Helios 44 Thread - Russia's Best Kept Secret?

LOL!
That's sounds great coming from you, Alan :)

(re post 200)
 
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I'm yet another one who has been seduced by this thread. Saw a Zenith camera fitted with a Helios-44M lens for £10 in the local Oxfam shop yesterday and after following this thread had to go in and have a look.

The lens was near mint, very little wear, no deterioration on the shutter blades and very clean elements, so obviously I walked out with it. Ordered the adaptor from SRB this morning, next day delivery, so I don't have to look at the lens for 4 or 5 days and looking forward to using it.
 
Decided to whack on the Helios for a bit tonight and with a lack of different subject matter within a ten feet radius from my sofa, snapped the wee fella after his dinner.

Shot in B&W to aid Manual focus (still frustrates the hell out of me), this is a quick and dirty edit in Snapseed with the RAF file still to be looked at in Lightroom. I do love the results sometimes though.

Really, Dad? by Ian Williams, on Flickr
 
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Some great images had with these old lenses(y) I've now found myself pressing the buy it now button on the bay then an adapter from Amazon. Advice needed though: Other than setting manual focus on my XT1, is there anything else I need to be doing? I watched some YouTube video regarding using an old Nikon lens and he went into camera menu to change some things. Shooting without lens or something like that. Do I need to be doing this? ;)
 
Maggie52 said:
Some great images had with these old lenses(y) I've now found myself pressing the buy it now button on the bay then an adapter from Amazon. Advice needed though: Other than setting manual focus on my XT1, is there anything else I need to be doing? I watched some YouTube video regarding using an old Nikon lens and he went into camera menu to change some things. Shooting without lens or something like that. Do I need to be doing this? ;)
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Yes, if you dont change the setting to "shoot without lens" the camera will not release the shutter.
 
Anyone after one of these lenses? May let mine go, with an m42>FX adapter.
 
ancient_mariner said:
Might be a good idea to bung this in the classifieds so as not to infringe forum selling rules. ;)
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I certainly would have done, but...
EspressoJunkie said:
Hmmm, as much as I clearly don't need another quirky lens, how much would you be after (without the adapter)?
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Having looked at Ebay and the likes, I don't think I'd let it go for as cheap as they go for tbh. I may not use it much, but for the price I'd get I'd sooner keep it I think (sorry).

Besides, if noting else it's a cool paper weight [emoji3]
 
I got mine for €50, a tenner for the adapter - for €60 you can't go wrong, it's a fun lens, and can be very sharp stopped down a little. It produces better bokeh than lenses 10 times the price.
 
I sent mine back as the focus ring was that stiff I was worried about what it might do to the adapter or mount. Does anyone have similar experiences. Lens was fun though and much cheaper than say a voigtlander
 
Mine gets a little stiff at times if I go full turn for min focus it can stick a bit on the return. But it's smooth enough besides. Now if i could stop grabbing the adapter to try focus when looking through the VF! ... :D
 
WingTsun said:
We've been discussing this brilliant little lens in the X-T1/X-T10 thread and for the money (about £30) it's an absolute cracker. I thought I'd post a thread about it to let other system users hear about it. It's generally found in M42 mount so a simple adapter allows it to work with any system, albeit in MF mode only, of course. Below is my example, a 44m-4 f/2 58mm. So what's so special about it? Well, it's tack sharp but Google it and you'll find it has a rather special bokeh and as such has a cult following and IME, rightfully so.



Helios 44m-4 f/2 58mm
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Hmmm. I rember having to use Russian cameras and lenses many years ago when I was skint. They were mostly badly put together, were heavy and cumbersome to use. When you got an OK version they were fine at f8 or 11. This was, of course, in the days of film.
 
Jeff Worsnop said:
Hmmm. I rember having to use Russian cameras and lenses many years ago when I was skint. They were mostly badly put together, were heavy and cumbersome to use. When you got an OK version they were fine at f8 or 11. This was, of course, in the days of film.
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Mine produces lovely images at F2 ... maybe they just work a lot better with modern digital? Any I've seen or held have been built like mini tanks too. All metal, no plastic muck like today's budget lenses. And good glass, is good glass.
 
