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"Repair" How to - make Helios 44M-6 usable with N
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 4:16 am    Post subject: "Repair" How to - make Helios 44M-6 usable with N Reply with quote

Hello,
I have this nice lens for years, but i have used it only on my Prakticas and Zenit 122. Since i turned digital with Nikon D90 i couldn't use it except wide open which is not exactly the best solution. The lens doesn't have M/A switch like pentacon auto 50/1.8 for example.
So i decided to open it, clean it and make something so i can use it.
There are some photos showing how i made it. Sorry for the quality, but my hands were greasy and i was holding the camera with just a few fingers:).
P.S. I couldn't find any examples how to do it and i decide to share my humble effort with you Smile
So, remove the screws (in red) and here you can see pin for the auto aperture(green) which had to be removed.

The pin is removed and show before the lens. Pull the aperture ring. Now remove the three screws show in red. In blue is the direction(counter clock wise) if you want to open and clean the glasses:) There is a small green dot you can see in the upper end.It's the "starter" of the auto aperture. Here we call it -Jumping aperture. I needed to keep pushed down all the time so that i can use any aperture i need, not only f2.How i make it, later:)




Now, remove those very little screws (red) and put the fixing brass parts out of the barrel -(blue)



Now remove the screw (red)



Here you can see the back lenses, show in the order they are inside the barrel.This wasn't the point, but i decided to clean them, so i pulled them out.



After i pulled out the glass elements i unscrewed the front part and i was able to clean the barrel. There was a lot of sand and dust inside:) I guess the previous owner is a sunbathing weirdo Smile


After i finish cleaning and well deep into grease i made the reverse actions. Before i put and screw the back cap i put a very small screw in to the hole of the pin for the auto aperture, but from below-show in green(hmm so, sounds complicated, but it's because of my english:)
Now, i closed the lens and it was ready for work. As you can see from the photo-there is no pin outside the barrel.


Now, a few photos i wasn't able to do until i "mend" the lens. This is a poster on my wall(it's Rio De Janeiro).ISO 800, Shutter speed 1/125 and f5.6 Hahaha, it's only one lamp on the right side of the poster Smile

The whole photo


100% Crop


200% Crop


The lens is really sharp, i can't wait to test it outside, to do some street photos with it.

I hope you liked my hmmm, experiment.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A talented and brave act. Yes, it is a good lens and probably worth the effort. Thank you for such a clear and detailed description of the adventure.


patrickh


PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Seuret
Thanks for a well photographed and informative post.
bb2


PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seuret, thanks for sharing with clear photos. Typically I will use glue and not let that pin extruded. Does any other do so?
Mike


PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

djmike wrote:
Seuret, thanks for sharing with clear photos. Typically I will use glue and not let that pin extruded. Does any other do so?
Mike


Erm... why would anyone want to do that? Okay, I can understand that sometimes people feel reluctant about M42 adapters with stop-down flanges (it escapes me as of why exactly, but nevertheless). I've seen people put a piece of a ball-pen refill to block the pin.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My favourite method of converting M42 automatic aperture to manual is to cut a piece of hollow plastic from a cotton swab (“q-tip”) and insert that over the pin inside the lens.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

aoleg wrote:
[Okay, I can understand that sometimes people feel reluctant about M42 adapters with stop-down flanges (it escapes me as of why exactly, but nevertheless).


The stop-down adapters are not compatible with all M42 lenses, because some of the lenses have extra protrusions on the rear and won't screw on properly. Also, if a lens has an auto/manual switch, it's good to have the pin free, because then the switch can be used to toggle between wide open (for focusing) and the selected shooting aperture, e.g. on an f/1.4 lens one can select f/5.6 on the aperture ring and then use the A/M switch to toggle between f/1.4 and f/5.6 without looking or counting the clicks.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Arkku wrote:

The stop-down adapters are not compatible with all M42 lenses, because some of the lenses have extra protrusions on the rear and won't screw on properly.


...which is not the case with Russian lenses, but strictly an issue with Pentax Takumars, which in turn always have those A/M switches making the fixture unnecessary (and for which I have adapters with properly sized flanges). Oh, and there are Fujica and Mamiya Sekor lenses, but those are far and between.

