Helios 44 Thread - Russia's Best Kept Secret?

Anyone using a lens hood on their Helios 44? If so, I would appreciate knowing what you're using. Guessing it's most likley to be a circular rubber screw in hood with a 52mm thread?
Thanks
 
goinggreynow said:
Anyone using a lens hood on their Helios 44? If so, I would appreciate knowing what you're using. Guessing it's most likley to be a circular rubber screw in hood with a 52mm thread?
Thanks
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The glass is deep set enough not to need a hood.
 
john.margetts said:
The glass is deep set enough not to need a hood.
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Many thanks for taking the time to reply. This was rather careless of me not to have specifically checked my lens before posting. I posted a similar question about newly acquired OM lenses and found myself posting about my Helios too. Thanks again. You are quite right. The front element is recessed enough already.
 
goinggreynow said:
Anyone using a lens hood on their Helios 44? If so, I would appreciate knowing what you're using. Guessing it's most likley to be a circular rubber screw in hood with a 52mm thread?
Thanks
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But a petal hood looks cool :)

I'm cheating here with a Jupiter 8 as I don't have a pic of a Helios with a hood:
Zorki 4K Jupiter - 8 by Ken, on Flickr
 
Looking to buy one of these, where do I start except eBay?

want to put it on a Fuji X-Pro1, what mount do I need or should get?

I also notice there are several designs….which one os the best one?
 
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Raymond Lin said:
Looking to buy one of these, where do I start except eBay?

want to put it on a Fuji X-Pro1, what mount do I need or should get?

I also notice there are several designs….which one os the best one?
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Not sure which one is 'best', I have the 44-2 - M42 mount. I use a cheap as chips M42 to Fuji X adapter like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/qobobo-Fuj...&qid=1502495307&sr=8-2&keywords=M42+to+Fuji+X


It's a fun piece of glass. I haven't used it in any real serious manner. But coincidentally I have used it today, on the Xpro1 for a few artsy fartsy shots:

Summer's end by Enticing Imagery, on Flickr

_DSF0031 by Enticing Imagery, on Flickr


One thing you do have to remember is to change the non cpu data and select the right focal length, just like I did not here. I wish there was a way for the cameras to 'remember' the non cpu data for each lens, I had been messing about with a CZJ 135 prior to these shots. oh well. That is the price you pay.
 
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Well, just bought a "new" one on eBay. From Ukraine…..delivery not due for like 6 weeks though ! missed that bit when I bought it….nevermind! lol
 
Which one did you get? Some of the copies from that region Russia/Ukraine can be mint alright, but there is that wait. The 44-2 I have is in great nick, optics are clean, no dust or fungus or anything like that, only thing is the focus ring has a bit of play... it can be fine one moment, then it'll kind of skip a bit, and throw me well off focus, just a matter of pulling it back but it can be annoying. Definitely not a copy for anything moving faster than someone turning their head slightly ... but I didn't buy it for action eh
 
Cagey75 said:
Which one did you get? Some of the copies from that region Russia/Ukraine can be mint alright, but there is that wait. The 44-2 I have is in great nick, optics are clean, no dust or fungus or anything like that, only thing is the focus ring has a bit of play... it can be fine one moment, then it'll kind of skip a bit, and throw me well off focus, just a matter of pulling it back but it can be annoying. Definitely not a copy for anything moving faster than someone turning their head slightly ... but I didn't buy it for action eh
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The one that looks like the OP. Made in 1991 it says so one of the later ones. Will see how it is, paid by PayPal via Amex so if it's a copy I am covered.
 
I love this lens, this was one I took when I first got the lens, taken using my Fuji XT1. Will find some other photos out and add to the thread :)

helios.jpeg
 
What draws me to this lens is the bokeh reminds me of the 58mm Petzval lens. That lens is £550, this is less than 10% of the cost and for something I probably only use almost never….it's much easier amount to swallow.
 
Raymond Lin said:
What draws me to this lens is the bokeh reminds me of the 58mm Petzval lens. That lens is £550, this is less than 10% of the cost and for something I probably only use almost never….it's much easier amount to swallow.
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OP has the 44-4, so it'll be one of the later versions if it looks similar. I think the design changed with the 44-3. I don't know which versions are better or worse, there is 7 in all. I know the 44-2 is the one most famous for the 'swirly bokeh', not sure which of the others do it also. And yeah, totally worth having for the money. I only use mine very occasionally, when I can really slow down and take time to get the effect I desire (whether it's swirly bokeh of manipulating flare). But it'll always be in the bag.
 
