Helios 44 Lens Overview

This review presents exactly old Helios-44 lens 2/58 for M39 thread, and not its subsequent modifications. Its number 0220423, issued at the Krasnogorsk Mechanical Plant (KMZ), as evidenced by the emblem of the plant on the lens. Also, part of the old white Helios-44 was produced in Belarus.

Aperture limits 2.0-16.0
Number of aperture blades: 13
Thread: M39
Focal length: 58mm
Optical design: 6 elements in 4 groups

Helios 44 lens overview, front view on a modern camera

Helios 44 lens overview, front view on a modern camera

The optical design was taken from Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2 / 58. Zeiss lenses are still famous for their excellent quality and picture.

Photo at Helios-44

Photo at Helios-44

The lens has a classic white metal frame, typical of its years of production. Resolution 35/14 lines / mm. Focusing range from 0.5 meter to infinity. Note that there was also a Helios-44 for "Start" with a special bayonet mount. You can look at Helios-44 2/58 with 8 aperture blades.

Photo at Helios-44

Photo at Helios-44

The first thing, of course, that catches your eye is his white metal frame, which looks unusual on a black camera.

Sample photo on Helios 44

Sample photo on Helios 44

Advantages of the Helios 44 lens:

  1. Excellent aperture. What does the lens have enough sharp already at full aperture. On F / 2.0, good sharpness is obtained, which allows you to use it in poor lighting, and on 2.0 you can get good portraits.
  2. There is aperture preset ring. You can set the aperture to the desired value, focus on sharpness with the F / 2.0 aperture fully open, close the ring to the set value and take a picture.

    The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

    The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

  3. This lens can be used with full-frame cameras. On the crop matrix, the angle of the field of view is narrowed, the equivalent angle will be as for 87mm in the full frame. This is a great focal length. for portraiture, because the lens is great for photographing portraits - and therefore it is still very loved by modern photographers.
  4. Excellent sharpness. This lens is one of the first, after it there were a large number of modifications, different models were produced at different factories. In general, modifications of Helios-44 (m2, m3, m4, etc.) made it one of the most popular lenses in the world. Because of this, in later periods there was more marriage and later versions are considered to be worse in quality in comparison with such old people as Helios-44. Remember that when gossip becomes obsolete, they become myths. So the myth was created, that Helios are rather unpleasant lenses.

    The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

    The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

  5. Its design will survive both me and you, my dear reader. This is not modern Chinese plastic. Illusions about the super-high quality of modern lenses, like teeth, are lost with age. Helios-44 removes so far.
  6. 13-blade aperture... Only a few of the modern afto-focus lenses can boast of this number. From the manual: only Jupiter-37a, Jupiter-11, Tair-11 can compete with this Helios in terms of the number of petals and the correctness of circles in the blur zone. It's funny that the diaphragm has an odd number of blades, which is not typical for Soviet optics. With a circular aperture, you can easily get rid of the “nuts” in the bokeh, which are very undesirable for portraits.
The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

Disadvantages:

  1. Inconvenient focuser ring, described the problem below.
  2. Weakly holds lateral light.

The bokeh is excellent, slightly twisted in the Helios (Biotar) style. But in my opinion Helios-44 twists bokeh much less than its subsequent modifications. HA noticeable only on open diaphragms when closely studied. Lens gives a sharp, but at the same time soft picture (sharp contours, but even and soft color filling). On crop, I did not notice a serious drop in sharpness at the edges of the frame, nor was there a visible vignette. In order not to read a lot - see the gallery on Helios-44 in this review. (Pictures 1600 * 1200 are adjusted to the size of your display to open the picture completely, just copy the address of the image and paste it into the browser line).

How to use with modern cameras?

Lenses with an M39 mounting thread (for SLR cameras, M39 X 1 / 45.2), such as the lens from this review, are very easy to use on almost any modern digital camera (both SLR and mirrorless), for this you just need to choose correct adapter. The cheapest adapters can be found aliexpress.com

For use on modern digital SLR cameras Canon EOS need M39-Canon EOS adapter, you can buy such an adapter (adapter) here. Also, an adapter M39-Canon EOS can be easily replaced with two adapters: M42-Canon EOS + M39-M42. Detailed information on the use of such lenses with any Canon EOS cameras will find here.

