Todays hike with the Helios-44K-4 (8 photos)

RenseH · Expire: 2013-01-14

Last week, I ordered a K-mount Helios-44K-4, since I love my M42 Helios-44M, and I sold my 44M-4 to a friend... It arrived yesterday from Latvia, and I mounted it on my camera today to join me during a hike through Northeastern Twente, NL. These shots are all made during this hike, and all with the above mentioned lens. All but the mushroom are made at f/2, the max aperture of this lens. The mushroom was made at about f/4.

I think I'll keep this copy..... Surprised

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symphonic · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 566 Location: SE Europe, Croatia

Very nice shots! Wink

Davidus · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 190 Location: Prague, CZE

Nice. You have really good copy.

Attila · Expire: 2021-11-18

Davidus · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 190 Location: Prague, CZE

I guess, Attila, you're right Wink

BTW I have a 44-2 and its optical quality is more than good. Unfortunately have little mechanical problem and sometimes about a third of pic is not sharp as rest of it. It is fixable, but I'm not able to do it Rolling Eyes

Attila · Expire: 2021-11-18

Dirt cheap lens and pretty common take an another one, this is most economical way in my opinion.

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

while it is true, all of renses photos are wonderful, i have to say the mushrooms really pop. i wonder if you think its because that one was stopped down to f4?

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

Attila · Expire: 2021-11-18

Stopped down always help a lot in my opinion , I did start to test all lenses at F5.6 as common sense for speed and availability for most lenses. When I saw many great photos taken at F8 with common lenses like Helios 44 I did start to use F8 at least if possible. I guess my success ratio is highly increased.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

It is difficult and also not really correct to make a general statement, because every lens is a world apart, but, usually, f/8 is a point where most lenses except for modern big slow AF zooms have past their optimal peak "spot" performance, but usually have still good spot performance coupled with more uniform rendition over the whole frame.

In other words, the best point (sweet spot) of a typical lens whose widest aperture is between f/2 and f/2.8, is found at f/5.6 (and usually in the centre); while the most uniform rendition is found at f/8, where the centre is a bit weaker than f/5.6 but the edges are better than f/5.6

Like I said, this is a generalization, which is not really good, because each lens is a case apart.
Besides, many fast lenses have their sweet spot earlier, like at f/2.8 or f/4

Another thing to consider, this generalization works better for full frame cameras. For crop cameras, which usually pack more sensor cells in a smaller space, diffraction enters the scene earlier. For instance, while a 5D is safely shot also at f/11, a 50D (camera that I own) begins to show diffraction already at f/8.
For Micro 4/3 the situation might be even worse, I have no sure data but I would not be surprised if a micro 4/3 sensor would cause diffraction to appear already at f/5.6

So to recap, on a full frame camera, or on a film camera, an aperture of f/5.6 (or earlier if the lens is very fast) can be considered the best choice to show the maximum sharpness in the best area of the image. While an aperture of f/8 can be considered the best choice if you want to emphasize the whole frame performance (including corners) rather than the single sweet spot point performance.

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rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

my totally non technical probably silly rule of thumb was/is sweet spot of any lens for non infinity focus is double its open aperture, eg a 2.0 lens is best at 4.0, a 2.8 open ap lens best at 5.6 etc. and then add 1 more stop to that to get the best of that same lens at infinity focus. so the 2.0 lens best at infinity at 5.6; the 2.8 at 8.0 etc

again that is just my silly rule that helps me, but it probably is totally unsupportable!

Embarassed

Davidus · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 190 Location: Prague, CZE

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

rbelyell · Expire: 2014-01-31

wow! that IS some weak sun! typically in mid day sun 100 asa at 5.6 yields shutter speed of 1000!

of course there are many reasons to shoot at apertures other than the lens 'sweet' spot; and many more reasons not to use my silly rule!

Nikos · Expire: 2015-01-02

Attila · Expire: 2021-11-18

RenseH · Expire: 2013-01-14

Davidus · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 190 Location: Prague, CZE

One question, Rense.
What do you think? Is 44-4 better then 44-2?

RenseH · Expire: 2013-01-14

Davidus · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 190 Location: Prague, CZE

Never mind. I think, 44-2 will be good again.