Review Helios-44 2/58 (8 petals)
Exist the largest number of lenses of the 'Helios-44' family. This review presents a Helios-44 2/58 lens with a white metal frame, 8 diaphragm blades and a M39 mounting thread. Manufactured at the Krasnogorsk plant, serial No. 0252188. This lens is almost the same Helios-44 2/58, the difference is only in the number of aperture blades.
Video review can be viewed at my youtube channel:
Everything described in the review about Helios-44 2/58 can be attributed to Helios-44 2/58 from this review. I did not describe anything in detail because of the similarity of the lenses.
Helios-44 on a modern camera
It is the 'Helios-44 2/58' lenses (without other letters in the name) that are found in white and black body frames, except for the frame color the lenses are no different. Lenses Helios-44 2/58 were produced in Krasnogorsk (KMZ) and in Minsk (MMZ), the manufacturer can be recognized by the logo. There are export versions of the lens with the name 'Helios-44 2/58' made in USSR, and there are also lenses with the letter 'P' in the name, and the name itself can be written as 'Helios-44 1: 2 F = 5,8cm P'.
Helios-44, one of the first
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.
Enlightenment of the front and rear lens Helios-44
Sample Photos
Photos without processing. Everything is filmed on Canon 350D using two adapters: M39-M42 + M42-Canon EOS.
Examples of photos on a full-format camera Nikon D700 (shot using two adapters: M39-M42 + M42-Nikon).
Examples of photos on a Sony a7R full-format camera (shot using as many as three adapters: M39-M42 + M42-Canon + Canon EF - Sony E ).
Here link to the archive with the originals - 738 MB, 21 photos in .ARW format (RAW)
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.
Helios-44 side view and aperture view
Interesting historical facts and thoughts about the history of Helios-44:
All G-44s, starting from the very first from KMZ and ending with the latest modifications, are made of the same grades of Lytkara optical glass without the use of STK (super heavy crowns). Another thing is that, probably, under Stalin and for some time under Khrushchev, glass was brewed more carefully than under Lelik (optical glass belongs to the defense industry!). At the beginning of perestroika, state acceptance was involved and the build quality of the optics became somewhat better.
The predecessor of the G-44 was the BTK-2/58 ("Biotar Krasnogorsk"), which was actually made in Krasnogorsk according to the German drawings of the Biotar from Shott glass. But G-44 was never made of it. The blanks of Schott's glasses were removed from Jena after the surrender of Germany together with German engineers and optical workers who taught ours in Krasnogorsk and Kiev at the Arsenal.
Valentin Kalenichenko.
If there is useful information about Helios, share it in the comments. You can also leave impressions about the lens there.
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.
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval.
I use HELIOS-44-2 2/58 on Sony SLT A35 through the simplest adapter without a chip. Aperture priority metering works correctly. There is infinity without any alterations - on Sony cameras, the flange distance allows.
I completely agree. I use the SLT-37 och. pleased with both the Helios-44-2 lens and the camera.
But my SLT-A35Y + Helios 44-3 didn’t want to work in a couple immediately, I had to make a couple of improvements:
1. Between the lens and the adapter M42-AF put a plastic ring-gasket with a thickness of about 0,25-0,5 mm, otherwise the focus ring rested on the adapter;
2. Under the rear lens I put a wire “adjustment ring” made of a thin Chinese paper clip about 0,5 mm thick, otherwise not like infinity, beyond 5 meters everything was out of focus. But even after installing this ring, there is no infinity, the limiting focusing distance is about 40-50 meters. I did not want to put a thicker ring, for such a distance there are whale lenses.
The minimum focusing distance after modifications is approximately 45 cm.
Hello, Arkady.
With video reviews, it has become somehow more lively and interesting, thanks.
There is a question, not on this topic at all, can you advise something.
