Helios 44m - infinity focus/ teleconvertor

chrisfowler

chrisfowler

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Afternoon all,

I've done a couple of searches and the results are mixed- I picked up an m42 mount Helios 44 a while ago and have been playing with it for a while on my 550d. I bought two adapters, one without a lip/flange to depress the aperture pin, and one with (figuring that means I can use completely open and closed apertures). Both adapters serve their purpose but neither get near infinity, in fact they only get around 8 feet at the most. Opinions seem mixed on whether this is right for the combination of 550d and m42- is this something I just have to put up with??

Which leads me onto the second topic- if the lens is only good for short distances, should I just pick up an m42 teleconvertor and use it for macro? I already have a macro focus option on my tamron 70-300 thy has yielded good results...

Any opinions or advice welcome!

Chris
 
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Sounds like there's a problem with your lens. I've used loads of Helios lenses with M42 adapters on Canon, and the problem is usually that the adapter is too think and the lens focuses PAST infinity. In your case it looks like the lens is duff. No biggie, pick another up for a tenner :)
 
As for macro, just get some M42 extension tubes, again should be well under a tenner. M42 teleconverters were mostly rubbish ;)

Which Helios 44 model is it by the way? If it's auto only (like the 44-M4) then the adapter without the flange will only let you shoot at f/2. If the lens is a 44M type, there is an A/M switch which allows you to shoot with either adapter, at any aperture. If it's a 44-2 type, then the lens has a preset aperture mechanism which means either adapter will do.
 
Hmm- I might contact the eBay seller!

Mine is the auto version with no control other than the pin in the back of the lens.
 
Had a look today, it's the 44m-4 and I've tried the following:

Adapter without flange: focus stops very short

Adapter with flange: focus still stops short but a few metres more than the other adapter

Handheld directly against camera body: perfect focus to infinity

Based on the above I'm assuming that it's not fault but a product of the m42 adapter being too thick? The ebay seller has agreed to take a look if I post back, but to be honest the postage costs probably aren't worth it.
 
If you handholding it directly against the body, how can you be sure you have it at the correct distance from the sensor? Sounds more like the lens is dodgy is BOTH adapters fail to allow infinity focusing. Does the focus ring turn to the infinity marking on the lens?

Normally when an adapter is slightly out, it's only infinity focusing that is affected i.e. you can still focus for quite some distance, it's just not sharp at infinity. I guess you don't have another lens to test?
 
The register distance (sensor to flange) of a Canon system is 44mm, M42 is 45.46mm.

That gives just 1.46mm space to fit the adaptor. it should be possible but needs some good manufacturing techniques. It's possible that a cheaply made adaptor is a bit thicker.

Nikon however has a longer register distance at 46.5mm giving negative space to fit an adaptor!. In order to get a Helios 44 to focus to infinity, I replaced the M42 mount with a Nikon mount.


Steve.
 
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The adapter looks to be around 1mm so it should be fine. The lens needs to be handheld about 1/2mm away from the body to get good focus but I can't be exact so no help there!

I've ordered another Helios, this time a 44-2 so we'll see how that goes...
 
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