Review Helios-81M 2/53

For the ability to view the lens Helios-81M 2/53 Many thanks to Igor Burkov, who sent me a lens from another area.

Review Helios-81M 2/53

Review Helios-81M 2/53

Helios-81M 2/53 is very similar to his brother MS Helios-81H 2/50. In fact, this is the same lens, but with a different frame and enlightenment. The difference in focal length is more related to the designation itself than to real differences.

It is very strange that Helios-81М 2/53 has the 'M' designation in its name. Usually, all lenses from cameras of the 'Kiev' brand with 'H' mount have the letter 'H' in their name. My Helios-81M 2/53 lens is mounted on Nikon cameras such as D700, D80, D40 without any adapters or alterations.

Attention: Lenses Helios-81M 2/53 of different years of production may require light alteration and may not always be installed on some modern Nikon CZK. Here you already need to look at each individual instance. To install a lens on the camera that does not want to be installed just like that, it is enough to cut off the back of the skirt on the aperture ring. How to do it, see here.

Attention: my instance is not passing aperture value to the camera. My Helios-81M 2/53 is similar Non AI lens - the aperture is controlled automatically, but older cameras do not adjust the exposure to this change in aperture. In this case MS Helios-81H 2/50 much more convenient to use on older Nikon camerasthan Helios-81M 2/53. For younger Nikon cameras there is no difference.

How to use Soviet old lenses on modern Nikon cameras read here (article updated, navigation added), and on Canon here. For other systems, it's easy to find your adapters.

The lens has a single-layer enlightenment, visually weakly expressed.

Enlightenment of the front and rear lens of the Helios-81M lens

Enlightenment of the front and rear lens of the Helios-81M lens

The lens diaphragm consists of 6 blades, the blades are not blackened. In bokeh you can see 'nuts'at closed diaphragms. Can be set to F / 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16.

View of the aperture blades of the Helios-81M lens

View of the aperture blades of the Helios-81M lens

The focusing of the lens is smooth, the focusing ring rotates approximately 270 degrees, while the front lens does not rotate, and the lens extends its trunk by 1cm. The minimum focusing distance is 50 centimeters. On the focusing distance scale, infinity 'starts' after 12 meters. The lens has a depth-of-field scale.

View of the lens Helios-81M 2 53

View of the lens Helios-81M 2 53

Sample Photos

Photos without processing. Almost everything is filmed on F2.0. The lens is a little yellow.

View of the lens Helios-81M 2 53

View of the lens Helios-81M 2 53

Personal impressions

The lens is very sharp, at full frame it gives a noticeable vignette at F2.0. It does worse with side and back light than the MS version. Helios-81M 2/53 is better to use with a hood, since the lens catches hares and different  glare... In general, a good fifty dollars. Crop can serve as a portrait lens. Of course, Helios-81M 2/53 twists bokeh :) and for this we are very fond of many photographers.

View of the Helios-81M 2 53mm lens

View of the Helios-81M 2 53mm lens

It is a pity that at the time of writing the review, I did not have my Helios MC to compare lenses. That's what two fifty dollars look like.

Two fifty dollars with F mount

Two fifty dollars with a bayonet mount F. Helios-81M and Nikkor 50mm F1.8G

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


Conclusions:

Helios-81M 2/53 a good fast fixed lens. Generally worse than your brother MS Helios-81H 2/50but not so much as not to pay attention to Helios-81M.

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. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

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Comments: 100, on the topic: Review Helios-81M 2/53

  • Irina

    Good day! And on micro 4/3 it is worth considering? And are there any adapters?

  • Kirill

    Hello, but tell me please! how is he with distortion (and does it exist)?
    I just have helios-44m - there is no distortion on it at all, but I want to change it to 81 because of infinity. Wouldn't 81m / 81n be worse in distortion? (after all, they have a smaller focal point)

  • Olga

    Arkady, but you can clarify with you why the elders (nikon d200) have better 81N than 81M
    - H - conveys the aperture value for metering, and M - does not? did I understand correctly?

  • Andrei

    Hello! Please tell me in the next question. I have a Helios 81n 53mm, and the fact is that it does not focus on infinity on the nikon d5100, it seems that it does not suffice to scroll a little more for the infinity icon. How can this be fixed?