Recently I bought a Nikon AF 28-70 / 3,5-4,5D (D90 camera), simple, inexpensive, lightweight, compact - I like everything, but in the sun people's faces acquire an unnatural complexion (pink, but excessively "doll-plastic" , I have not seen this with other different lenses). I tried to shoot with overexposure, lowered the contrast - it doesn't help. When shooting in the shade, indoors, indoors with a flash, everything is fine. I shoot in RAW, but only the color of the face can be corrected in the editor, and the rest cannot be left unchanged, I have to catch some kind of “middle”, in general, all this is difficult.
In your opinion, is there any solution to this problem?
Thank you.
Give a link to the file - perception is a very subjective thing.
I didn't understand: how is it impossible to correct the complexion ??? How about working with pens, selecting an area, transforming it to the desired appearance? Nobody promises anyone perfect shots "in the damp". You have to work hard on every centimeter of the visual field; here will be a decent picture. but what ?!
This is not a close-up portrait (in such cases, the color rendition is normal), this is a person | a group of people in full height. Selection and processing in the selected area is possible, but you absolutely don't want to "conjure" over each frame, this is not normal. I did not notice this with other lenses. There was a similar effect on the film (I won't name it for sure, but Fuji is a portrait, color negative, Nikon AF 28-80 / 3,3-5,6G lens).
I’ll try to post the link later, now there is no such possibility.
The WB setting changes the color rendition of the entire frame, color correction in the camera - similarly, increasing the contrast or saturation does not correct the situation, shooting with overexposure (the picture turns out to be a little darker) becomes, as it seemed to me, better, but does not radically solve the problem.
Good afternoon Arkady. I am writing to you in the mail arkadiishapovall@gmail.com but messages do not reach. Gives an error message. Therefore, I am writing here. I was recently asked on my site what equipment I use (I shoot weddings and street photo shoots with reports like children's and adults' birthdays), so as an answer I recorded this video http://www.pekarskas.com/#!-/cx3h/C0D87443-E6C7-41D1-ABBF-32B1E232C61C
after which people became interested in my backpack and wanted to know how comfortable it is and I shot such a video http://www.pekarskas.com/#!-Lowepro-Flipside-400-AW/cx3h/38AA0D2D-4EA7-41C2-9606-369D14DBA1DD
So now it became interesting to me what photo bag you use (at weddings and street photo shoots) and it would also be interesting to see a detailed VIDEO review of your bag like mine. Well, of your set, of course) I would really appreciate if you make 2 such VIDEO reviews. I think it will be ALL interesting. A bag is an even more important attribute than lenses. I already wrote to you somehow so that you do a review of the D300s camera for alpha males and you did, for which many thanks to you! I think that this time too my request will not be left without attention. Thanks in advance. Best wishes to you.
Photographer Alexander (Trehsotkovich and D300s)
“The bag is even more important than the lenses”)) Yeah. Looking forward to reviewing the bag for alpha males.))
oh, for a long time I didn’t so cheer up with comments on Radozhiva :)
You say a bag is more important than lenses? Have you tried shooting with a bag? And then on the site yaplakal.com, after the author of the post uploads pictures, he will definitely write on what he was shooting, as if apologizing for the quality, “litter was shot on the iron” or “shot with children's sandal” or else “call for the quality shot on the attachment for vacuum cleaner ”. A good bag is certainly cool thing, but don't you put the cart in front of the horse.
And by the way, I just wrote this. I just saw photographers with an Adidas bag in which equipment was piled on top of one another. Therefore, I said that the bag is an important attribute. I just personally use the Lowepro Flipside 400 AW and it already becomes too small for me. And I thought about buying a new bag of large sizes. So I wanted to know what bag Arkady uses. I thought his answer would be a good help in my choice. Since this portal is already for photographers, it would not be bad to look at bags, flash charges for batteries, flash diffusers, and so on.
Well, in fact, that you are attached to these bags. Go to the store and choose what is convenient for you. Or are you tormented by the question, is your backpack steeper than Arkady’s?
Well, you have a cool backpack, so what? And I have a sling, even cooler. There are also vests for photographers, there are shoulder straps, harnesses for two cameras, a sea of different eyecups, wrist belts, to write about everything - life is not enough. It's all individually, to whom what is more suitable.
