Can't We All Just Get a Lomo? The Lomo Experience Explained
Written: Jan 06 '04
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Pros: You'll be the only one on your block with this Russian spy camera!
Cons: You can buy better cameras for the money.
The Bottom Line: The lomo is an interesting camera... it really let me start taking fun pictures. However, you can find a better camera to suit your needs.
bhweb22's Full Review: Lomo Kompakt Automat 35mm Film Camera
Your first question is probably -- what's a Lomo? Lomo is a Russian made camera that was kind of a fad about three years ago. They sold their wares through a website, and I bought two of them. One for me, and one for my brother in law. He's a real camera freak, so I thought he'd appreciate it.
As it turns out, we both had a lot of fun with this little camera.
I will admit that I am not a real camera guy. If you want the specs and the inner workings of this camera, please refer to the lomo website or to the other reviews in this category. This review is more about the Lomo Experience.
The first thing that you'll notice about the Lomo is it's weight. The little sucker is very heavy, and seems to be well fashioned. It has no flash. You can buy an add on attachment or use the store bought flash cubes if you want. It has very simple controls. If you read the accompanying booklet titled "What's a LOMO?", you will see that the folks at Lomo try to take the mystery out of picture-taking. They try to make it all about fun. That's why the aperture and foci pieces are really dumbed down. The best way to take a lomograph? Just point and shoot... don't even use the viewfinder. Just see what develops -- that's where the fun begins.
It was this atmosphere that really allowed me to start experimenting, taking pictures everywhere. One of the more interesting ways to use your Lomo is at night. You can hold the shutter open for a long time to take really cool pictures. I took one on i-95 (a major highway) that made the cars on both sides of the street appear to have contrails where their headlights were. Very cool. I also took a picture of my wife while we waited on the couch before she and I went to the hospital to have our first child. Her mother is crouching next to her and has her hand on my wife's stomach. The picture is slightly out of focus, and that really gives it a dreamlike quality. Everyone (even my brother-in-law) loves it.
The bottom line? If you are a serious photographer, you should probably look elsewhere. If you're willing to try and have a little fun, maybe the Lomo is for you.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 100 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
Harnessing the best features of the original Lomo LC-A, and rising above it witha host of new capabilities the Lomo LC-A+ is simply the finest, most d...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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