An adapter is required for use on Nikon SLR cameras M39-Nikon F, you can buy such an adapter (adapter) without a lens and a chip here. Also, one adapter M39-Nikon F can be easily replaced with two adapters: M42-Nikon F + M39-M42. Detailed information on the use of such lenses with any modern Nikon cameras will find here.

How to use this lens with cameras of other systems (Pentax, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung, Sigma etc.) - ask in the comments and you will be prompted. If you have any questions on compatibility and adapters, ask in the comments (comments do not require any registration at all, any user can add a comment).

Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.

 

Sample photo on Helios 44

Sample photo on Helios 44

Features to watch out for:

It turned out to be quite enough for me inconvenient focusing ring. That is, the focuser is arranged rather inconveniently near the camera mount, the ribbed “nut” of the focuser is also located on the side of the mount, and the second part of the focuser is smooth metal, which is also not very pleasant and convenient to turn.

The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

Aperture has fixed values ​​from 2.0 to 16.0. The lens on the cropped matrix becomes very sharp at 2.8-5.6. Helios 44 has a single-layer enlightenment, which does not greatly help in the fight against backlight and side light. The resulting picture on a fully open aperture exceeds all my expectations.

The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

The photo on Helios-44 is old, white, with 13 aperture blades. No processing.

Reviews for the Helios-44 2/58 lenses:

  1. Helios-44 2/58 [KMZ, 13 petals, M39, silver, No. 0220423]
  2. Helios-44 2/58 [KMZ, 8 petals, M39, silver]
  3. Helios-44 1: 2 F = 5,8 cm П [KMZ with replaced lenses, No. 0007220, review of the lens from the reader Radozhiva]
  4. HELIOS-44M 2/58 [KMZ, 8 petals, serial number 7843528]
  5. HELIOS-44M 2/58 [Jupiter plant, Valdai, 8 petals, serial number 8027170]
  6. HELIOS-44-2 2/58 [plant 'Jupiter', Valdai, 8 petals, serial number 83052779] + autofocus review
  7. MS Helios 44-3 2/58 [MMZ, 8 petals, 8619437, 9167912]
  8. MC Helios-44M-4 2/58
  9. Helios-44K-4 58mm 1:2 [KMZ, 6 petals, Pentax K]
  10. MC Helios-44M-4 58mm 1: 2 [plant 'Jupiter', Valdai, 6 petals] + autofocus review
  11. MC Helios-44M-5 58mm 1: 2 [Jupiter plant, Valdai, 6 petals]
  12. MC Helios-44M-6 58mm 1: 2 [plant 'Jupiter', Valdai, 6 petals]
  13. MC Helios-44M-7 58mm 1: 2 [plant 'Jupiter', Valdai, 6 petals]
  14. An article about most of the major modifications of the Helios-44 series
  15. Gallery of pictures on MC Helios-44M-4
  16. Look at modern the lenses 'Helios' can at this link
  17. A lot of Helios of all varieties can be found on ebay this link

Original 'Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2/58 ':

  1. Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 1: 2 f = 5,8cm T [17 diaphragm blades, M42]
  2. Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2 / 58 T [12 diaphragm blades, M42]
  3. A lot of Biotars of all varieties can be found on ebay this link

Look at modern the lenses 'Zenitar' и 'Helios' can at this link.

All photos in the gallery below and throughout the review - without processing (NEF, Auto tone, Resize and JPEG convert Q80%, watermark)

UPDATED

Examples of photos on Helios-44 2/58 (13 petals) and a camera Nikon D810 photographer shared with readers of Radozhiva Anastasia Tretyakova.

Results

A great old-tempered lens, suitable for all types of shooting. For cameras with a cropped matrix, it serves as a good short portrait portrait, since already at F2.0 it gives a high-quality image.

Familiarity with the Soviet Helios brand lenses I recommend starting with an inexpensive and common lens Helios-44-2 2/58 (aka HELIOS-44-2 2/58). The following links can look at modern lenses Zenitar и HELIOS.

Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: Igor-Vitebsk

 

 

Comments: 335, on the topic: Helios-44 lens review

  • Igor

    Yes it does. Only ONCE AGAIN read ATTENTIVELY my answer.