Good afternoon Arkady. Please do a VIDEO review of the photo bag that you use to create such a review, with a detailed review http://www.pekarskas.com/#!-Lowepro-Flipside-400-AW/cx3h/38AA0D2D-4EA7-41C2-9606-369D14DBA1DD
And tell us about your impressions about your bag model. I think a lot of people will be happy with such a review, because a bag is a very important attribute of a photographer.
In the near future, reviews of such equipment are not planned.
Sorry. But thank you for what you do. I just didn’t make out in this video about Helios what model of Lowepro bag do you have?
Arkady everything is fine as always. I really like the videos, you are a very nice person. One wish has long been noticed, you do not write on what aperture you shoot on all photos in exif, if you can specify all the data if possible.
It is difficult to memorize F for each image; you are guided by other indicators of the exposure pair.
Arkady thanks for the review. The video was great. I look forward to new reviews.
great review! much better and fuller than the first!
Special thanks for the “male mode” :)))) cheered me up a lot.
And the lens is very cool - I've been using it myself for a long time.
Thanks for the wonderful video review! Very nice, enthusiastic !!!
Hello Arkady, the review is excellent, my grandfather gave me HELIOS-44-2 2/58 0079978 Made in USSR yesterday, I can’t find the exact information in the net regarding the number and date of the product I just found if two zeros in the front are something special on export question is it true or not and what is its year of manufacture ?, thanks in advance to all.
Arkady, hello, thanks for your blog, first of all, everything is very interesting and on business)). And immediately a question: I have just the lens from this review .. and the other day I received all the adapters for manuals, including Nikon 42 with and without a lens, the question is that the rear unit is put forward on the adapter with a lens at helios and rests against the lens .. i.e. it turns out that by definition it is no longer possible to focus on infinity on modern CZK? thanks in advance..
yes .. fotik nikon d7000 with me.
Arkady thanks excellent review, enlightened about the famous twisted bokeh
Yeah ... On a dormouse, everything is completely different ....
Arkady, video review - super!
This was not enough for maximum information.
Especially when you can see the location on the video and immediately frame from the survey lens.
Good afternoon! I took this miracle to use)) while my
Good afternoon! Took to use this miracle)) while my camera got stuck on nikon d40, everything was fine catching focus and when transferring to the monitor everything is also super) Then I put it on nikon d610 and some kind of confusion started, twisted the aperture ring at different values but focus constantly turned out to be in the wrong place, although everything was fine in the viewfinder and the image on the camera screen looked focused ... What am I doing wrong? what is the problem?
Thanks a lot for the video review! I have been reading your site for a long time, but this is the first time I watch a video. Only one “but”: Lytkarino has an accent on “a” :)
Dear colleagues. Today I received a G-44 KMZ from St. Petersburg. Its number starts from 02, but the number of petals is 13. In excellent condition. What is this - a combined hodgepodge?
Hello Arkady thanks for the wonderful review, but there are 2 questions for you, I got a 3M 65g.v zenith in my hands with this lens N 0301008.
1 why use two adapters? there is m39-canon eos
2 what figures determine the year of manufacture of the lens?
Thank you in advance.
Good afternoon. There is an opportunity to purchase Helios 44 (8-leaf), but there are already 44-2 in the collection. Is there any difference between them? Interested in thin. portrait shooting and nature. And do bokeh vary? I really like the Helios torsion.
It will be warmer. And a more retro picture. if meticulously compared, the differences are immediately noticeable.
Hello. Tell me, is it possible to use modern light filters on the Helios 44 2/58 lens? and what should be the diameter of the filter? Thank you in advance)
Yes, of course you can. Typically, heliks come in 49 or under 52 mm.
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.
http://molotok.ru/leisa-m39-sony-e-nex-ilce-m39-soni-neks-adapter-i5507292859.html
Hello. This is not suitable for me because it is for Sony E.
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. Thanks in advance. And today he took out another Helios -44m 2/58. Advise which of these lenses will be better? Thank.
Hello. But why three adapters for Helios 44 on Sony E? But can not you use the M39-M42 and M42-NEX? thank