Helios 44-3

Prometheus · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 776 Location: Garphyttan, Sweden

Hello. Got my Helios 44-3 MC 58/2 today (attached to a Zenit ET). Feels nice but there is one thing I do not understand.

The aparture-scale. When I set it (I think) to 2 its dark. Turned to 16 its light/wideopen. Question

It seems to be stuck in reverse some how. Or its me that dont understand the scale or markings...
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Mattias Wirf

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peterqd · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 4417 Location: High Wycombe, UK

I don't know the 44-3 but it sounds like a preset lens like the 44-2. Here's a pic of the 44-2, hope it helps

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Retro · Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 173 Location: Krautland

The concept of this ring of the Helios 44-2 may be confusing at the first sight (because its unusual), but if you dig it it is very helpful.

With the inner ring you choose the aperture as usual. The outer ring allows you to open the aperture fully, for better manual focusing (the viewer is bright). After focussing you can turn it down to the choosen aperture (but not beyond).

I saw a similar construction only with the old Biotar-lenses.
_________________
Cameras: Sigma SA300 - Sigma SD9 - Sigma SD10
Lenses: Sigma 15-30/3.5-4.5 - Vivitar 28/2.5 - Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50/1.8 - Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58/2.0 (black) - Carl Zeiss Jena Triotar 135/4 - Sigma 28-70/2.8 - Sigma 70-300/4.0-5.6 - Vivitar 28-210/3.5-5.6
Equipment: Lightmeter Gossen Lunasix - Tripod Linhof/Schiansky Kugelkopf-Panorama-Stativ, Modell 161 - Rightangle Viewfinder Minolta VN - B+W Greygradientfilter BWG 501 - B+W Circular-Pol-Filter 52E - Photo Bag Crumpler Ben's Pizza XL
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montecarlo · Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 1777 Location: Romania

Yes the 44-3 too is a preset (like 44 and 44-2) version too : http://www.photohistory.ru/Pictures/Lens-Helios-44-3-minsk.jpg but I think it wasn't made by KMZ ( http://www.zenit.istra.ru/archive/lenses/helios-44.html ).
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Prometheus · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 776 Location: Garphyttan, Sweden

Ahh, thank. Now i understand Smile

Well on my trip today it was set to 16, so I assumed the inner ring was the only one to use. This explains a lot.

Not many pictures today, really bad and rainy weather.
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Mattias Wirf

Retrocamera.net | YashicaForum.com | Designbilder.se

peterqd · Joined: 28 Feb 2007 Posts: 4417 Location: High Wycombe, UK

LucisPictor · Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject:

I am sure you will like this lens a lot. This is one of the unvalued gems you still can find. Much better than most people think.
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Retro · Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 173 Location: Krautland

Excuse me folks, my explanation above is a little bit wrong. My memory fooled me, so I confounded the inner and outer ring with their function.

The right text should be:
With the outer ring you choose the aperture as usual. The inner ring allows you to open the aperture fully, for better manual focusing (the viewer is bright). After focussing you can turn it down to the choosen aperture (but not beyond).

And I like to add: the red dot of the inner ring is not only useless, but confusing, because people imagine a relation to the aperture numbers of the scale above. Indeed the related aperture values of this inner ring would be inverse to the scale above. But fortunatly one doesn´t need for this inner ring exact aperture-values, because you use it only manually for opening the blades for a while.

@LucisPictor:
Yes, the Helios 44-2 is an undervalued gem. But I prefer the Helios 44-M, even it has not this fine option of turning up and down the aperture-blades with such a special second ring for better manual focusing. Maybe my copy of the Helios 44-2 is inferior to the 44-M due to picture quality.

A little bit off-topic: you can call me crazy, but I like my 44-M-version also, because it has the original "Krasnogorsk"-sign, while my 44-2 has the "Valdai"-sign... Rolling Eyes

The 44-3 of Prometheus should have the "Minsk"-sign.
_________________
Cameras: Sigma SA300 - Sigma SD9 - Sigma SD10
Lenses: Sigma 15-30/3.5-4.5 - Vivitar 28/2.5 - Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50/1.8 - Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58/2.0 (black) - Carl Zeiss Jena Triotar 135/4 - Sigma 28-70/2.8 - Sigma 70-300/4.0-5.6 - Vivitar 28-210/3.5-5.6
Equipment: Lightmeter Gossen Lunasix - Tripod Linhof/Schiansky Kugelkopf-Panorama-Stativ, Modell 161 - Rightangle Viewfinder Minolta VN - B+W Greygradientfilter BWG 501 - B+W Circular-Pol-Filter 52E - Photo Bag Crumpler Ben's Pizza XL
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Prometheus · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 776 Location: Garphyttan, Sweden

Fotal · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 281 Location: Sweden

Retro · Joined: 02 Feb 2008 Posts: 173 Location: Krautland

@Fotal: with phantasy and creativity you should find another nice expression.

For example:
- nostalgic photo side
- the photo roots
- old gems
- sabi (= japan for old and precious) photo
- ancient techniques
- historic photography
- photo relicts
- modern archeology
- photographic antiquariat
etc.
_________________
Cameras: Sigma SA300 - Sigma SD9 - Sigma SD10
Lenses: Sigma 15-30/3.5-4.5 - Vivitar 28/2.5 - Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50/1.8 - Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58/2.0 (black) - Carl Zeiss Jena Triotar 135/4 - Sigma 28-70/2.8 - Sigma 70-300/4.0-5.6 - Vivitar 28-210/3.5-5.6
Equipment: Lightmeter Gossen Lunasix - Tripod Linhof/Schiansky Kugelkopf-Panorama-Stativ, Modell 161 - Rightangle Viewfinder Minolta VN - B+W Greygradientfilter BWG 501 - B+W Circular-Pol-Filter 52E - Photo Bag Crumpler Ben's Pizza XL
Portfolio: http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/mypics/434323/default.aspx?_c02_vws=1/pc/pc?mypics=434323

Fotal · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 281 Location: Sweden

lots of good ideas there Retro but I'm afraid I have a shortage of time at the moment.
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Mr Scott please restrain your leaps of illogic. I have said nothing. I was merely speculating.

kds315* · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 3521 Location: Weinheim/Germany

Is that a CZJ Biotar 2/58mm copy (optical I mean)?

Cheers, Klaus
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themoleman342 · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:26 am Post subject:

yup they all are

kds315* · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 3521 Location: Weinheim/Germany