  • Andrii

    Hello, Arkady. I, so far, have little understanding of terminology and photographic equipment, so I want to ask you. I have a Nikon 5100. is there any difference in the choice of the Arsat H 1: 2 50mm lens vs Helios-81H 2/50 or Helios-81M 2/53 MS. thanks

  • Eugene

    Hello, tell me please, I have Nikon D90, I want to take Helios 81 M 53/2, can I install it on my device and what should I do to do this? Thanks.

  • Novel

    I just bought one recently, I had to grind off the diaphragm skirt, and everything seems to work just fine. The only thing that infuriates me very much is that the camera works in semi-automatic modes and it does not prompt for range finder and shutter speed, but it doesn’t take off because the optics are not chip-locked, but as soon as you switch to M mode, all the prompts leave only a small focus point in the video finder. Nikon d3000 camera, it seems to me that all these functions were specially cut programmatically.
    If it’s interesting, you can set the shutter speed so that you aim at the subject, switch A mode (aperture priority, graphic output should be turned on) and sticks will be drawn near the aperture picture, remember the number of sticks, go into M mode and set the shutter speed so would the number of sticks be the same as in mode A. Also in mode A the range finder also works which tells which direction to turn in order to focus.

  • Denis

    I have such a lens. It works in tandem with the D5200 - did not cut anything, it becomes tight and reliable. Filter 49 mm. The pictures do turn a little yellow, but that's right in LR. If you manage to get into sharpness, then the photos are very interesting and beautiful. I advise you to photograph in RAW, where you can adjust the exposure so that you do not check the shutter speed every time you shoot.) Good luck to everyone!

  • Simon

    I want to talk about the difference, because the other day I got into the hands of another lens of the Helios-81N 50/2 ... So, while I wasn’t 50/2, I thought that these three millimeters mean nothing ... But! this is a theory, and practical comparisons showed that 53/2 washes the background better and the thickness of the lens in it is greater than about 50/2 by about 5-6 millimeters. It turns out that these lenses are not quite the same thing. And the blur at 50/2 is worse. Like this. Result: Helios-81N 50/2 and Helios-81H 53/2 are different lenses in the picture. And when you put it on a crop, let's say 1,5 like that of Fujik S5 pro and also the entire Nikon line up to D7200, then we get 53mm * for crop 1,5 = 79,5mm portrait that does very well with its work, here is an example :

    • Serg

      is it good? the photo is specifically a soap copy

  • Sergei

    50 mm as a portrait is a bad manners. Even if 53 or 58. Rostov unless. Take any 85-100k and compare. 81M has a foul construct (inside), 81n is much better. The older he is, the greater the likelihood of diaphragm problems. Take 81n, the price is the same, there are fewer problems, MS as a gift

  • Volodka

    Recently I compared 3 lenses in the forehead,
    Arsat N, Helios 81n and 81m MS.
    the impression of the H versions is very similar, except that the rubberized focus ring is more pleasing, but with 81 ms it’s quite conflicting feelings, on the one hand it’s extremely lousy mechanics, as mentioned above, the diaphragm is crazy, processing of parts is clumsy, on the other hand the ms version is 81 m (visually golden green lens coating) seemed a little better in working with backlight, the hares are smaller and not less contrast. And the difference of 53/50 mm of the focal length of my lenses is quite noticeable.

  • Jaas

    Kind! I bought Helios 81M 2/53 just yesterday, and, like the author of the article, there was no protrusion on the aperture control ring, which engages with the rheostat of the aperture values ​​on the Nikon D7000 carcass. I drank (that is, nothing needs to be finished), but working only in M ​​mode is no longer of interest (since there are Nikon 50 / 1,4 and Granit 11, which transmit the f-number through the rheostat). A way out was found without a file, drilling and soldering: he bent a regular clerical paper clip in "C", broke off the antennae up to 3 mm, pulled it over the ring (the cutout was right under the rheostat - but there was not enough "height") - and it all worked - point to point :)
    can anyone come in handy ...

  • Andrey Vyunenko

    Acquired the other day on Avito, for 500r. given lens. It’s a bit small, though it’s frayed, with a thread jammed on one side, under the filter. With some not quite confidently working and crooked diaphragm and worn MC-enlightenment on the lenses, but on the Nikon D90 stood up like a glove. The joke was that the D90 had me lying around like a worker, because it doesn’t give anything away, besides the black screen of death. And then in M ​​mode, it started fading (what a joy! (- :). Yes, and the pictures are quite peppy. That's such an ordinary miracle!

