Update 17 September 2004: My LC-A is dead
I am sorry to say my LC-A is dead. After getting just eight shots from a 36-exposure film I discovered that shutter had died -- My various attempts at fixing the camera failed -- I even went to the lengths of drilling out stripped screw threads that were holding the top plate on to try and fix the shutter release. I think I probably made it worse when I broke off the copper strip that is supposed to trip the electrics. Oh dear.
Anyway...
The Lomo has a lovely, fast (F2.8) 32mm lens that gives colours unusual radiance. Someone described it to me as seeing the world with an artist's eye. Maybe on a good day. Some shots look like the artist is suffering from absinthe induced blindness -- or tunnel vision. But a good LC-A image often has qualities that have eluded me when I have used other cameras.
If you focus it right in reasonable light, it can even produce crisp, sharp images.
I'm not a fan of most of the pictures with loads of motion blur caused by the camera that some Lomo fans rave about -- slow exposures are great -- but I like to keep the camera still.
A good film. I've had good results from Kodak HD 200, but Fuji Superia 400 and 200 seem to offer the best colour results.
A film processor that listens when you ask them not to correct colours -- this can knock out some of the interesting stuff the lens does. I took one set to a cheapo tourist place and the results were terrible. I have been pleased with the results I have got from the Snappy Snaps franchise -- specifically the Brewer St shop in London, W1.
A mini tripod.
A good philips screwdriver for when I've broken it.
Advice from someone who's fixed an LC-A before Cheers, Rob.
Silver oxide batteries. Get SR44s rather than LR44s. They're expensive, but you'll get through more than a couple of rolls with them.
New light seals -- I have an old (1984) model, with Cyrillic markings and contacts for a motordrive, that was apparently never made. The light seal foam was very degraded when I bought it and was leaving nasty specks all over the inside of the camera. I had no luck finding the right materials in the UK, but found Jon Goodman (AKA Interslice) in the US on eBay . He sells very comprehensive adhesive backed foams strip packs to fix pretty much any camera. The foam comes with instructions and a bamboo tool to remove the existing gunk. It didn't take long to redo the LC-A, and the door now seems much more secure. The kits are very reasonable and Jon is a helpful chap. Light seals from Interslice