Please note that there are many different versions of the lens named HELIOS-44-2 (or HELIOS-44-2). The lenses were produced in different bodies, at different factories and had many options even among the same version. You can find a general list of them in the section 'A Thousand and One Nights with HELIOS-44'.
As for this review, it shows a lens named HELIOS-44-2 2/58 and serial number 83052779 produced by the Jupiter Optical and Mechanical Plant, Valdai. Judging by the number, the lens was released in 1983. Different versions of HELIOS-44-2 lenses do not differ in principle. In general, HELIOS-44-2 is a common modification / revision of the previous version - HELIOS-44 2 / 58 (names are similar: 44 and 44-2, do not be confused).
Гелиос-44-2 (HELIOS-44-2 2/58)
HELIOS-44-2 2/58 looks like this:
HELIOS-44-2 2/58 has a ring presets aperture. With it, you can select one of the fixed values: F / 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16. Unlike the preset ring, the aperture ring rotates smoothly and with it you can set any intermediate value. The smooth running of the aperture ring is useful when shooting video. The diaphragm consists of 8 petals that form a hole in the form of regular polyhedrons. Unfortunately, the diaphragm blades are poorly blackened.
The focus ring rotates 270 degrees (!), The progress of the ring is smooth. Manual focus is quite convenient. During focusing, the front lens does not rotate, only the frame rim lengthens. HELIOS-44-2 2/58 has a focus distance scale (only in meters) and a depth of field scale for F / 2, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16.
The lens uses simple chemical enlightenment and poorly tolerates side and back light. Also, HELIOS-44-2 2/58 does not have blackened chamfers of lenses, which can adversely affect the contrast of the final image.
Image quality and sample photos
In the center of the image, the lens is sharp enough even at F / 2.0. On covered diaphragms, the edges and corners of the image return to normal. HELIOS-44-2 2/58 is a little yellow. Like other lenses of the HELIOS-44 family, version 44-2 twists the background (legendary 'twisted bokeh' of helios). Such a lens can be a great find for the amateur photographer :).
Source files can download from this link (26 photos in the '.ARW' format, 623 Mb). On camera Sony a7 I used HELIOS-44-2 2/58 with no problem adapter M42-NEX.
UPDATE 1
Examples of photos on Helios-44-2 2/58 and cameras Nikon D5100, D5300 photographer shared with readers of Radozhiva Vladlena Lapshina:
UPDATE 2
Examples of photos on Helios-44-2 2/58 and a camera Canon EOS 60D photographer shared with readers of Radozhiva Andreeva Elena:
UPDATE 3
Examples of photos on Helios-44-2 2/58 and cameras Canon EOS 60D / Canon EOS 5D Makr II a photographer shared with readers of Radozhiva Dmitry Gusalov:
UPDATE 4
Examples of photos on Helios-44-2 2/58 and cameras Nikon D5100 / Nikon D750 photographer shared with readers of Radozhiva Lilia Nemykina:
UPDATE 5
Examples of photos on Helios-44-2 2/58 and a Sony Alpha 7s II camera with readers of Radozhiva shared photographer Ksenia Orlova:
I have been using about 10 lenses HELIOS-44-2 2/58 different manufacturers, the specimens did not differ in any way from each other. For some reason it so happened that this review, which you are reading now, is the most popular of all reviews of the old Soviet optics. This is most likely due to the mass and availability of this lens at flea markets. If you come across a normal Helios-44-2, then it will not be any worse than other lenses in the HELIOS-44 line, which use simple (not 'MC') enlightenment.
Supplement: video review of such a lens - Helios-44 2/58 (KMZ, 8 petals, metal case)can see on my channel here.
Helios-44-2 2/58 (HELIOS-44-2 2/58). Lens shown on camera Sony a7. Attaching the lens to the camera using adapter M42-SONY E NEX.
How to use with modern cameras?
Lenses with mounting thread M42 (M42 X 1 / 45.5), such as the lens from this review, are very easy to use on almost any modern digital camera (both SLR and mirrorless), for this it is enough to choose the right adapter (adapter). You do not need to carry out any additional steps to modify the lens.
