Helios 44M lens test

received my lens and Canon EF adapter yesterday so I took it out for a stroll to see what it could do. Basically testing sharpness and bokeh . And its limitations on my Canon 5D MII.

 

 

The only limitation I found is not being able to focus to infinity. The mirror hit the lens at full infinity. A slight nudge off of the infinity mark and it clears buy as tested the images are out of focus. Although , Swirly bokeh was my main reson for getting the lens so I should alway be using it for close ups any way.

 

I learned that focus is critical. Im very happy with the images that are focused properly but many are not so I will have to pay even more attention to that.

 

I did not achieve the swirly bokeh in my test but I believe that it takes a specific type of background including the way the background is lit possibly. (contrasty might help) But I am happy with the quality of the bokeh that I did achieve..

 

 

these are at close focus but different apertures and then refocused a little farther away or closer as if a subject was in frame and then at different apertures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More focus testing and bokeh samples

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here I was testing a limits of the focus and just trying to see if I could achieve pleasing photos

 

Even at small aperture I could not focus to infinity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the way I hate not being able to go back and edit . (Spell/Grammar check ). By the time I proof read it the edit button is disabled. I need to train myself to proof read before I hit the post button.... No other forum that Im on has that restriction .... Hard to train an old dog new tricks I guess, but Im trying :p

Excellent. The Helios lenses are astonishingly good; and, until we let people know about it, astonishingly inexpensive!

 

Some technical details LINK (Helios-103)

 

Comparison with post-war Sonnar on Contax IIA LINK

 

I just came back from B&H and learned that I may have the wrong adapter .... there are two types apparently. I need to see if I have type 1 or 2 . I’ll take my camera and lens there and try the other to see if I get full range of focus.... then I plan to pick up a MIR 1B 37 mm .. torn between between the silver version or the cheaper black version . Assuming I will need infinity focus a bit more on a wide angle

Fit the biggest lens hood you can find that doesn't cause vignetting.

 

The hood on my Helios-44-2 (on APS-C) is about as long as the lens.

 

It makes a substantial difference on brighter days.

 

 

To get the "Helios swirl", a lower contrast natural background with circular shapes works well, blossom or leaves. It's dependent on aperture and subject-background distance and not as easy to achieve as it looks.

 

Allegedly, the earlier lenses are more swirly, I have a bunch, but I haven't done a comparison.

 

Swirly or not, it's a good lens, just don't forget the lens hood!

I suspect the 85mm Helios is a better bet for swirly bokeh. I have a 58mm Helios and it generally performs OK and usually does not have particularly "interesting" bokeh.

.. but the Helios-40 85/1.5 is a much less common lens, just by not being the standard lens sold with the cameras. I don't do the 'b' word myself.

It's also around ten times the price...

My 44-2 arrived from Russia. It does not have the infinity focus problem. So that might trump (sorry) the 44M ..... Ill have to go out and test it as soon as I finish adding up a years worth of tax receipts for my accountant :( :(

You should have more luck with the 44-2, that's the one that does the swirly thing rather than the 44.

Later models are not noted for it either.

Here's one I did earlier :) 44-2 but no swirly. I'm sure I have one somewhere.

If nothing else, it shows you what doesn't cause it.

Helios 44-2, Sony Nex 6 by Ken, on Flickr

Thanks for sharing.

 

To go to a different place.

 

Fuji 18-125.