Helios 44-2 questions

Posts: 13918 - Karma: 25,656

Mar 26 2015 3:01AM

Can anybody that has had this lens give me some insight to how it is?

Ive ordered one and an adapter and im quite excited for it to come in and for the price..it seems like quite the bang for the buck. I know its all manual lens and all that jazz but whats the quality like irl? Is it pretty sharp?

From pictures ive seen taken with it..it seems like a pretty high quality lens

Anything i should know prior to getting it?

Thanks peeps!

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HarkStudios

Posts: 243 - Karma: 121

Mar 26 2015 8:27AM

if you are super close, you will get a flat bokeh,

if you are like 2-4 feet you will have a little of the "swirly bokeh"

If you are 4-5 feet you will get that amazing Swirly bokehhh

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HarkStudios

Posts: 243 - Karma: 121

Mar 26 2015 8:51AM

(rough distance from camera to subject)

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Laurent.

Posts: 10054 - Karma: 25,277

Mar 26 2015 9:01AM

It either sucks, is mediocre or can be amazing. It's essentially a Russian made Zeiss Biotar 58. The standard Soviet lens for 40+ years.

The manufacturer marks say very little, KMZ, MMZ, etc... most or of correct orion but they all swapped parts out back then, date of manufacturing also says jack shit, hell some even lack infinite focus.

Also use the swirly vomit inducing bokeh cautiously, 90% of the time it's a horrible distraction.

And everyone pays too much, you can literally get them for 5 euro's on Russian auction sites, with a Zenit attached.

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nutz.

Posts: 3150 - Karma: 6,712

Mar 26 2015 1:02PM

omnidataIt either sucks, is mediocre or can be amazing. It's essentially a Russian made Zeiss Biotar 58. The standard Soviet lens for 40+ years.

The manufacturer marks say very little, KMZ, MMZ, etc... most or of correct orion but they all swapped parts out back then, date of manufacturing also says jack shit, hell some even lack infinite focus.

Also use the swirly vomit inducing bokeh cautiously, 90% of the time it's a horrible distraction.

And everyone pays too much, you can literally get them for 5 euro's on Russian auction sites, with a Zenit attached.

doesn't dog schidt optics rehouse helios 44-2's and modify the lenses? if yeah than it's a pretty neat lens if you get a good version

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Laurent.

Posts: 10054 - Karma: 25,277

Mar 27 2015 7:27AM

nutz.doesn't dog schidt optics rehouse helios 44-2's and modify the lenses? if yeah than it's a pretty neat lens if you get a good version

That's hilarious in a way, no wonder they are called dog shit. Let's rehouse the cheapest optics in the world, make them worse for 'effect' and then jack up the price.

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Chubz.

Posts: 13918 - Karma: 25,656

Mar 28 2015 5:49PM

So basically its pretty average and when used right can be a pretty good lens?

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nutz.

Posts: 3150 - Karma: 6,712

Mar 28 2015 5:55PM

Chubz.So basically its pretty average and when used right can be a pretty good lens?

almost anything when used right can be pretty good ;)

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Laurent.

Posts: 10054 - Karma: 25,277

Mar 28 2015 6:03PM

Chubz.So basically its pretty average and when used right can be a pretty good lens?

As a 50 it's nothing special, but it's very good bang for the buck, the very non-existent quality control make it a bit of a gamble though.

Also i just hate swirly bokeh.

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nutz.

Posts: 3150 - Karma: 6,712

Mar 28 2015 6:43PM

Laurent.As a 50 it's nothing special, but it's very good bang for the buck, the very non-existent quality control make it a bit of a gamble though.

Also i just hate swirly bokeh.

so what you're saying is you love petzval lenses right?

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