Helios 44-2 Vs Canon Nifty-Fifty quick test

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I decided to have a play with M42 thread stuff on my 20D. So bought an adapter and a Helios 44-2 circa 1977. These are 2 pics taken with the camera in Auto Exposure mode at F2 (pretty low on the nifty and wide open on the Helios) to compare and let the camera decide shutter speed. I have tweeked brightness to level them up a bit, in retrospect I should have gone full manual to maintain the same shutter speed. If I do this again can anyone suggest a better way to compare (easily)?

Anyway... the pics:
The Helios 44-2
Helios%202.jpg


Helios:
Helios%2044-2%20at%20f2%20800px%20plus25%20brightness.jpg

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/f8HtLCvYl6zsKEp4TZESqA?feat=directlink

Nifty Fifty
Nifty%20fifty%20at%20f2%20800px%20plus%2035%20brightness.jpg


A wider range of f:stops can be seen here, they are all underexposed though so you may have to tweek monitor brightness to view them... I'm still learning this manual camera malarkey!!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/113332959028135158531/LensTest#
 
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Hmmmmm. I can see them on picasa and I can see them as links on another forum I've posted them on... but not here???? how strange? Does kinda kill the thread that small technical issue :)

I'll investigate, can you access the last link to the album? the file names are pretty self explanitory.

EDIT:

Sorted I think :)

If anyone can suggest a better test then please do. This is just a 'quick and dirty' comparison.

here is a 100% crop of the Helios at F2:
Helios%2044-2%20at%20f2%20100%25%20Crop.jpg
 
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Starastin said:
I think the bokeh should be different. are you sure that the first pic is with helios ?
Click to expand...

Yep if you look at the EXIF data it says unknown lens, the second pic says fixed 50mm. I expected them to be more different, maybe just a bad subject.

EDIT I will add I think the Helios has been rebuilt at some point as I read so much about them being stiff to focus, this one is as smooth and slick as anything, the blades have a bit of oil residue and the focusing barrel a very small amount of play in it.
 
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hmm.. weird . I must say that I like the helios better. + that it has a lot more blades than any 50mm f1.8 AF . I just love it . one of my favourite lens of all time .
 
The quality of the images is all in the adapter!! :D :D :D I think the Helios image looks better!

The Helios is a damn fine lens and so very cheap! Glad I have kept mine! I must use it more.
 
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The Helios pic does look sharper and brighter but that doesn't surprise me, my nifty fifty was pretty carp at f2, f1.8 was ok and sharpened up again at f2.2
 
Comparison at F4, try to excuse the ropey exposure compensation in apple preview!!

Helios:
Helios%2044-2%20at%20f4%20800.jpg


Nifty Fifty
Nifty%20fifty%20at%20f4%20800.jpg


I just chose f2 first as it was the Helios wide open.
 
I'd say at F2 the Helios is the undoubted winner; the bokeh is noticeably different to my eyes, the nifty maybe looking a little harsher - nothing in it at F4 though, although the Helios appears to have 'more' bokeh at this aperture and the whites on the right hand side aren't blown with the Helios either.... looks like a nice bargain lens... isn't the Canon nifty meant to be pretty crap anyway?
 
I bought my Helios for £6.50! Anyone beat that?
 
I definitely prefer the Helios 44-2 over the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D. I don't think I've even used my 50mm f/1.8D since picking up the Helios, except maybe to take pics OF the Helios. :D
 
I just picked up a Helios 44-2 this week to play with the swirly bokeh effect. I wasn't expecting a great deal regarding sharpness, but I've been very surprised.

Here's a quick first shot of our eldest in the garden yesterday, shot around f/2.8-4 IIRC:

4971527742_33eb4694b4_z.jpg


Check out the 100% crop:

img2806r.jpg


I quite like the preset aperture setting too, I think I'll be dragging it around quite a bit in the next few weeks.
 
They are ridiculously sharp especially considering how old and cheap they are.
 
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