four helios 58/2 lens - wide open comparison

siudym · Joined: 27 Jun 2015 Posts: 76 Location: Poland

Camera Fuji S3 Pro (APSC)

MC Helios-44M-4 (zenit)

MC Ð“ÐµÐ»Ð¸Ð¾Ñ 44-3

MC HELIOS 44m-4

HELIOS-44M-4 (zenit, no MC)

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

So many variants of the Helios! I have only kept two out of maybe 20 - a 1960s 44 and a 1980s 44M-7, I like them both a lot.

I've had good and bad Helioses and the spread of quality was not all that great - even the 'bad' ones were good lenses really, just not so hot wide open; at f4, they were all good enough from memory.

Have you been able to notice much difference between these four? I expect the MC one has more contrast.

Musashichan · Joined: 18 Nov 2015 Posts: 96

44-3 seems to be very good....and have a nice reputation.
If you like boring comparison, i'm testing all the 44 i'm cleaning....https://flic.kr/s/aHskqTdtzv

For now i tried almost a thousand Helios-44 or 44-2, some 44M and Mx (not the 7...:/) and my experience shows that 44-2 from '80 and around are very good, KMZ being the best factory, followed by ValdaÃ¯ and then MMZ. In those, i find 2 or 3 very good lenses out 10...some are average and some are very poor. 44M are average, i find the bokeh less interesting, less contrast and personality in the swirl. Have to find a M7 and a 44-3 to see.
Most interesting ones are silver 44, wonderfull colors, always very sharp and a fantastic swirly bokeh ; not the same price when serviced...
I have some pages on my growing website, in french : http://www.musashichan.com/9-blog/21-le-bokeh-tournant-swirly-bokeh http://www.musashichan.com/objectifs/helios/helios-44-58mm-f-2-silver-1965 and http://www.musashichan.com/objectifs/helios/helios-44-58mm-f-2

I'm really in love with this lens...

Helios-44-2 Cleaned by Yann Dubois, sur Flickr