For over the past decade, the Lomo's ever-loyal Minitar 1 lens has captured literally millions of mind-blowing Lomographs throughout the world. It's no understatement to say that we owe many of our finest memories to its tiny slabs of multicoated glass.

So it is with a heavy heart that we announce: the original Minitar 1 lens production has been scaled back to its bare minimums. Due to rising costs and shifting priorities at LOMO PLC St. Petersburg, a strictly limited amount of lenses can be produced each month - and a dramatically higher price than before. Given the intense worldwide demand for the LC-A+, we needed a workaround.

Happily, our shining new LC-A+ factory has come to the rescue. In cooperation with our in-house engineers and Russian consultants, our Chinese factory has managed to faithfully & lovingly duplicate the original Russian Minitar 1 lens. It's capable of all the hot colors, vignetting, super-contrast, and other slamming characteristics that we know and love. All in all, you're guaranteed to receive 100% the same radiant output of the original.

An entire division of the factory is now dedicated to the meticulous and loving hand-crafting of each LC-A+, from start to finish. With a steady stream of this "new, new" Lomo, we can meet the needs of all hungry Lomographers out there. So, from today on, there are two LC-A+'s for you to choose from:

Lomo LC-A+ (250 USD/Eur)
Completely produced in China with the new Minitar 1 lens

Lomo LC-A+ RL (250 USD/Eur until July 9th, 280 USD/Eur after)
Body made in China, original Minitar 1 lens made in Russia. Production strictly limited and exclusively available from Lomography websites.

While it sure ain't easy to capture and recreate perfection (or perfect imperfection if you will), our diligent Lomographic engineers have done just that. After reconstructing the LC-A's body from the ground up (and adding in a few tasty new tricks), they've successfully duplicated everything that we know and love about its original Minitar 1 32/2.8 lens. In partnership with a supremely experienced team of Russian and in-house Lomographic technicians and advisors, they pulled the lens apart and rebuilt its every nook, cranny, edge, and corner.

The radiant colors, the knockout contrast, the edge vignetting, the powerful multicoating, the occasionally temperamental focusing, and that overall Minitar soul are all here - just like the original.

It's all well and good to write about the new Minitar lens, but we'd all appreciate it if the lens did some talking for itself. As our intrepid Lomographic development team made their way through China to the new production home of the LC-A+, they nailed all of these shots with the brand new lens. Have a seat, pry open your eyelids, and steel yourself for a pure, uncut dose of Chinese Minitar magic.

As it stands, we've got enough existing stock of the Lomo LC-A+ with the original Russian lens to last for about two weeks. So, we'll be able to keep it at the original 250 Eur/USD price until Midnight, Monday July 9th. After that, the price will go up 280 Eur/USD, to reflect the increased cost of the Russian-manufactured lens. So if you're cruising for a taste of the original St. Petersberg-made flavor, then be fast!