Curious about Lomography? Here's where you can buy quirky Lomo cameras locally
Looking for a new hobby to keep you busy and get your creative juices flowing in 2023? Why not try your hand at film photography?
Sure, you can easily snap photos with a tap on your smartphone, but there's a different charm when you use an analog camera—looking through that vintage viewfinder, carefully composing your shot because each roll of film is valuable, and then taking the time to develop your photos in a dark room.
Aside from regular film pictures, you can try Lomography, a style of pop photography that allows you to just be experimental and fun.
What in the world is Lomography?
For the inundated, Lomography is a quirky take on photography where you use cameras by Austrian manufacturer Lomo. It was a big trend in 2011 in Hong Kong, Singapore, Austria, Malaysia, the Philippines, and other countries across the globe.
These Lomo shooters are unique as they are typically inexpensive, prone to light leaks, have misaligned lenses, and other defects that create a signature look. Anybody can try Lomography—you don't have to be a seasoned pro. Believe us, you can just throw the photography rulebook out the window.
This year, Lomography celebrates 30 years of freedom for photography and is releasing limited edition LC-A+, LC-Wide, and LC-A 120 cameras for the occasion. These reskinned shooters are dressed in handcrafted leather and don a colorful metal emblem for the anniversary.
Closer look
Specs-wise, all three models have a tripod mount, cable release, and takes three LR44 batteries. Both the Lomo LC-A+ and LC-Wide shoot in 35mm film format, but the earlier has a longer focal length at 32mm, compared to the latter's 17mm. The LC-A+ also offers more apertures from f/2.8 to f/16 over the Wide's f/3.5 to f/16.
Meanwhile, the LC-A 120 shoots in 120 film format at 38mm focal length and features the same apertures as the LC-Wide.
Pricing and availability
Available through the Lomography website, the limited edition Lomo LC-A+ is available for $399 (~P23,000), while the LC-Wide is priced at $499 (~P28,000), and the LC-A 120 goes for $549 (~P31,000).
If these shooters doesn't fit your budget, Lomo also offers cheaper, simple-use film cameras like the LomoChrome (priced at around P1,212) and the Lomo'Instant (around P6,392).
Lomo cameras are available locally at Photo-Op, Manila Vintage Primes, Film Folk, Sunny16 Lab, Henry Cameras Philippines, and the Vintage Collective.