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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.
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Helios 44-3 with samples !
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:14 pm
Post subject: Helios 44-3 with samples !
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:14 pm
Post subject: Helios 44-3 with samples !
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So got this beauty for 10€.


It seems its made in 1985, so she is pretty young for a russian.
The build quality is very good, from the first look, the IQ seems better than than other 44s (Ill have to give it some further testing).
To you all who have 44s out there, take a look at this. Wide open shot straight into a bulb. The coating is pretty striking.

The focussing ring is protruding, so you cant use it with adapters and most M42 cameras. I sought to solve this problem. After two hours of mega tiring filing....

The lens is now PERFECT !





Edit: Did some first testing with the lens.
All shots are wide open without PP. Neutral straight from camera (30D).
Here are some ...
This one made my head go SWOOSH.



About swirly... It only works in certain range...
Look at this... Gonna go closer and closer...





Now Im gonna show you something. This puppy was certainly made for closeups. Really close vs. infinity.



Well I like the lens so far. Has character and MC. If it only would be a little faster...

Last edited by Joosep on Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:13 pm; edited 3 times in total


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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:07 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:07 pm
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Or you might have bought one with a serial number past 90#####.


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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:57 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:57 pm
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Joosep.

Can the lens be focused to infinito in this way?

Rino.


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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 12:17 am
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 12:17 am
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woodrim wrote:
Or you might have bought one with a serial number past 90#####.


Congratulations. Nice job! With respects to woodrim, the earlier models of this lens are much more likely to be superior. After the fall of the Soviet Union some materials became scarce and often quality control suffered. The earlier coating seems very different and better too, at least to me. I am not super-expert, but I have tried many 44-3 lenses throughout it's production. I like the early ones better. A file or rough sandpaper, and some elbow-grease is all you need. This is an amazing portrait lens.

I love your pictures!


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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:43 am
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:43 am
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Jeff Zen wrote:
woodrim wrote:
Or you might have bought one with a serial number past 90#####.


Congratulations. Nice job! With respects to woodrim, the earlier models of this lens are much more likely to be superior. After the fall of the Soviet Union some materials became scarce and often quality control suffered. The earlier coating seems very different and better too, at least to me. I am not super-expert, but I have tried many 44-3 lenses throughout it's production. I like the early ones better. A file or rough sandpaper, and some elbow-grease is all you need. This is an amazing portrait lens.

I love your pictures!

Thats exactly what I have concluded too ! Thanks!
estudleon wrote:
Joosep.

Can the lens be focused to infinito in this way?

Rino.

Yes. The focussing ring is static to the mount, so all you need to do is file off 3 mm and your good to go. Im gonna test it some further today and tomorrow.


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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:46 am
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:46 am
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This one is made by Belomo, a Belorussian factory. They had their own, very characteristic barrel design.


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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 6:04 am
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 6:04 am
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Great work, but the OCD in me wants to see a smooth painted finsh. Confused


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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:17 pm
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:17 pm
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martinsmith99 wrote:
Great work, but the OCD in me wants to see a smooth painted finsh. Confused


You can always paint it....


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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:32 pm
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:32 pm
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Jeff Zen wrote:
woodrim wrote:
Or you might have bought one with a serial number past 90#####.


Congratulations. Nice job! With respects to woodrim, the earlier models of this lens are much more likely to be superior. After the fall of the Soviet Union some materials became scarce and often quality control suffered. The earlier coating seems very different and better too, at least to me. I am not super-expert, but I have tried many 44-3 lenses throughout it's production. I like the early ones better. A file or rough sandpaper, and some elbow-grease is all you need. This is an amazing portrait lens.

I love your pictures!


Are you talking image quality or build quality? I now have 44-2, 44-3, and 44M-7 and have a difficult time seeing any difference. But with build quality, I think the 44-2 feels much better focusing. The 44M-7 aperture ring feels too clunky.


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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:18 pm
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:18 pm
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woodrim wrote:


Are you talking image quality or build quality? I now have 44-2, 44-3, and 44M-7 and have a difficult time seeing any difference. But with build quality, I think the 44-2 feels much better focusing. The 44M-7 aperture ring feels too clunky.


I am talking about quality control optically. Some later models I have tested definitely seemed softer on one side or the other wide open. Again, I am no scientist expert, but the lens coating on the early ones seems much better to me. I suspect that Belomo cut corners on later runs of this lens due to chemical shortages, but one would have to examine and test a large number of lenses to be sure. The build quality on the 44-3 is decent but you have to make sure those little screws on the focusing ring stay tightened. They will slowly work themselves loose.

Woodrim, I agree the 44-2 feels better focusing.

I could post a photo to show difference in coating on the 44-3 if you like, but that doesn't prove much.


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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:11 pm
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:11 pm
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I have a 44-2 by JOV (Valdai) made in 1984 and I have a 44-2 by KMZ made in 1971. The KMZ one is mechanically perfect, super smooth, the finish of everything is superb. JOV version looks like total crap, the finish on the metal is very poor, the color on the writings has faded.

But I think all this is a good. Lemons keep the price down and if you know what to look for, you can get it something really good for peanuts.

There are also the double 0 special ones out there.

I think its hard to show the decline in lenses because the quality of different manufacturers varied alot. So Its easier to see the difference in camera bodies. Its sayd that the last good Zenit was the 12 and after 1989 the russians havent made one sturdy camera, everything just breaks down (ive had/have zenits to back up this theory).

My russian lens with the best contrast and color rendering is the Mir-24 MC by KMZ made in 1984.

I have played around with some russians from the 60-70s. They are like TANKS. Super heavy, sturdy, never fail.
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