The cheapest adapters can be found at Aliexpress.com... There are adapters (adapters) with a chip that provide more convenience during shooting, usually chips are used to confirm focus and / or metering exposure, and form the correct EXIF. The chip does not affect the image quality in any way.
For some SLR cameras (for example, with the Nikon F-mount), you need to use adapters with a corrective lens, which allows you to focus correctly at all focusing distances. For any mirrorless cameras, such a lens is not needed, and the adapter is a simple decorated hollow metal tube with an appropriate mount.
For SLR cameras
- Canon: For cameras Canon EOS with bayonet mount EF / EF-S need an M42-Canon EOS adapter, such an adapter with a chip can be found herewithout chip here.
- NIKON: For cameras Nikon DX / FXas well as for cameras Fujifilm и Kodak with a Nikon F mount, you need an M42-Nikon F adapter, you can buy such an adapter without a lens and a chip here, with a lens without a chip herewith chip without lens here, with lens and chip here. Why a lens? Why chip?
- PENTAX: For Pentax cameras with K mount, you need an M42-Pentax K adapter, you can buy such an adapter here.
- SONY/MINOLTA: For cameras with a Sony / Minolta A mount, you need the M42-Sony A adapter, you can find such an adapter without a chip at this linkwith a chip at this link.
- OLYMPUS/PANASONIC/LEICA: For cameras with a 4/3 bayonet mount (not to be confused with Micro 4/3!) You need an M42-4 / 3 adapter, you can buy such an adapter here.
For mirrorless cameras
- SONY: For cameras with 'E'/'FE' mount series SonyNEX и Sony Alpha you need an adapter M42-Sony E (aka M42-Sony Nex), you can find it at this link. An autofocus adapter is also available for these cameras. Techart PRO Leica M - Sony E Autofocus Adapterwhich can be found at this link.
- OLYMPUS / PANASONIC / KODAK / XIAOMI: For cameras with a bayonet mount Micro 4/3 (Micro 4:3) you need an adapter M42-Micro 4/3, you can find it at this link.
- CANON M: For cameras with Canon EF-M mount need adapter M42-Canon M, it can be found at this link.
- CANON R and RF-S: For cameras with Canon RF mount need adapter M42-Canon R, it can be found at this link.
- Nikon 1: For cameras Nikon 1 Series need adapter M42-Nikon 1, you can find it at this link.
- Nikon Z: For cameras Nikon Z series (FX/DX) need an adapter M42-Nikon Z, it can be found at this link.
- FUJIFILM X: For cameras with mount X need an M42-Fuji X adapter, you can find it at this link.
- FUJIFILM GFX: For medium format cameras G-mount need M42-Fuji GFX adapter, you can find it at this link.
- SAMSUNG: For cameras with NX mount, you need an M42-Samsung NX adapter, you can find it at this link. There are no adapters for the NX mini camera yet.
- PENTAX: For Q-mount cameras, you need an M42-Pentax Q adapter, you can find it at this link.
- SIGMA / PANASONIC / LEICA: For cameras with L mount you need an M42-Leica L adapter, you can find it at this link.
- LEICA: For cameras with a bayonet mount Leica M need adapter M42-L / M, you can find it at this link.
If you have any questions on compatibility and adapters - ask in the comments (comments do not require any registration at all).