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tracybradbury said:
Thank you, I have the Helios 44m 58mm f2 - its the M42 mount.
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Cool, I did a bit of searching on them, and it seems the 44M and the 44-2 are the ones to go for if you want the 'swirly bokeh' - to achieve it you need to do a bit of trial and error. Have your subject [could be the dog :) ] sit a certain distance from some type of background with foliage and you'll notice the backdrop begin to 'swirl' - too near or far from the backdrop and it won't work.

I haven't tried it much but I posted this one here before, shows an example of the swirl
Irish winter weather report 2017 by Enticing Imagery, on Flickr

It's actually a defect of the lens that they corrected for later versions. Arsty people picked up on it though and they became classics mostly for that reason.
 
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Cagey75 said:
OP has the 44-4, so it'll be one of the later versions if it looks similar. I think the design changed with the 44-3. I don't know which versions are better or worse, there is 7 in all. I know the 44-2 is the one most famous for the 'swirly bokeh', not sure which of the others do it also. And yeah, totally worth having for the money. I only use mine very occasionally, when I can really slow down and take time to get the effect I desire (whether it's swirly bokeh of manipulating flare). But it'll always be in the bag.
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I bought the 44m-6 so it really is one of the later ones.
 
Raymond Lin said:
I bought the 44m-6 so it really is one of the later ones.
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It won't have that strange bokeh effect maybe, but it should be a bit sharper. I'm sure they improved the coatings with later versions.
 
Cagey75 said:
It won't have that strange bokeh effect maybe, but it should be a bit sharper. I'm sure they improved the coatings with later versions.
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Will see I guess, might find an old 44-2 used somewhere on eBay to compare.
 
Bought a used 44M-4 from Ebay about a week ago which looked pretty clean. Found the front part of the lens was a bit wobbly inside the lens but (after watching a few Youtube videos) removed the front "ring" cover and tightened the three screws behind it and it's much better now.
There are some bargains on Ebay, I decided I wanted to get a 44-2 as well, and ended up getting a Zenit 11 with both a 44-2 and 44M-4 lens included for under £30 though these aren't as clean.

Going to try the lens on my old Canon 350D first, and will then consider using it on my 5Dii but will be measuring first to see if there's a risk of it getting hit by the mirror. I went with the K&F Concept Lens Mount Adapter M42 to Canon adapter which seems well made and finished.
 
I'm using a cheap no-name M42 to Fuji X adapter for mine. I use the same adapter atm for 3 old M42 lenses, must get a few more so I can have one on each lens. I have a K&F adapter for Nikon, they are better quality and the one I have has an aperture adjustment on it for G lenses. But for old lenses like these you don't need that option as they all have an aperture ring on the lens itself.

I paid €50 for my 44-2, inc delivery. I could have gotten one cheaper but I bought from a local sale site and it was here the next day. The optics and internals are nice and clean, the only thing off with my copy is the focus ring is a bit fiddly at times.
 
Cagey75 said:
Nice, hopefully you get a good one. It does state on that ad: "picture is our stock picture and the condition may vary slightly"
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Yup, that's the risk….but then, it's the UK so I can in theory return it much easier if it is a dud.
 
Checked the fitment, and this lens (Helios 44M-4) doesn't interfere with the mirror on my 5D2 when focused at infinity, so took the lens and 5D2 to Anglesey Abbey, Cambridge this afternoon. This is one of the better ones, I did find manual focusing tricky without the split circle focusing screen!



Another one from today, slightly cropped:


 
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vtecsilver said:
Checked the fitment, and this lens (Helios 44M-4) doesn't interfere with the mirror on my 5D2 when focused at infinity, so took the lens and 5D2 to Anglesey Abbey, Cambridge this afternoon. This is one of the better ones, I did find manual focusing tricky without the split circle focusing screen!

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Take a tape measure :D
 
The £19 copy I got from the UK has a sticky focus ring, happens half the time, annoying.
 
The focus ring is certainly not the most pleasant thing about the 44-2, mine is a little temperamental, I've gotten used to it over time though.
 
Got the Helios 44-M6 today, a new copy.

Much better, both in terms of fit (flush) to the adaptor, more consistent resistance focus ring too, not light to turn but consistent all through the range at least.
 
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