomography Society also distributes other models of cameras exclusively for lomography.
Among them:

• disposable devices with filled film for 24 shots;
• underwater cameras;
• four-, eight- and even nine-lens cameras (at the time of shooting, several mini-frames are obtained, asynchronously falling on the photograph. This allows you to capture actions in motion);
• cameras with built-in flashes, in which replaceable multi-colored filters are provided to highlight the object during shooting;
• panoramic cameras with viewing angles of 120 and 170 degrees;
• cameras with fisheye lenses;
• and etc.

Lomoprojects

Organizing and conducting their numerous photo exhibitions, lomographers, as creative and creatively thinking people, very often carry out unusual actions.

For example, collages-lomo-walls are created and stretched over many meters, which are a collective stream of consciousness. To create such collages, more than one hundred photographic films are snapped off. The lomographic community sends free lomographic cameras all over the world, which are intended not only for famous personalities - pop stars, theater, cinema, politicians, athletes, public figures, but also ordinary people: workers, employees, teachers, educators, etc. photographs are printed and collages are created, many of which are exhibited at world-class events. As, for example, at the world-famous book fair in Frankfurt am Main, where a giant lostena was created.

You can find out about all the events and events taking place in dozens of countries on the official website of the Lomographic Community, where news about current or upcoming projects, promotions and exhibitions is published.

When I was preparing this article and browsing lomofotki on the Internet, I did not leave the feeling that venerable photographers are right: it is not a camera that is shooting, but a person. A photo that tells a story can also be taken with a scrap machine if you know how to look at the world. And vice versa, a big, black and heavy camera with the most frightening lens will only help you to look solid and cool, but it is unlikely to bring any sense, again, if its owner does not know how to look at the world. I strongly advise you to look at pictures in Yandex for the search for "lomography", there will be something to think about. In a creative direction.

On the other hand, Lomo-style photos can be taken with an inexpensive digital camera. Although it will no longer be “not according to the rules” (according to the rules, lomography is still a film), it will help to learn to think creatively and see creatively.

And yet, although it could have been written about at the very beginning. Lomography, of course, has nothing to do with the photo stock business. Some pictures can be taken to stocks, but as a curiosity. This industry has turned the other way. Lomography can already be called a kind of art. If I had the opportunity, I would try! More and more often I find myself on such a desire. 🙂