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Comparison shots : Biotar 58/2 1Q & Helios 44-3 58/2 MC
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:12 pm    Post subject: Comparison shots : Biotar 58/2 1Q & Helios 44-3 58/2 MC Reply with quote

I just want to share some comparison shots between CZJ Biotar 58/2 1Q & Helios 44-3 58/2 MC.

BIOTAR


HELIOS


BIOTAR


HELIOS


PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let's see some swirly wirly bokeh ... Smile

BIOTAR


HELIOS


BIOTAR


HELIOS


BIOTAR (I shot this after the Helios and the sunset light was gone so it looked dull compare to Helios shot below)


HELIOS


PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll do some shots for CA, flare & sharpness check later Smile


PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lovely samples!


PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow so similar its almost as though they are the same lens!
Excellent comparison btw.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 2:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

very, very similar. As one is a copy of another. And very good Laughing


PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the comments.

Just got time this afternoon to compare the flare handling of each lens.

First, the sun in the frame.

BIOTAR



HELIOS


PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Still sun in the frame with vertical orientation.

BIOTAR



HELIOS


PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The sun outside the frame .... well, not completely I think Smile

BIOTAR


HELIOS


PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the Helios has an edge on the Biotar.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Ron is right! I like the Helios.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you just have to find correct version. There is much difference between them.
Cool


PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good comparison.

Nothing much between them. The 44-3 may have slightly more swilies going on in one of the samples.

I suspect the Biotar may be sharper, but I cannot judge at this size.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the comments.

By the way, below is the front element coating color of each lens.






PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:29 am    Post subject: Great work! Reply with quote

Helios is an excellent example! Better than the original.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 5:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nixland wrote:
Thanks for the comments.

By the way, below is the front element coating color of each lens.




Looks like my copy - mine is from '53 and has some coating damage, but I don't see any issue with photos. It has a semi-auto aperture that needs to be cocked before shooting (spring mechanism), right? I didn't do any testing like you did, but from casual use, I couldn't tell the difference between this and the Helios-44. I was surprised that I liked the build of the Helios more than the build of this Zeiss.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 6:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will say I <3 the flaring 100% more from the Helios! Thanks for posting this!


PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2019 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That Helios is a lens from 1993 with much more modern coatings than the Biotar. Explains the difference in flare and slightly warmer rendering.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2019 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

D1N0 wrote:
That Helios is a lens from 1993 with much more modern coatings than the Biotar. Explains the difference in flare and slightly warmer rendering.


It does, however, not explain the better rendering and better sharpness of the Helios ... and FWIW .. my 44-3 shows exactly the same type of behaviour compared to my Biotar "red T" ... ergo, it is a tad better in every respect.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2019 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How do both compare with the konica hexanon 57/1,4 and Minolta MC 58/1,4 lenses (aka japanese Biotar).


PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2019 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rigel wrote:
D1N0 wrote:
That Helios is a lens from 1993 with much more modern coatings than the Biotar. Explains the difference in flare and slightly warmer rendering.


It does, however, not explain the better rendering and better sharpness of the Helios ... and FWIW .. my 44-3 shows exactly the same type of behaviour compared to my Biotar "red T" ... ergo, it is a tad better in every respect.


Contrast + Resolution = 'Sharpness', if I'm remembering my rules of thumb correctly. So a more contrasty, (say better control of flare and veiling glare), coating can provide for better 'sharpness'. Q.E.D. ? So it could be down to more modern coatings, or more accurately, I couldn't rule it out based on the information provided here.

Of course I'm making this argument while looking at something rather obvious - the 'G' on the statues bottom. In terms of delivering contrast, the Biotar appears to be handling flare and glare better than the Helios.

On rendering, I always think of it as a subjective matter, but I could be wrong.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 15, 2019 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AFAIK, the contrast + acutance + resolving power + flare resistence + nivel of CA = sharpness .

The last is almost always a combo of characteristics of the lens.

Long time ago Sharpness = resolving power.

Not now.

I don't think that exist a lens with "10" un sharpness, because all the designs are compromisos between some corrections of aberrations.

Inside those designs there are one or more of them that like to each of us.

I'm still in love with the Kern Macro Switar 50/1,9 in Alpa mount.

The Helios 44-3 is a very good lens.

A must have


PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2021 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks a lot for sharing the test results. I would be very hesitant if I saw these before getting Biotar. One thing I saw in many many comments was fact that Helios QC has been arbitrary compared to Biotar. I would be very happy if I was lucky enough to get an offer for a guaranteed good copy. Apparently you are. Very happy with you.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2021 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had and have a few Helios lenses over the years and have never seen a bad one. I usually buy the KMZ ones.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2021 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

martinsmith99 wrote:
I had and have a few Helios lenses over the years and have never seen a bad one. I usually buy the KMZ ones.


I once ended up with three 44-2, one 44-3, one 44-4 and a M, all KMZ. Compared all of them at infinity, only for color and sharpness (no flare resistance or CA or bokeh, etc). The 44-3, supposedly sharper than previous ones, was the worst of them all. Probably a bad copy or a manipulated one. The 44-2 and the 44-4 were indistinguishable. The M maybe, being very picky, slightly worse. Colors in the 44-4 slightly warmer. But differences were minimal, except for the less sharp 44-3. A pity I don't have the pictures anymore (I clean up disk space once in a while). Now I don't keep any of them, I got tired of the Helios Smile