  • Igor

    Hello, Sorry, I have a question for you. Has a Helios 44 lens 2/58 m-39 (without letters and numbers) No. 6046539 black, a focus ring with white faces, found only white, if you know tell the manufacturer and year of manufacture. Thank you in advance. The answer is preferably to the email stap.m@yandex.ru

  • pasha

    Please tell me how to install Helios 44 on the canon 650d without the risk of damaging the mirror?

    • igor

      M42 adapter

  • Irina

    What is the approximate cost of such a lens?

    • Sergei

      Irina)) ... turn on Ibei or Avito)) ... about 3000t, well, this is the maximum ... see the ads ... for someone who does not know this is an old grandfather's piece of iron lying in the closet)) ... I bought this handsome man with Zenith 3M and a case for 3000r (g Samara).

    • Dmitriy

      took this (gray 13lep.) 100UAH. = $ 12 (in May 2013)
      (Simple) Nice collection lens!
      The drawing is "slightly original", but without something outstanding ... you have to take it for that kind of money, but you shouldn't expect anything supernatural.
      very easy to prevent (easily disassembled, lubricated, etc.).

      After good lubrication “1. Inconvenient focuser ring” - it ceases to be a problem - walks with one finger (lubrication - cyatim).

  • Novel

    Jupiter 9 can reach out on the number of aperture blades, if I’m not mistaken they have 15.

  • Arthur

    For the sake of interest, I conducted a small test of Helios-44 and Helios-44-2
    :)
    http://fotoyarsk.okis.ru/gelios.html

  • Sergei

    there are many helios 44 different models prices from 1700 to 3 tr post office boss.wret@mail.ru Voronezh write or call 9003023540

  • Ilya

    Today I came across a copy called Helios 44 P. It is very strange that its number is 0005482. What year is it? And I have never heard of P variations.

    • Sergiksuper

      found information what they did from 1956 to 1960 then stopped typing the letter

  • a guest

    I got this lens in satisfactory condition with a four-digit number from the first lots but without the letter P already. The aperture and focus ring rotated with difficulty, but the lenses are in a new state. After the bulkhead, everything began to spin as if these 50 years had not happened at all, probably for a long time without work. It behaves unpredictably, then as sharp as a razor (sharper among Helios in his hands did not hold), then it lathers slightly, then there is a problem with color temperature. In general, when I get in, the soul rejoices, the background twists like Helios-40-2. In general, my lens.

    • a guest

      The lens manifests itself in all its glory under certain conditions. I leave myself from Helios 77M-4 and this super sharp copy, because they have a different color formula and cover most of my needs.

  • anonym

    The lens is just Supper! If there are hands, then he will prove himself fully, but the adjustment he needs is as professional as possible.

    • a guest

      So for sure, without adjustment it could not do. I had to adjust the working length of the carcass.

  • Vladimir

    Brothers, how to set infinity on Nokon ... There is a lens, and you don't need to hammer it with a sledgehammer or sharpen it with a file !!!!!!!!!! ????????? Sharpen the adapter - it will be cheaper, especially since the full description is already there:
    https://radojuva.com.ua/wp-content/big/infinity-for-helios-44-2.pdf
    Fast, easy, safe!

  • Novel

    Thanks for the review! I got such a lens from the father-in-law in a completely new condition. I just broke my Canon EF 50mm f1.8 .. I took it with me on a trip and used it for night shooting. Very clear, but with backlight, contrast is lost and there are glare. Although the photos are obtained with some zest. Here are a couple of examples: http://roman-shymko.com/topic/helios-44m/

  • Jury

    for "Helios 44" - in my humble experience, KMZ lenses are better assembled, and the blackening of the diaphragm blades is better - it's matte, but! it's all only on white ones - with 39 threads, black are almost all the same - if our "kulibins" didn't disassemble them

  • Jury

    and the black ones with a "pummel" are almost all not ale-lepes of the diaphragm are shiny - the micro-contrast is lost ... and that's all

  • Yuulina

    Good day ! Tell me, if infinity I get a little twisting of the rear lens? On two lenses, I did this on Helios 44 (white) and on Helios 44-2. Does it somehow change the matter, does it affect the final result? Thanks .

