The sharpness isn’t that great, but the bokeh and quality are as good as stated. Was looking for info about my m39 helios 44 58mm f2 with 13 apperture blades.
#Helios 44 2 58mm f2 series#
This one’s among the very well-known semi-cultic russian ‘cheapskate’ optics enjoyed by many for years… it’s a knock-off copy of the 58/2 Zeiss Biotar and one of the examples where the copy to a large extent actually outshines the original o) – theres quite a few different variations to choose from in that series (the Helios-44’s) and some a sharper and better coated than others… It can be dead sharp stopped down just a little depending on Your version… mine is! It came of an old 70’s Zenith SLR – the camera is loooong gone but the Helios lives on… Theres quite a few other Helios-xx’s to choose from and not all are as cheap as this one… take the 85mm/f1.5 Helios-40 that goes for well over 500$ in reasonable shape – also to be had in Contax mount… Also I don’t really think the namedesignation has the least to do with the mount as You mention – the Helios’s in M39-mount is still named Helios-40/44/etc nonetheless and not Helios-39 etc o) Also it’s not that Jupiter is making the Helios-lenses – they are two different brands but could very well be maked on the same plants of which there also is quite a few… Again, some more well-regarded than others… It’s a jungle of mixed quality an often cryptic orignation… For the most sunlit days I mounted a 3-stop ND filter. But for this lens, also alot of nature shots.Īll shots below were shot wide open at f/2 mounted on my X-Pro1. It’s cheap and gives you amazing results! Below is my typical review shots. This lens is an amzing lens, and I highly recommend it to anyone with an X-series lens system.
It can get harsh when you want it to (foliage background) but for street use with regular busy backgrounds the bokeh is fantastic. Stopped down it is not as sharp as the Takumars or the Fujinons. Same as with the Fujinon 50mm f/1.4 M42 that I reviewed here you get a little softness which I actually like. This is where you get that amazing special “cat-eye” effect. The optimal background is sunlit foliage. The maximum effect is when you have a focus subject about 2-3 meters away and the background about 10-15 meters away, so count a factor 1:5 ratio for foreground/background subject distance. The swirley bokeh is not as pronounced on the APS-C sized sensor, since the FOV is cropped, but I assure you it is still there. Files get a real sense of 3D “pop” Quite cool. Micro-contrast on the other hand is great. The contrast needs to be upped in post-processing, since I find the OOC files to be a little lacking in that area. It does have a little glow at the highlights in bright sunshine, but that only adds to the charm. but the results from this lens is just damn worth it!įor black and white street photography the lens is really great.
#Helios 44 2 58mm f2 manual#
Which is crazy, since I’m not that good at manual focussing…. This lens has actually replaced my fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4R as my “stay-on-camera” lens.
and I mean REALLY cheap! $10 on ebay and you get a good condition lens…. A good condition lens.īecause the lens was built in such superfluous numbers they’re CHEAP…. METAL and GLASS….the USSR-way!! My copy is very smooth in the focus ring, and the aperture ring has nice clicks. And it does amazing with black and white photography. The lens is built like a tank! Seriously. For the streets I was VERY surprised at how well it is doing. Also referred to, as “Cat-eye” effect, this phenomenon gives a pronounced feeling that the background “swirls” around the center focus subject. What really surprised me though, was all the other scenarios this lens was good for! The 58mm focuslength on a APS-C sensor turns into a 87mm FOV equivalent which makes it a really nice medium tele lens. The lens has, what is referred to as optical vignetting, meaning that out of focus “bokeh-balls” becomes more elipsoid as you move away from the center of the image. The reason for buying this lens was one thing, and one thing only: The swirley bokeh effect!
The lens was produced in the old Soviet Union by Jupiter among others from 1958 till 1992 and is one of most mass produced lenses in the world! I bought the M42 screwmount version (hence the 44m name), since I have that adapter, but they made it available in many other mounts.
Todays blogpost is a review of the Helios 44m-4 58mm f/2 lens.
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