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Joosep
Joined: 25 Jan 2010
Posts: 305
Location: Estonia, Tallinn
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 Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:14 pm Post subject: Helios 44-3 with samples ! |
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Joosep wrote:
So got this beauty for 10€.
It seems its made in 1985, so she is pretty young for a russian.
The build quality is very good, from the first look, the IQ seems better than than other 44s (Ill have to give it some further testing).
To you all who have 44s out there, take a look at this. Wide open shot straight into a bulb. The coating is pretty striking.
The focussing ring is protruding, so you cant use it with adapters and most M42 cameras. I sought to solve this problem. After two hours of mega tiring filing....
The lens is now PERFECT !
Edit: Did some first testing with the lens.
All shots are wide open without PP. Neutral straight from camera (30D).
Here are some ...
This one made my head go SWOOSH.
About swirly... It only works in certain range...
Look at this... Gonna go closer and closer...
Now Im gonna show you something. This puppy was certainly made for closeups. Really close vs. infinity.
Well I like the lens so far. Has character and MC. If it only would be a little faster...
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The future is analogue.
23 cameras, 25 lenses and counting.
Last edited by Joosep on Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:13 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
Posts: 4060
Location: Charleston
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| Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:07 pm Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
Or you might have bought one with a serial number past 90#####.
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Woodrim |
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estudleon
Joined: 15 May 2008
Posts: 3754
Location: Argentina
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| Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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estudleon wrote:
Joosep.
Can the lens be focused to infinito in this way?
Rino.
_________________
Konica 2,8/100
CZJ: 4/20, 2,4/35, 1,8/50 aus jena, 3,5/135MC, Pentacon 1,8/50
Pentax S-M-C-1,4/50
Helios 44-3
Mamiya 2,8/135
Misc. : jupiter 9
Stuff used:
A) SRL
Alpa 10 D - kern macro Switar 1,9/50 -black, Kilffit apochromat 2/100.
Asahi pentax spotmatic super takumar 1,4/50
Contaflex super B tessar 2,8/50 Pro-tessar 115
Leica R3 electronic summicron 2/50 elmarit 2,8/35
Konica Autoreflex 3 (2 black and chrome one), TC, T4. 2,8/24, 3,5/28 not MC and MC, 1,8/40, 1,4/50, 1,7/50 MC and not MC, 1,8/85, 3,2/135, 3,5/135, 4/200
Minolta XG9 2,8/35, 2/45, 3,5/135
Nikkormat FTn 1,4/50, 2,8/135
Fujica ST 801, 605, 705n. 3,5/19, 1,4/50, 1,8/55, 4/85, 3,5/135.
Praktica MTL 5 and a lot of M42 lenses.
Voigtlander. Bessamatic m, bessamatix de luxe, bessamatic cs, ultramatic and ultramatic cs.
Skoparex 3,5/35, skopagon 2/40, skopar 2,8/50, skopar X 2,8/50, super lanthar (out of catalogue) 2,8/50, dinarex 3,4/90, dinarex 4,8/100, super dinarex 4/135, super dinarex 4/200, zoomar 2,8/36-83, portrait lens 0, 1 and 2. Curtagon 4/28 and 2,8/35
Canon AV1, 1,8/50
Rolleiflex SL35 and SL35 E. 2,8/35 angulon, 2,8/35 distagon, 1,4/55 rolleinar, 1,8/50 planar, 4/135 tessar, 2,8/135 rolleinar, x2 rollei, M42 to rollei adap.
Etc.
RF
Yashica Minister III
Voightlander Vito, vitomatic I, Vito C, etc.
Leica M. M2, M3 (d.s.) and M4. Schenider 3,4/21, 2/35 summaron 2,8/35 (with eyes). Summicron 2/35 (8 elements with eyes), 2/35 chrome, 2/35 black, 1,4/35 pre asph and aspheric - old -, 2/40 summicron, 2,8/50 elmar, 2/50 7 elements, 2/50 DR, 2/50 - minolta version, 1,4/50 summilux 1966 version, 1,4/75 summilux, 2/90 large version, 2/90 reduced version of 1987, 2,8/90 elmarit large version, 4/135 elmar. |
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Jeff Zen
Joined: 17 Jun 2009
Posts: 262
Location: Northwest USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 12:17 am Post subject: |
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Jeff Zen wrote:
| woodrim wrote: |
| Or you might have bought one with a serial number past 90#####. |
Congratulations. Nice job! With respects to woodrim, the earlier models of this lens are much more likely to be superior. After the fall of the Soviet Union some materials became scarce and often quality control suffered. The earlier coating seems very different and better too, at least to me. I am not super-expert, but I have tried many 44-3 lenses throughout it's production. I like the early ones better. A file or rough sandpaper, and some elbow-grease is all you need. This is an amazing portrait lens.
