Original Lc-a vs Lc-a+ RL vs Lc-a+ chinese lens
There are two versions of the Lc-a+:
– the Lc-a+ with the chinese lens
– the Lc-a+ RL with the russian lens
To konw wich lens your camera has you have to slightly open the lens cover. I fou can read “lens made in Russia” then you are the luchy owner of aLomo Lc-a+ RL.
But which lens is the best? The original Lomo Lc-a lens? The Lc-a+ russian lens or the Lc-a+ chinese lens?
A comparison of these cameras is very difficult due to the imprecision of the analogue metering system. But I’ve tried to compare photo with similar exposures.
For the round up I used my original Lc-a, an Lc-a+ RL and an Lc-a+ “No Nukes edition” with the chinese lens. I put in them some fresh cells and 3 Lomography CN400 film.
I shoot the same views with my 3 cameras with the “infinite” and the 3.8 focus.
Original Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
Lc-a
Lc-a+ RL
Lc-a+ chinese lens
I let you judge from the pictures.
I think that the 3 lens are very similar and probably we can find the same differences even between two lens of the same type!
But from these pictures I found that the original Lc-a has a better vignetting effect, very similar to the Lc-a+ RL. In the Lc-a and Lc-a+ RL with the 0.8 focus I think there is a subtle aberration effect that’s like a “vortex”, instead on the chinese lens the bokeh is more soft. Furthermore on the Lc-a+ RL and chinese version I see some big light ghost.
So I choose the original Lomo Lc-a but I can’t advise you with absolute certainty that one model is better than another.