Reviews for the Helios-44 2/58 lenses:
- Helios-44 2/58 [KMZ, 13 petals, M39, silver, No. 0220423]
- Helios-44 2/58 [KMZ, 8 petals, M39, silver]
- Helios-44 1: 2 F = 5,8 cm П [KMZ with replaced lenses, No. 0007220, review of the lens from the reader Radozhiva]
- HELIOS-44M 2/58 [KMZ, 8 petals, serial number 7843528]
- HELIOS-44M 2/58 [Jupiter plant, Valdai, 8 petals, serial number 8027170]
- HELIOS-44-2 2/58 [plant 'Jupiter', Valdai, 8 petals, serial number 83052779] + autofocus review
- MS Helios 44-3 2/58 [MMZ, 8 petals, 8619437, 9167912]
- MC Helios-44M-4 2/58
- Helios-44K-4 58mm 1:2 [KMZ, 6 petals, Pentax K]
- MC Helios-44M-4 58mm 1: 2 [plant 'Jupiter', Valdai, 6 petals] + autofocus review
- MC Helios-44M-5 58mm 1: 2 [Jupiter plant, Valdai, 6 petals]
- MC Helios-44M-6 58mm 1: 2 [plant 'Jupiter', Valdai, 6 petals]
- MC Helios-44M-7 58mm 1: 2 [plant 'Jupiter', Valdai, 6 petals]
- An article about most of the major modifications of the Helios-44 series
- Gallery of pictures on MC Helios-44M-4
- Look at modern the lenses 'Helios' can at this link
- A lot of Helios of all varieties can be found on ebay this link
Original 'Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2/58 ':
- Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 1: 2 f = 5,8cm T [17 diaphragm blades, M42]
- Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2 / 58 T [12 diaphragm blades, M42]
- 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.
Results
HELIOS-44-2 2/58 (aka Helios-44-2 2/58) - one of the most common lenses of the Helios-44 series. The mass production of such lenses did not benefit the image quality. The lens can and should be used for any creative ideas. On cropped cameras, it can serve good portrait lens.
Share the review on social networks. If you have any questions about the lens or about compatibility and adapters, ask in the comments (comments do not require any registration at all).
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
Arkady a question for you as an experienced photographer: is it worth buying Helios 44N to Helios 81 as well? Now I have the opportunity to ask. Or lenses like money does not happen much?
No, not worth it. But if for Nikon, I would change the G-44 to the G-81N, and leave only one.
Thank you, then buy it. :)
Arkady, thank you very much for the cool and very informative reviews of Soviet optics - I learned a lot of useful things from them.
I just want to correct one inaccuracy a little - in this review you considered the lens marked 44-2 (and not 44M-2 as you wrote in the text). This is actually evident from the photographs of the lens given in your review - there is no letter M in the marking of the 44-2 you tested.
Moreover, as far as I know, the 44M-2 and 44M-3 lenses do not exist in nature at all (in any case, I have never met them). Of the 44, there are 44, 44-2, and 44-3 (the latter, by the way, is a rather rare and interesting lens - with multi-layer coating, as well as with an aperture with a larger number of blades than the usual 44-2).
Of 44M-ok there are 44M, 44M-4, 44M-5, 44M-6, 44M-7, and 44M as far as I know always without MS, 44M-4 there is a version both without MS and with MS, 5 6 7 always with MS (without MS I have not met them).
Thank you.
By the way, there is also a 44m-ok option for the K mount.
There is under K, only this is not M-ki, but K-shki :)
Namely MC Helios-44K-4
In general, the letter M after 44 means that the lens is with a jumping aperture, if there is no letter M after 44, then the lens is without a “jump rope”.
Similarly, there was a Zenith marking:
Zenit-E - without a jumper drive
Zenit-EM (not often found by the way now) - with a jump rope drive.
Garni oglyad helios (: Іsche nepіdkazhte de mozhno buy rezіdnik z M42 Pentax (:
I was at the photo forum and at the workshop asked a question on the aperture ring and values 2-16 (mixed up).
I read komenty, figured out the third ring. All in a bunch. Thanks for the good resource !!!
Good day! I want to bet on Nikon, they offer a choice, or 44-2 or 44-4, I did not find much difference. Tell me which one is better to choose? Thank you in advance!
No difference. Which one you like best.
I use it for three days. After the whale, just super, taking into account the fact that infinity did on the first day, the transition with the lens was dissuaded from buying ... But there is one thing, but it does not hold the oncoming and side light at all !!!! Is this a feature of the lens or is there something wrong with my copy ?? By the way, the diaphragm should be in grease or is it something else?
Yes, it doesn’t hold back light well. The diaphragm should be slightly lubricated and move smoothly.
Arkady, hello. I would like to know something about the chip adapter for Canon M42: is there a difference in the quality of shooting and photography between silver and black? I read on one site that when the adapter is not blackened, "stray flares in the system" appear. Is it true?
