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Soviet Heavy Artillery
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:15 pm    Post subject: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

There's been a lot of Helios related topics here on the forum in the recent past, and it made me realise that I've never shot the three variants of the f/1.5 85mm lens side by side.

It's really hard to pick a firm favourite from these three, yet unlikely that I'll ever sell any of them...

L-R: Helios-40, Cyclop, Helios-40-2


Helios-40 1.5/85 in M39 mount from 1966


Cyclop 1.5/85 - fixed aperture lens (used on night-vision scope) in M42 mount from 1990


Helios-40-2 1.5/85 in M42 mount from 1990


PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They are great lenses and you have all three ?! Nice !

I kept oldest copy as possible I love them too.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is there any noticeable difference in the IQ between the three lenses?

That old one is a beauty to look at!


PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had silver three copies and also from black one.

They have own character with no significant difference. I didn't found copy variation issue all performed same. I kept oldest one with serial number 00023 or similar with 8,5cm label. This copy was less sharp wide open from all but not much .. and this lens has best character color, bokeh etc at least in my opinion. This made very close to end of ww2 I guess it is made by Zeiss people from Zeiss material etc.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Attila wrote:
They have own character with no significant difference. I didn't found copy variation issue all performed same. I kept oldest one with serial number 00023 or similar with 8,5cm label. This copy was less sharp wide open from all but not much .. and this lens has best character color, bokeh etc at least in my opinion. This made very close to end of ww2 I guess it is made by Zeiss people from Zeiss material etc.


Thanks for the info Attila. I think I would prefer the older model as well. This lens has been on my list of things to buy for a while now. To bad it's not as cheap as the 40-2 Smile


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

With a bit luck you can buy older model from Russian sellers around 200 USD.


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:44 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

Mal1905 wrote:
Cyclop 1.5/85 - fixed aperture lens (used on night-vision scope) in M42 mount from 1990


Definitely my favorite out of the bunch... for no reason other than the story behind it. Very Happy


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Attila wrote:
With a bit luck you can buy older model from Russian sellers around 200 USD.


That would be a great price. I will be looking indeed.


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:46 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

Scheimpflug wrote:
Definitely my favorite out of the bunch... for no reason other than the story behind it. Very Happy


If you don't mind me asking, what is the story behind it?


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:30 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

natebarnz wrote:
Scheimpflug wrote:
Definitely my favorite out of the bunch... for no reason other than the story behind it. Very Happy

If you don't mind me asking, what is the story behind it?


The part about it being made for night-vision scopes. Cool


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:36 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

Scheimpflug wrote:
natebarnz wrote:
Scheimpflug wrote:
Definitely my favorite out of the bunch... for no reason other than the story behind it. Very Happy

If you don't mind me asking, what is the story behind it?


The part about it being made for night-vision scopes. Cool


Oh i see. How very interesting. So it's basically wide open all the time? Any special coatings or elements to make it see better in the dark?


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:45 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

natebarnz wrote:
Oh i see. How very interesting. So it's basically wide open all the time? Any special coatings or elements to make it see better in the dark?


Hi Nate - sorry for the delay with replying, it's a time-zone thing Embarassed

This lens was originally attached to a Cyclop H3T-1 night-vision scope made for the Russian military by the Rostov Optical and Mechanical Factory (ROMZ).

It is based on the Helios-40 lens - and it has been said that these lenses were actually rejects that were instead used for military applications. There is absolutely no substantiation to this theory (about the lenses being rejects), but never let the truth get in the way of a good story Wink

If you click here, there's a thread with sample images from the lens above and some further information.


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:55 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

Mal1905 wrote:
Hi Nate - sorry for the delay with replying, it's a time-zone thing Embarassed


The combination of the time zones and the widely dispersed user base is part of what makes this forum so interesting. Cool

You can definitely tell there are "waves" of people coming in and out... Sometimes you go to bed thinking a thread was a dud, then wake up to see that it has exploded with replies. Very Happy


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:14 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

Scheimpflug wrote:
The combination of the time zones and the widely dispersed user base is part of what makes this forum so interesting. Cool

You can definitely tell there are "waves" of people coming in and out... Sometimes you go to bed thinking a thread was a dud, then wake up to see that it has exploded with replies. Very Happy


Must be nearly bed-time for you then Laughing


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:25 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

Mal1905 wrote:
Must be nearly bed-time for you then Laughing


Haha. Very Happy

Sorry for killing your thread, I'll go to bed soon I promise. Very Happy Very Happy


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:05 am    Post subject: Re: Soviet Heavy Artillery Reply with quote

Scheimpflug wrote:
Sorry for killing your thread, I'll go to bed soon I promise. Very Happy Very Happy


No need to apologise to me - it's all just fun and games Wink

I've got a mate who lives in NZ and she calls at the oddest (to me) times to tell me she's having a few beers or whatever - so at 07:00 Irish time, she's in a pub after work, or at 17:00 when I'm leaving the office, she's leaving a party at 05:00!!!


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice set of lenses, I like the first one as well. Almost as old as me Wink I don't think I will be as sharp as the lens in another 10 years time Smile


PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And a beautiful morning again for me Smile


PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aah great to see them together.
A Wide open comparison test in bright light would settle all doubt about the Cyclop, if u find time please do it. Guess u r the only one with all three.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dakoo wrote:
Aah great to see them together.
A Wide open comparison test in bright light would settle all doubt about the Cyclop, if u find time please do it. Guess u r the only one with all three.


I had hoped to do this very test last weekend, but it rained and rained and rained...

If the weather is good this weekend, I'll try to get out and do some comparison shooting - it might be good to have as a non-technical viewpoint.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mal1905 wrote:

I had hoped to do this very test last weekend, but it rained and rained and rained...

If the weather is good this weekend, I'll try to get out and do some comparison shooting - it might be good to have as a non-technical viewpoint.


Like typical weather in British Islands, heh. We are looking forward on your review =)