    • Alexey

      Accidentally did not buy in Rostov?

      • Andrey Vyunenko

        Yes, they sent from Rostov. I bought it through the Avito website.

        • Alexey

          show a couple of pictures on it)))

          • Andrey Vyunenko

            you can look here-https: //flic.kr/s/aHsm16T4ZN

            filmed with a tripod in M. exposure mode, etc. picked up intuitively. RAW showed in DxO.

  • Alexey

    normal) even though you now have a lens at work))) it was lying around idle.

    • Andrey Vyunenko

      The main thing is that the D90 carcass revived (-: In short, the USSR Lens-rule! Thank you!

  • Alexey

    Good luck =)

  • Rudoi Bogdan

    I bought this miracle of Soviet photographic equipment for 450 UAH. And you know what, this is a cool lens. The mechanics, of course, were not in the best condition, but it was all fixable and, say, I'm pleased with the results. On the Nikon D3100 it became with simple alterations about which it was already written here

    • Andrey Vyunenko

      Congratulations! I got it for 500 rubles! It seems all crooked, but the picture gives out a good one-https: //www.facebook.com/media/set/? Set = a.1558049797601486.1073741855.100001894422240 & type = 1 & l = 1fd4205739

  • Denis

    Hello! I got a little confused about the labeling. I have Helios MC 81N 50 \ 2, but it does not have enough balls in the diaphragm ring bearing. I bought at the flea market MS Helios 81N 53 \ 2 as a donor for spare parts. I wanted to assemble one of the two, but it turned out that the second lens was completely new, but the camera does not read aperture data, which is not very convenient for me personally. In this regard, I had another question: Is it possible to install an optical circuit with 53mm. at 50mm. (naturally install the balls from the donor, so that the diaphragm ring is turned into a working one) ?.
    If anyone is suddenly interested, the diameter of the diaphragm bearing balls is 1,59 mm., Can be found in 10000903 bearings.

  • Denis

    I made out in general, they are completely different, right down to the diaphragm blades.

  • anonym

    Yes, different. And in 53mm, as opposed to 50mm. mdf only 36cm. 53 And the same predictable planar 1,7 as KC. In terms of sharpness, it will not yield. The picture looks like him - the same correct. There were two 50mm G-81 - not hooked, soapy in the open. But for me …… 53 mm. sharp enough for a female portrait, if you cover it for one click - and it will do for a male portrait. Normal staff in general. I have an MC, if that. I rarely use it, but I will not get rid of it….

  • anonym

    pidkazhit, be-weasel, chi ma tsey about * чktiv chip or “frog” with diaphragms

  • Denis

    Thank you for your work, I am just beginning to be interested in and select equipment ... so your regular reader will stay for a long time

  • Maksim

    I have a nice picture on the nikon d7100, it transmits the aperture to the camera. I got up without any alterations. I want to add pictures but I don’t understand how.

  • Maksim

    I have the ms version. There is no problem with transferring the aperture to the carcass, confirmation of focusing, everything is ok. Yes, it turns yellow, but I like it in everything .. 7100 carcass

  • Trueash

    "Hello, dear experts" (c),
    I have a question not quite on the lens, I just don’t know where else to ask. Maybe tell me.
    From time to time I use this lens on Nikon, by and large without complaints. Recently I wanted to remember my youth and try to film. And here is what I discovered:
    1) I put the lens on Nikon, focus, shoot, get a normal sharp picture.
    2) I carefully remove the lens, put it on Kiev, look through the viewfinder - the microscope “floats”, and in order to focus, you need to turn the ring to the “near” side, that is, infinity is somewhere at around 7 m.
    What could it mean, who knows?

  • Andrian

    The first lens bought by reading a review from this site. It was on it that I learned to fearlessly cut parts of the structure so that it would fit on modern central control centers, with it I mastered the “M” mode on the carcass, I got some good cards from it. The most important memory about him is a fall from a five-meter bridge. I caught on the support, the photon fell with the lens down onto the rail. The result is a bent filter mounting thread and a bent rail. Monitor the price for it on CFM, surprisingly, but it is getting cheaper. Now you can actually buy it for $ 20 in excellent condition. Recommend

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English-version of this article https://radojuva.com/en/2013/04/obzor-gelios-81m-2-53mm/comment-page-2/

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