Truth. Black is better.
please tell me, is this adapter CHK M42-Nikon suitable for this lens on the Nikon 3100?
The name will do. I don’t know how it will actually be.
At the expense of infinity. Itself recently returned infinity to the lens, literally in 5 minutes. To do this, you need to unscrew the rear lens, in its frame there are two grooves, which can be seen if the lens is turned upside down. It is unscrewed with a knife or scissors without difficulty, if it is stuck, you can drop it onto the VD-40 thread. So, unscrew this very lens a few turns and try to focus on infinity, and so on until it works out. Then in the selected position, fix the lens with super-glue. By the way, my copy gives a sharp photo with focus on infinity only on f16.
where can I buy it?
For example, the contacts from the manual optics section.
What are the best sharpness lenses 35mm 1.8,50 mm 1.8 or Helios 44-2?
Best quality lenses, the focal length of the sharpness is weakly dependent. On closed apertures, lenses provide sufficient sharpness for basic tasks.
I unscrewed the back lens a few turns at the Helios 44-2, began to focus on distant objects, (I judge by the green dot), but when approaching, the image seems a little blurry to me. Please tell me how to check if there is infinity? And at what distance should the sharpness of the image be preserved, maybe I haven’t twisted yet I need to unscrew it?
To check the possibility of focusing at infinity, take a photo of an object that is 100-200 meters away from you. If the sharpness is satisfactory, then the possibility of focusing at infinity has appeared. Most likely, due to changes in the parameters of the optical system, the image will be blurry.
Can the g 44-2 replace a fifty-fifty with aperture 3100 on the Nikon 1.8?
Maybe calmly.
Sorry, that’s off topic, such a question is the Helios 103 1,8 / 53 lens for the Kiev 4M, 4 AM camera, can it be used somehow on the Nikon d 3100 camera?
There are no adapters, and even if they were, the Helios-103 is a rangefinder lens, it will not work normally on an SLR camera.
Thank you very much, Arkady! Your site is just a storehouse of information for newcomers like me !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good day, I bought a helios 44-2, installed it on the camera, everything is ok, but when I take a picture, “replace the battery” is displayed. What could be the problem? Not always displayed. I thought it might be due to incorrect settings, but I thought that it is not worth guessing, but it is better to ask more knowledgeable people. Thanks in advance!
what camera?
1100d
strange, yesterday I photographed on the Canon 1100D, everything worked perfectly.
Well, before that I photographed the whale and everything was fine, there were no such problems, but when I put the helios, there was such a problem .... Could this be due to an adapter with a chip? What do you think?
Most likely due to the chip.
Ok, thanks, I'll try without a chip, see the difference
I also have a Canon EOS 1100D with a Helios-44-2 lens from Zenith. The M42-Canon EF adapter is an ordinary aluminum, chipless, lensless. There are no problems, there is a setting for infinity. Very satisfied!
PS: THANKS to Arkady for a great site! :)
I read your reviews I bought Helios 44-2 (the price attracted) the Kenon 600d camera is happy as a child !! ) the manual is more interesting, you twist it and so you’re tormented by the photo you see and you forgive the old man and whale 18-55 has been collecting dust for a month now. Thank you very much !!!!!!
Please tell me, I have such a lens and I put it on my Kenon 550 d through an adapter with a chip that confirms focusing, but for some reason it didn’t fall into sharpness when the signal. Is this a lens or adapter problem? And I read here that I need to file something, but I didn’t file anything. Tell me please.
If there are sharp pictures, then the problem is in the dandelions and in the use of the lens. Working with lenses that have large apertures is almost always very difficult.
Can I add a photo? somehow. I want to demonstrate.
Send a link to the resource where your photos are located.
All the best, having the same lens, I tried on the advice of good people to create infinity, so it lacks a bit, I started to unscrew the nut and I smoothed the lens in place, completely unscrewed it as if the lens was separated from the nut, using superfluous glue it was possible to glue it to the nut but then another problem if Do not screw the end of the Jacobi for infinity, then the next lens appears backlash. Question: will it affect the photo or not, and maybe there is a solution?