Complete list of Helios lenses - getting closer

Zeeke · Joined: 17 Apr 2010 Posts: 174 Location: Sweden

This is my Helios 44M-7 with a different design than the 44M-7 I have owned previously.
It is from 1996 and is slightly lighter and with a matt finish.

a20010494 · Joined: 15 Feb 2010 Posts: 396 Location: Perú.

symphonic · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 550 Location: SE Europe, Croatia

Is this a Valdai manufactured 44M-4? If so, does it mean it's probably better than KMZ or any other?

I know this question has been asked a lot of times, but what's the general consensus on the best manufacturer or the best versions of Helios-44? I know that the later models (6,7) have MC, but optically they all have the Biotar design, so the main differences would be in build quality (depends on manufacturer) and coating, right?

edit: and also, what does resolution mean in Jiri's posts (like 41/20)? Is it better for the numbers to be higher?

dimitrygo · Joined: 01 Apr 2009 Posts: 561

symphonic · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 550 Location: SE Europe, Croatia

Thanks, dimitrygo! Wink

Univer · Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 282

Hi All,

Per request (and with apologies for being so slow about it!), I'm adding a few quick snaps to this marvelously helpful thread.

First up: an early Type 1(a) Helios-44 - the version that stops down to f/22 (the aperture ring design is slightly different from the commonly encountered model as well). As the pictures show, this is a lens that has "seen life" (as Matanle might put it), but it produces lovely images. I'll leave to no-X the decision whether to give this model its own number/letter designation (Type 0?), or to subdivide the TYpe 1(a) category.
(Detailed information: lens name in Cyrillic; maximum aperture given as 1:2; focal length given as F=5,8cm; serial number given as No000XXX; red Π symbol present; 13 aperture blades)

Next: a much later lens - a Helios-44-2 that falls into category 1(b) (KMZ, black, colored lettering), but which has a "0" serial number. Since evidence seems to suggest that the Type 1(b) appeared circa 1974, this serial number is a minor mystery. It may or may not be relevant in this connection, but I should note that this lens came to me attached to a Kalimar-rebadged Zenit - an export model.
(Detailed information: lens name in English; maximum aperture/focal length given as 85/2; serial number given as 0XXXXXX; 8 aperture blades)

Finally - and there's nothing really terribly unusual about this one - a Helios-40 that falls into the Type 1 category for this lens, but with a "00" serial number. I thought the image might be useful by way of reference.
(Detailed information: lens name in Cyrillic; maximum aperture given as 1:1,5; focal length given as F=8,5cm; serial number given as No00XXXX; red Π symbol present)

Many thanks to no-X for all his hard work, and for the tremendously useful results!

Cheers,

Jon

pat donnelly · Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:01 am Post subject:

Very creditable effort and most educational! Well started and many thanks! I look forward to helping in due course.

Univer · Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 282

Hi All,

Just ran across an "Auto Cosmogon" branded Helios-44M (KMZ) with an odd six-digit 00XXXX serial number. My first thought is that these rebadged lenses must have been assigned a separate series of numbers, and that would account for the "00" here. Do you reckon that makes sense?

Focal length and maximum aperture are also designated differently from the practice I've seen on other 44-Ms. Instead of "58/2", it's "1:2" followed by "F=58mm".

Cheers,

Jon

Phenix jc · Joined: 19 Dec 2009 Posts: 398 Location: France

Hi no-X,

FYI, I have a black HELIOS-40 which exactly looks like a 40-2
Sérial number "N700xxx"
M42 in brown case with the 3 usual B&W filters.
Filter thread 67x0,75

...BUT, I can't use normal 67mm filters on it. (lens nor filters)
I suspect that, despite what is written on the filters, it is still a 66x0,75 thread (!) The thread seems a little too thin or narrow. Strange, isn't it ?

So, I use the filters as lenshood.

One or twice, I've read owners of others HELIOS 40-2 named only 40.

Hari · Expire: 2015-05-27

Thought it might be nice to see a few Helios 44's and 77's in one box

[very quick and dirty - don't mind the bad quality of the images - will replace them with nicer ones when I get back home]

convert1 · Joined: 05 Aug 2008 Posts: 100 Location: Germany

It is nice to see so much version of helios 58mm f2, here is one of mine "Helios 44M1 , 2 blades only (cheap version ??)

Hari · Expire: 2015-05-27

themoleman342 · Expire: 2013-01-24

That's really interesting! Same aperture design as the Zenitar MC ME-1 1.7/50mm? That lens was designed for the Zenit 18 and had electronic coupling. The Helios 44m1 doesn't have contacts on the back portion does it?

convert1 · Joined: 05 Aug 2008 Posts: 100 Location: Germany

Correct, the helios 44M1 doesn't have any electrical contacts on the back portion, this lens produces very strange bokeh (stop down of course). I guess optical design is the same like another version as well.

gearsNcogs · Joined: 20 Oct 2010 Posts: 215

My Helios just came in today, so I decided to snap a couple of shots of it to add to the database.

Helios 44 (Type 1f), 2/58, N0xxxxxx, 8 blades, M42 mount

banpei · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 10

Mine came in yesterday as well:

A second generation (44-2) zebra lens M42. I basically bought it to compare it with my first generation Helios 44

It also features a nice low serial number: N0000525! Shocked

BTW: my other Helios 44 is like the one with the 2 blades but then instead with 8 blades. Wink

gearsNcogs · Joined: 20 Oct 2010 Posts: 215

look at that serial number! Shocked

banpei · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 10

no-X · Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 10:16 pm Post subject:

I updated the list a bit... I splitted Helios-44 version 1a to two groups: 1a now means the f/22 model and 1b means f/16 model. Many thanks to Univer for pointing this difference. Btw. it seems quite likely, that some rebadged lenses were marked by different serial numbers...

Hari: If you will be bored, could you share serials of the lenses? E.g. 44k-4 MC: 84xxx... ? Smile

convert1: very interesting lens... I added it to the list - could you find its serial number?

banpei: I think the zero at the begining means it was made in 1970... maybe it's 525th lens made in MMZ factory during 1970? Smile

alegen · Joined: 06 Aug 2010 Posts: 12

no-X · Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 12:24 pm Post subject:

As for Helios and Mir lenses - both "K" and "M" lenses have automatic diaphragm. But K-marked Helios lenses have K-mount, while M-lenses have M42 mount (and H/N for Nikon mount).

As for Jupiters, some M-marked models have automatic diaphragm (21M), others have pre-set system (37AM). According to some rumours, M can mean "modern" regarding Jupiters.

alegen · Joined: 06 Aug 2010 Posts: 12

I've just translated info from the link above:

banpei · Joined: 28 Oct 2010 Posts: 10

alegen · Joined: 06 Aug 2010 Posts: 12

The earliest Helios-44 I ever saw:

Export Helos-44 by MMZ "Zebra" with strange number 90XXXXX:

Homemade hood for Helios-44. Looks funny, works good! =)
White cap on the left used for Custom WB.

Scheimpflug · Expire: 2011-11-18