    • anonym

      and you calmly put the camera on a tripod at home, frisk yourself on a flower pot standing on the windowsill and take 2 pictures: with a slightly twisted lens and completely. swirling. Then share the result. Personally, I adjusted the G-44 by grinding the adapter + grinding the alignment washer in the lens itself.

  • Yuri Gomel

    The lens is definitely not assembled correctly ..! One of the lenses inside may be upside down. Plus the violation of the optical axis of the entire system after assembly by someone's curved handles. (This is not about you, Arkady ...) This is unambiguously confirmed by the last two pictures ...
    Here are normal photos from a normal Triplet
    http://proofbook.livejournal.com/198853.html

    • Yuri Gomel

      …. :)) Sorry, I wrote a comment in the wrong thread ... This is about Triplet 2.8 78mm

  • a lion

    Arkady, somewhere in the text of the article I need to think about mentioning that there was also a Helios-44 2/58 lens, No. 042hhhh, with 8 aperture blades and a black rim of KMZ im. Zvereva.

  • anonym

    Well, I bought such a lens. 13 petals number: 0235314. At a cheap price for a thousand rubles. Year of release 1964. Nothing special. There are differences from modern Helios. More soap (in the editor this can be corrected), the picture is less contrasting (I don’t know the merit or a flaw) the sharpness is the same, the bokeh is better. Yellow (corrected in the editor)

  • Paul

    Hello.
    Tell me, please, who knows people, or who is engaged in alteration to infinity. Together with Zenit 3m I found such a lens (Helios 44 with 13 petals), bought adapters ... I put it on my Nikon d5100. The picture is a fairy tale, but I would like not only to shoot portraits, but to have a wider lens in use. Also interested in how much the rework will cost. Please write to sidopas@gmail.com
    Thanks in advance for your answers.

  • Paul

    Also interested in the price of installing an adapter with a dandelion.

    • Eugene

      You would at least indicate what city for 500 rubles I will do everything. Moscow.robot_sekret@mail.ru

      • Paul

        Hello.

        Sorry for the inaccuracy. The lens has already been made by myself. :)

        Thank you

  • Novel

    There are two such helios, one on 8, and the second on 13 aperture blades. Obnagruzhal that in both the aperture value is not correctly labeled, that is, with a value of 2, the aperture is closed as much as possible, and with a value of 16, on the contrary, it is maximally open, with a second copy of 13 blades, the same situation. The lenses were not understood. What can be wrong? manufacturing defects?

    • anonym

      everything is fine with your helios. It should be so.

  • Alexander

    I have the same 44 with 13 petals, as well as aperture marks.
    Interested in another, when installing on a Nikon D3100 with a corrective lens, the focus does not go beyond 4 meters. Infinity does not reach (.

    • Igor

      It’s strange. I adjusted under Nikon with a simple piece of polyethylene. There is infinity further.
      Maybe what’s wrong with the lens?

  • Ivan

    Hello, Sorry, I have a question for you. Has a Helios 44 lens 2/58 m-39 (without letters and numbers) No. 6046539 black, a focus ring with white faces, found only white, if you know tell the manufacturer and year of manufacture. Thanks in advance. Answer

    Most likely it is MMZ Minsk Mechanical Plant. S.I. Vavilova, Minsk, Belarus.
    Nothing came of the quality of their products.

    • Paul

      it is quite possible that your lens is assembled from two - part of the black part of the white. I myself have white - so it is completely white, with 13 petals and always with a landing of M39.

    • Rodin

      There were helios zebras; MMZs were produced under M39. Release before the start of 44-2 and after the white MMZ.

      • Valentin Kalenichenko

        This "zebra" has served me for almost half a century.

        • Valentin Kalenichenko

          And like a portrait

          • Valentin Kalenichenko

            and for landscape (ORWOCHROM UT21).

            • Valentin Kalenichenko

              and perfectly holds the backlight.

  • Maksim

    Selling lens Helios-44 50 mm f / 2 "Zebra" Export http://fotoselling.ru/products/10028628
    Novosibirsk + by mail in Russia and abroad
    __________
    Our website: http://fotoselling.ru

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    Have questions? Ask! http://vk.com/id13311029

  • Konstantin

    Hello. Tell me what kind of adapter do I need to install a Helios-58 44/2 lens (MMZ factory, 58 petals) on the Sony Alpha SLT-A8 Thread: M39. Thank you in advance.

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