I love your pictures! |
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Joosep
Joined: 25 Jan 2010
Posts: 305
Location: Estonia, Tallinn
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:43 am Post subject: |
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Joosep wrote:
| Jeff Zen wrote: |
| woodrim wrote: |
| Or you might have bought one with a serial number past 90#####. |
Congratulations. Nice job! With respects to woodrim, the earlier models of this lens are much more likely to be superior. After the fall of the Soviet Union some materials became scarce and often quality control suffered. The earlier coating seems very different and better too, at least to me. I am not super-expert, but I have tried many 44-3 lenses throughout it's production. I like the early ones better. A file or rough sandpaper, and some elbow-grease is all you need. This is an amazing portrait lens.
I love your pictures! |
Thats exactly what I have concluded too ! Thanks!
| estudleon wrote: |
Joosep.
Can the lens be focused to infinito in this way?
Rino. |
Yes. The focussing ring is static to the mount, so all you need to do is file off 3 mm and your good to go. Im gonna test it some further today and tomorrow.
_________________
The future is analogue.
23 cameras, 25 lenses and counting. |
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aoleg
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Posts: 1387
Location: Berlin, DE
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:46 am Post subject: |
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aoleg wrote:
This one is made by Belomo, a Belorussian factory. They had their own, very characteristic barrel design.
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List of lenses |
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martinsmith99
Joined: 31 Aug 2008
Posts: 6950
Location: S Glos, UK
Expire: 2013-11-18
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 6:04 am Post subject: |
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martinsmith99 wrote:
Great work, but the OCD in me wants to see a smooth painted finsh. 
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Casual attendance these days |
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Joosep
Joined: 25 Jan 2010
Posts: 305
Location: Estonia, Tallinn
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Joosep wrote:
| martinsmith99 wrote: |
| Great work, but the OCD in me wants to see a smooth painted finsh. |
You can always paint it....
_________________
The future is analogue.
23 cameras, 25 lenses and counting. |
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woodrim
Joined: 14 Jan 2010
Posts: 4060
Location: Charleston
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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woodrim wrote:
| Jeff Zen wrote: |
| woodrim wrote: |
| Or you might have bought one with a serial number past 90#####. |
Congratulations. Nice job! With respects to woodrim, the earlier models of this lens are much more likely to be superior. After the fall of the Soviet Union some materials became scarce and often quality control suffered. The earlier coating seems very different and better too, at least to me. I am not super-expert, but I have tried many 44-3 lenses throughout it's production. I like the early ones better. A file or rough sandpaper, and some elbow-grease is all you need. This is an amazing portrait lens.
I love your pictures! |
Are you talking image quality or build quality? I now have 44-2, 44-3, and 44M-7 and have a difficult time seeing any difference. But with build quality, I think the 44-2 feels much better focusing. The 44M-7 aperture ring feels too clunky.
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Regards,
Woodrim |
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Jeff Zen
Joined: 17 Jun 2009
Posts: 262
Location: Northwest USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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Jeff Zen wrote:
| woodrim wrote: |
Are you talking image quality or build quality? I now have 44-2, 44-3, and 44M-7 and have a difficult time seeing any difference. But with build quality, I think the 44-2 feels much better focusing. The 44M-7 aperture ring feels too clunky. |
I am talking about quality control optically. Some later models I have tested definitely seemed softer on one side or the other wide open. Again, I am no scientist expert, but the lens coating on the early ones seems much better to me. I suspect that Belomo cut corners on later runs of this lens due to chemical shortages, but one would have to examine and test a large number of lenses to be sure. The build quality on the 44-3 is decent but you have to make sure those little screws on the focusing ring stay tightened. They will slowly work themselves loose.
Woodrim, I agree the 44-2 feels better focusing.
I could post a photo to show difference in coating on the 44-3 if you like, but that doesn't prove much. |
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Joosep
Joined: 25 Jan 2010
Posts: 305
Location: Estonia, Tallinn
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| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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Joosep wrote:
I have a 44-2 by JOV (Valdai) made in 1984 and I have a 44-2 by KMZ made in 1971. The KMZ one is mechanically perfect, super smooth, the finish of everything is superb. JOV version looks like total crap, the finish on the metal is very poor, the color on the writings has faded.
But I think all this is a good. Lemons keep the price down and if you know what to look for, you can get it something really good for peanuts.
There are also the double 0 special ones out there.
I think its hard to show the decline in lenses because the quality of different manufacturers varied alot. So Its easier to see the difference in camera bodies. Its sayd that the last good Zenit was the 12 and after 1989 the russians havent made one sturdy camera, everything just breaks down (ive had/have zenits to back up this theory).
My russian lens with the best contrast and color rendering is the Mir-24 MC by KMZ made in 1984.
I have played around with some russians from the 60-70s. They are like TANKS. Super heavy, sturdy, never fail.
_________________
The future is analogue.
23 cameras, 25 lenses and counting. |
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