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?? Helios 44 - Flip/Reverse Front or Rear Element or Both ??
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 1:19 pm    Post subject: ?? Helios 44 - Flip/Reverse Front or Rear Element or Both ?? Reply with quote

Has anyone done a comparison of the Helios 44 (any version) as follows?

Front element flipped
Rear element flipped
Both front + rear elements flipped


PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've heard of flipping the front element to produce a soft focus lens, but not the rear one.
Although I've not tried it quite like this I have removed the rear group from a different normal lens to produce a soft focus lens (of somewhat longer focal length) necessitating extension/bellows for focusing. Effects were quite serviceable.

The experiment also caused me to try a 105mm lens without the badly fogged rear group. This also lengthened the focal length and significantly boosted the contrast etc!


PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have modified one with the front lens and it requires a washer of the following measures exterior 30.5mm, interior 28.7mm, thickness 1.4mm, this is put before replacing the lens and the results here I leave, The data of the washer I saw it in a video that was on youtube[img][/img]


PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 3:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://forum.mflenses.com/flipped-front-element-44-anyone-t75456.html
T


PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 7:23 am    Post subject: Re: ?? Helios 44 - Flip/Reverse Front or Rear Element or Bot Reply with quote

gawn_dijitul wrote:
Has anyone done a comparison of the Helios 44 (any version) as follows?

Front element flipped
Rear element flipped
Both front + rear elements flipped


Absolutely! I love playing around with my 44-2.

Helios 44-2, all at f/2, near minimum focus distance, on my Canon 5D:
1) normal
2) front element reversed
3) front and rear elements reversed
4) rear element reversed



#1


#2


#3


#4



And the focus range changes when elements are reversed. Normal minimum focus distance is about 50cm. On my 5D, with the front element reversed, minimum focus became about 55cm and maximum focus went far beyond infinity
With front and rear reversed, minimum focus was a bit more than 50cm and maximum focus was to infinity or a bit beyond.
With rear reversed, minimum focus was about 40cm and maximum focus distance was 2 meters.


PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2019 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very interesting! Like 1


PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2019 1:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Outstanding replies so far. Thanks all!!

Regarding 55's examples. I think options 3 & 4 will work best with APS-C sensors.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very interesting and speaking for itself! Thank you for sharing the examples.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a word of caution about flipping elements without checking clearances can result in elements touching, a little force and damage will occur.
Happy experimenting.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2019 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lightshow wrote:
Just a word of caution about flipping elements without checking clearances can result in elements touching, a little force and damage will occur.
Happy experimenting.


I assume that's what the washer @Edgarve described is for, but I'm sure it's worth making it clear!


PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As soon as I read this post, I knew I had to give this mod a whirl (pun intended).
You see, I have this Helios 44-2 58mm f/2 with a hopelessly stuck helical, so.....

I removed the front element and put it back in reversed - it does touch the 2nd element a bit, since I didn't take the time to make up a spacer as suggested. I next screwed the lens into a thin M42-Emount helical and took a few photos in the garden. I really like the results. See below. -Paul

#1



#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7


PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2019 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^^ Nice!! ^^^


PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 1:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I see people selling them on ebay as Petzval mod (front element)

But also "trioplan mod" which sounds like the rear element, as doing the rear makes the bubble bokeh. But these sellers claim the lens will still focus to infinity. Anyone know how they are achieving that with just the rear element flipped?

When I've tried it, maximum focus distance has been greatly reduced to a few meters.


PostPosted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 8:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

fatdeeman wrote:
I see people selling them on ebay as Petzval mod (front element)

But also "trioplan mod" which sounds like the rear element, as doing the rear makes the bubble bokeh. But these sellers claim the lens will still focus to infinity. Anyone know how they are achieving that with just the rear element flipped?

When I've tried it, maximum focus distance has been greatly reduced to a few meters.


I suppose that "Trioplan mod" has more to do with removing the black peripheral warnish (or something like that) than with reversing the element, but I may be wrong.


PostPosted: Mon May 29, 2023 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When reversing the front element, max focus distance gets past infinity and minimum focus distance gets bigger. The beauty of the 44(2) is its simple design and you can easily alter the minimum and maximum focusing distance by unscrewing the lens unit. This puts the optical unit closer to your subject and has the same effect as using extension tubes. You could unscrew the whole unit and replace the aluminium washer that sits around the lens group with a thicker one so when screwing it back in everything sits tight again.