The Soviet Kit Lens-Helios 44M lens test on the 550D

I don't have experience with the lens but I've seen nothing but gorgeous shots taken with the Helios 40 and Helios 40-2. The downside is that their resale value is through the roof and won't be cheap. A low cost alternative is the Jupiter-9 which is a great lens under the right circumstances. At wide open it can be very usable if there aren't any hotspots on the subject. If there are, you get the glowy effect. Stopped down to 2.8 , you have a pretty sharp and very distinctive lens though and it should only run you about $120.
 
Chris, what does the progressive numbering following the model # imply?
44M-4, 44M-5...
Any idea how these compare to the 44M?
 
I received a 44M-4 from Ebay and found the focus ring so stiff that when I turned it, it would unscrew off the adapter. I read on various forums that this is a common problem with the older Helios.

Just a few moments ago, I disassembled it, cleaned the old gunk from the threads, and lubed it with some Phil's lube (bike lube) laying around the house. I think it should be okay. The disassembly and reassembly wasn't too terribly difficult ~ took around 30 minutes. If I were to do it again, it would take less than 10 minutes. While I was at it, I removed the tiny ball bearing from the barrel (as opposed to filing down the aperture ring ridges) so now the aperture ring rotates smoothly - no more notched clicks. Although the aperture ring is a bit loose and there is some play, probably just due to the design.
 
Here's an image from the Helios:

mg-0956-mercedes--large-msg-12751647901.jpg


5D MKII, ISO 320, D+
 
Spartacus said:
So this is your car then? ;)
Nice´n sharp!

BTW what is this 5DtoRGB plug-in about you did a test with...?
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Sure...that's my car.

5DtoRGB is in beta but it's similar to the Canon EOS plug in for FCP and MPEG streamclip but it bypasses the quicktime conversion for cleaner processing in the Red and Blue channels. I think I got that right. Anyway you will see noticeable improvements in your processing.

You can check it out here.

Cheers.
 
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bill totolo said:
I believe the "2" is the f stop. I don't think a genuine "2" can fit on the 5D due to the way the rear element projects out of the lens and into the mirror box.

Am I mistaken?
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You are correct. In this case the 2 is the f-stop. I haven't seen this kind of Helios - perhaps it is a really early version.

Also I believe that the 44M-3 was the version that had the problem with the mirror. But who knows, the information about these lenses is all over the place.

However, what isn't in doubt, is that the lenses are well worth it.
 
Look at that beautiful bokeh...


OMG...I'm a nerd!! :)

What I meant to say was ..."look at that beautiful girl."
 
Dang, this stuff looks awesome, especially the MIR and the helios, and their so cheap! Are these lenses actually as good as the 800-1000$ carl zeiss lenses out there? I might just buy a few of these and save a load of money on my car insurance lol[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]
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JohnFB said:
Dang, this stuff looks awesome, especially the MIR and the helios, and their so cheap! Are these lenses actually as good as the 800-1000$ carl zeiss lenses out there? I might just buy a few of these and save a load of money on my car insurance lol[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][FONT=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica]
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I don't know how they compare directly with the CZ lenses but Russian glass is worth owning on its own merits. One that doesn't get alot of attention is the Pentacon 6 mount (medium format) Volna-3 80mm 2.8. I got it just in time for a Hindu wedding I had and the imagery out of that lens is otherworldly. Sharp, contrasty, deep rich colors, and under $100. It's a real steal. Look up some galleries taken with that lens and you'll see what I mean.

Chris W
 
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