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Helios 44-2 Valdai
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 7:51 am    Post subject: Helios 44-2 Valdai Reply with quote

Often regarded as the poor cousin of the Helios 44 lenses, this one has always given good results for me.
Here are some images from today. These wildflowers grow along the coastline hereabouts.
Most are straight from camera with little to no post processing.
The lens adapter for my Fuji has a helicoid.
The last image is a double exposure in camera
Cheers
Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is some interesting imagery.
Does your adapter with helicoid shorten your minimum focus distance over what the lens could do alone?
Show us a photo of your lens when you have a chance...

-D.S.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a late 80s Valdai copy, and like yourself, didn't notice any issues. In fact the contrast and colour were noticeably better than earlier copies, as you'd expect due to the progress in coating technology. It does actually have the minor mount 'wiggle' reported in other copies, but it hasn't seemed to make any difference to the images made. These lenses can be a bargain for anyone just wanting to make images, as opposed to a collector wanting a collectable item


PostPosted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like yours Alun, mine is an '83 model.
It is quite smooth in operation without any play or slop.

Doc Sharptail wrote:
That is some interesting imagery.
Does your adapter with helicoid shorten your minimum focus distance over what the lens could do alone?
Show us a photo of your lens when you have a chance...

-D.S.


Here are some shots of the adapter and lens on my Fuji.
With the helicoid much closer focus is possible.
Tom


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Here are a couple of shots from yesterday as well.
The second is another in-camera double exposure.


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 1:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Happy Dog Like 1 Very nice rendering.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like 1 Like 1 #4 Happy Wildflowers! Smile


PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks fellas.
The lens is pleasant to use and can also render a soft and subtle palette.
This shot from yesterday is of some paperbark trees - Melaleuca quinquenervia
Tom


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PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like 1 Like 1 What a fascinating characteristic! (those are the flower petals, correct?)


PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

visualopsins wrote:
Like 1 Like 1 What a fascinating characteristic! (those are the flower petals, correct?)


Yes, they are flannel flowers.
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/plants-and-animals/flannel-flower

Beautiful in springtime
Tom


PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oldhand wrote:
visualopsins wrote:
Like 1 Like 1 What a fascinating characteristic! (those are the flower petals, correct?)


Yes, they are flannel flowers.
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/plants-and-animals/flannel-flower

Beautiful in springtime
Tom


Thsnks for thst! I was asking about:

Oldhand wrote:


PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 9:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

visualopsins wrote:
Like 1 Like 1 What a fascinating characteristic! (those are the flower petals, correct?)


Laugh 1

Tree trunks of course. hahaha
Laugh 1

Tom


PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 9:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oldhand wrote:
visualopsins wrote:
Like 1 Like 1 What a fascinating characteristic! (those are the flower petals, correct?)


Laugh 1

Tree trunks of course. hahaha
Laugh 1

Tom


Fooled me. Smile I couldn't say of what it is a photo. I think the photo would make a useful Rorschach test. LOL


PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

visualopsins wrote:


Fooled me. Smile I couldn't say of what it is a photo. I think the photo would make a useful Rorschach test. LOL


Yes, sometimes I like to move the camera when shooting at slow shutter speeds.
This can soften the image by blurring it deliberately. With tree trunks and movement vertically, the shape of the trunks remains, but the details are lost.
It is a painterly effect and pleases my eye.
Not for everyone I suppose
Smile
Tom


PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 3:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oldhand wrote:
visualopsins wrote:


Fooled me. Smile I couldn't say of what it is a photo. I think the photo would make a useful Rorschach test. LOL


Yes, sometimes I like to move the camera when shooting at slow shutter speeds.
This can soften the image by blurring it deliberately. With tree trunks and movement vertically, the shape of the trunks remains, but the details are lost.
It is a painterly effect and pleases my eye.
Not for everyone I suppose
Smile
Tom


I like it fine! Fascinating effect the compositional the color pallette; the mood of the forest there comes through for me. Reminds me of many walks through the eucalyptus forests in the Berkeley hills.

was trying to figure what part of "paperbark trees - Melaleuca quinquenervia". A close-up of this seemed plausible:



PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 7:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, when in blossom these trees swarm with insects and have a beautiful aroma.
Here are some shots of the bark

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I find this lens stunning on APSC. Less so on full frame. Enjoy it!


PostPosted: Wed Oct 05, 2022 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is THE Helios, to me, since was the only available one when I bought my Zenith, and won my first contest, 16 old. Any time I have tested other versions, I always got back to this one.

This picture was shot with that lens, and was among the awarded ones; I apologise for the ridicolous signature (it was uploaded on a social and I wanted to be sure it wasn't stolen). Bad digitalisation anyway.



PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 5:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

this helios knows how to fascinate.

DSC02285 by Mr TTT, on Flickr


PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 6:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sergtum wrote:
this helios knows how to fascinate.


Yes!

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 7:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some very nicely made images - congratulations.
As Lumens Pixel has said it does well on APSc.
I haven't tried it on full frame but it does please with its bokeh on a helicoid.
Tom


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PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 2:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a couple of images from today.
No swirl in the bokeh, but still pleasing
Tom

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