I'm happy to use my 44-2 wide open too.

I bought a 77M-4 too as I thought [even though it sounds silly] I might settle better with the exact 50mm focal length but I've hardly used it.... :(
 
I like the focal length. I have a 35mm 1.4 as my main lens now, so I like something less close to it. 58mm is nice for portraits, planning on doing some nice Christmas ones using my Helios this weekend. See how it goes :)
 
I might get one. 58mm sounds like a perfect portrait lens on a apsc. I'll have a rummage in the charity shops.
 
Prices keep going up- £45 is not unusual. I paid about £10 a few years ago.
Sometimes it is cheaper buying a camera with the lens attached.

Edit. Just checked 'lenses' on ebay. first up is £23.95 with a free Zenit B, next is lens only for £35 and then one for £47...

Edit Edit :)
just checked Zenit under 'cameras' and there is one with lens attached, no bids yet, for £8, one owner.
 
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It certainly pays to shop about. I bought mine from a local seller, meant I got it next day, but I know I could have got a better price on the bay.
 
If anyone is hunting the 44-4 f2 version (said to be the best of the various versions) I might let my excellent example go soon.

HELIOS-1-774.png
 
WingTsun said:
If anyone is hunting the 44-4 f2 version (said to be the best of the various versions) I might let my excellent example go soon.

HELIOS-1-774.png
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Looks a glorious copy!

I had a peek on your site, I see you use a Laowa 60mm macro, what mount? I heard there was a Fuji X mount but cannot find it anywhere.
 
Can I ask you guys a question? Do you cover this stuff....
I have what I think is a Jupiter but it's definitely 135mmf4.
Can't remember where or when I got it. Have been using it on my Fuji, but that's optimistic really. I haven't been using it at all!
So I thought I might let it go. It has end caps and lens hood and comes in a screw top travel case.
Is this a good lens at all? Is it worth anything? Even £50 is better than nothing.
Any sensible sugestions as to what I can do with it?
 
mickledore said:
Can I ask you guys a question? Do you cover this stuff....
I have what I think is a Jupiter but it's definitely 135mmf4.
Can't remember where or when I got it. Have been using it on my Fuji, but that's optimistic really. I haven't been using it at all!
So I thought I might let it go. It has end caps and lens hood and comes in a screw top travel case.
Is this a good lens at all? Is it worth anything? Even £50 is better than nothing.
Any sensible sugestions as to what I can do with it?
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Sounds like the Jupiter 11, the silver version seems to be the more sought after. You could fetch £60 if it's in tip top shape.


WingTsun said:
Thanks! There isn't a dedicated Fuji mount. Laowa supply an adapter for Fuji.
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I must have been imagining things :D Not so bad, I have a Nikon to FX adapter already. It's one to ponder. You enjoy it and would recommend it anyway?
 
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Cagey75 said:
Sounds like the Jupiter 11, the silver version seems to be the more sought after. You could fetch £60 if it's in tip top shape.




I must have been imagining things :D Not so bad, I have a Nikon to FX adapter already. It's one to ponder. You enjoy it and would recommend it anyway?
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Yes, superb lens if you're confident with manual everything. One of the real bargains out there, I'd say.
 
WingTsun said:
Yes, superb lens if you're confident with manual everything. One of the real bargains out there, I'd say.
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Thanks. I mentioned it in the thread that you are not allowed in and someone else must know how good it is because they are interested in taking it off my hands.
It will be better being used than sat in my cupboard doing nothing.
 
mickledore said:
Thanks. I mentioned it in the thread that you are not allowed in and someone else must know how good it is because they are interested in taking it off my hands.
It will be better being used than sat in my cupboard doing nothing.
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LOL! I'll check in with you guys later!! :D
 
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