Arkku wrote:
Also, if a lens has an auto/manual switch, it's good to have the pin free, because then the switch can be used to toggle between wide open (for focusing) and the selected shooting aperture, e.g. on an f/1.4 lens one can select f/5.6 on the aperture ring and then use the A/M switch to toggle between f/1.4 and f/5.6 without looking or counting the clicks.


And here again one wouldn't want to glue the pin permanently.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 2:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great effort, thank you for sharing this with us :) Always a good thing to have folks disassembling AND documenting stuff.

Incidentally, out of curiosity, I ordered and just got a Nikon camera repair handbook with tips on repairing some lenses. I hope I can gather enough courage to disassemble some of my Nikkors now :)


PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 2:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

aoleg wrote:
Arkku wrote:

The stop-down adapters are not compatible with all M42 lenses, because some of the lenses have extra protrusions on the rear and won't screw on properly.


...which is not the case with Russian lenses, but strictly an issue with Pentax Takumars, which in turn always have those A/M switches making the fixture unnecessary (and for which I have adapters with properly sized flanges).


Yes, this was exactly my point; the stop-down adapter is not suitable for all lenses.

aoleg wrote:
Oh, and there are Fujica and Mamiya Sekor lenses, but those are far and between.


Only some of the best M42 mount lenses are Fujinons and Mamiya/Sekors, e.g. Mamiya's 55mm's and 135mm f/2.8, EBC Fujinons 19mm, 50mm, 55mm, 100mm, 135mm, etc. =)

But again, I never said that the stop-down adapter is bad or shouldn't be used when it can be used. You said (earlier) that it escapes you why exactly some people are reluctant to use one, and for me the reason is that the adapter is not suitable for every lens (and regular adapters are better for lenses with auto/manual switch, even if they would otherwise fit on the stop-down adapter).

Naturally there's nothing wrong with having both types of adapters, but e.g. I prefer to non-destructively convert the auto-only lenses to manual aperture instead of getting two sets of microchipped high quality adapters (with correct focal lengths for my lenses, etc).

aoleg wrote:
Arkku wrote:
Also, if a lens has an auto/manual switch, it's good to have the pin free, because then the switch can be used to toggle between wide open (for focusing) and the selected shooting aperture, e.g. on an f/1.4 lens one can select f/5.6 on the aperture ring and then use the A/M switch to toggle between f/1.4 and f/5.6 without looking or counting the clicks.


And here again one wouldn't want to glue the pin permanently.


I'm sorry, but I don't understand your point here—since the quote from my previous post is referring strictly to lenses with an A/M switch, why would one ever want to press in the pin on those instead of switching to M? (And indeed, that's the point in my quoted post; if the pin is not pressed in, the A/M switch can be useful.)


PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to use the 'q-tip' method as described above, using a plastic sleeve over the pin, as it is reversible and non-destructive, but now I have 2 m42 to k mount adapters: 1 with a flange for auto only lenses, like the Helios 44m-6 and a normal one for preset lenses like the Helios 44-2 and it seems to work well enough for me Very Happy


PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Poolhall wrote:
I have 2 m42 to k mount adapters: 1 with a flange for auto only lenses, like the Helios 44m-6 and a normal one for preset lenses like the Helios 44-2 and it seems to work well enough for me :D


Yes, Pentax has better support for M42 lenses than others. With Sony one needs to have the adapter programmed with the focal lengths of the lens for perfect in-body image stabilisation, unlike Pentax where one can choose it from a menu… So, a lot more expensive to get chipped adapters for various focal lengths in two versions.

(Of course, one could just do without image stabilisation, after all, that's what all film and Canon DSLR M42 users have to do anyways. But it's hard to be without once accustomed to it… =)


PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello,

do you know the Dog Schidt Optiks lenses? http://nofilmschool.com/2013/03/dog-schidt-optiks-modifying-vintage-russian/

my question is: can I do the same? Like what do I have to do to get ultra low contrast? Since you all know this very well I thought you could help me out! Thanks a lot Smile