I love this lens. My father made me photos with this lens when I was a child and now I´m making photos with the same lens to my little son

Thank you dad for keeping your Zenit with Helios lens. Never knew I could use that lens. Oh beautiful internet :)

@VitaminVS

5 жыл бұрын

Lucky you

@NeroMC

4 жыл бұрын

Oh beautiful ivana

@sleepless51

2 жыл бұрын

Wow! My dad gave me his old Zenit with this exact lens to try. I had so many nice shots on it. Used it for about 2 years. Great memories.

Here In Russia the second lenses that every photographer get is the helios. and some times for free :-)

@VitaminVS

5 жыл бұрын

Send me one to Poland ;)

@MABRIKOS

4 жыл бұрын

Не, я взял 50мм от кэнона

@wilsoneusebio777

4 жыл бұрын

@@VitaminVS You gent them like new and cheap in Amazon. Blessings 🙏

@VitaminVS

4 жыл бұрын

@@wilsoneusebio777 ordered one. Lets see how good it is. Is it possible to order from some website in Russia to Poland?

@adamontiveros-oberg1528

4 жыл бұрын

What's the first?

Hey man, just wanted to say you make awesome videos and it really helped me on picking out my first ever camera lens. One of the most helpful photography channel on KZread. Keep up the good work

@christopherfrost

8 жыл бұрын

+Jonathan Nguyen Thanks!

The swirly bokeh effect can easily be achieved on crop sensors. No need at all for a full-frame camera. It's just a matter of distance and knowing what backgrounds and light conditions work best. That being said, this was a nice review and it's a real pity you won't be doing more. Vintage MF lenses are like a parallel universe with its own rules and time.

@gnarlyvision852

8 жыл бұрын

+Mica GBM Do all MF lenses have that swirly bokeh?

@AnPrionsaBeag

8 жыл бұрын

+Gnarly Vision No, only some of them such as the Helios 40-2 85/1.5, the CZJ Biotar 75/1.5 or the Leica Summitar 50/2. Other vintage lenses have star-shaped bokeh at certain apertures like the Macro Takumar 50/4 or the MC Volna-9 50/2.8. The Zenitar-ME1 50/1.7 even has square bokeh. Then you have the so-called bokeh monsters with so many blades bokeh bubbles are perfectly round (Pentacon 135/2.8 or Tair-11A 135/2.8). Hope it helps.

@gibor4975

8 жыл бұрын

you can't achieve that swirly bokeh like of full frame on crop sensor cameras. it crops the center area of the optics & missed the rest of the image area.

@AnPrionsaBeag

8 жыл бұрын

Does it now? Try harder. There's millions of photos across the web from people who managed to succeed. Just because you can't doesn't mean it can't be achieved.

@gibor4975

8 жыл бұрын

it swirls. but not enough like what you see in a fullframe, dinstance from subject won't help you. some people modify the front element but the swirling effect looks kinda weird

Very nice review Christopher... I really enjoy your channel! Be well and stay encouraged!!!

Been waiting for this review for a while. Brilliant to see how it compares to more modern lenses. I got mine primarily for video shooting, which it does nicely. Also, I found the lack of contrast actually helped in post. It's a great wee lens (if you get a good one!)

+Christopher Frost Photography I loved this review as the Helios 58mm is one of my fave lenses. Awesome stuff and I hope you'll 'bend' your rules again sometime in the future when you're less busy. Love your channel by the way and I know that getting one episode up is a lot of work so we really appreciate it. Take care and God bless you.

Thank you for your videos Chris! I have bought a lot of lenses because of your reviews. I find your videos to be very informative, and pictures amazing. keep up the great work my friend!

Great review - so glad you chose to do this one - I recently found an old Helios 44-2 in my loft from teenage photography days. With your information I think I'll get an adapter and try it out on my Sony A7 II.

You make the really best lens review videos, thanks man! I really mean it! :)

@macogottalent112

3 жыл бұрын

I'm actually selling one with EF Mount😁 rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575378759&campid=5338273189&customid=&icep_item=392910847080&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg&toolid=11111

@Muwex

3 жыл бұрын

@@macogottalent112 I have my own already, bought it around 3 years ago, modified by IronGlass with 16-iris blades and cinemod. Also I have anamorfaked it since with Oval disc and taken off some coatings from the sides to get it even more dream like!

@macogottalent112

3 жыл бұрын

@@Muwex Nice! Im kinda new to photography so can you please explain what a anamorfake is?

Loved your review. I just bought one of these adapted with focus rings. Can't wait to get my hands on it.

Even if this is an old video, it's always a great pleasure, and really relaxing to listen to your soothing voice with your sweet British accent, Christopher. Also, your microphone is perfect for your voice, and this music made by the famous Kevin MacLeod fits perfectly for your videos. It's like your trademark now in some way, haha! Great video review about the Helios 44-2, thank you!

The quality of your review is outstanding. Thank you.

Another great review, keep them coming Chris!

got one a few weeks ago and it works flawlessly on my 5D II

I just bought this. I'm stoked to play around with it.

A comparision between this lens, the Petzval and the Helios 44M-4 would be awesome! PS: I missed the samples with the APS-C at the end on the video, or any footage to compare the swirly bokeh with both FF and cropped

Just discovered your channel. I appreciate your great reviews and some really nice photography, which isn't always the case with reviewers.

Amazing coincidence! I won a Zenit E plus a Helios 44-2 a few days prior to the upload of this video. The softer aperture ring, as the manual says, helps you to compose the pic also by shallowing depth of focus so you can be sure you have your object the sharpest possible when working on wider apertures.

Bought Zenit-11 camera with the 44M-4 version in 1988, still use the kit for vintage shots. Thanks a lot Chris, much appreciated!

I adore most of the older Russian lenses and have quite a few of their amazing East German and Ukraine made camera's as well. The Helios 44-2 lenses I've shot does exactly as you say, but perform so well that I never regret using them on my later Japanese camera bodies since I have neutral density filters to accommodate special effects. They are solid performers, and can't really see not using them even if other lenses are at hand. Great content, and a solid review.

I had a Zenith B with this lens for many years. I used the stepless aperture ring as they suggested in the manual - open it up to focus, shut it down to shoot. (Set your preferred aperture on the clicking aperture ring first). I used to meter with a Leningrad 4 exposure meter. Now I have a full-frame Canon DSLR with M42 adapter, I can meter using the camera's own system (all manual settings of course).

I'm loving it on an APS-C sensor. Helios 44-2 is up to around $40 on Ebay now. Thanks for the explanation of the backwards aperture ring!

Excellent review as always Chris. The Helios 44-2 58mm . I paid £40 for mine but still think it's a bargain when compared to other lenses at this focal length. it is in very good condition & looks brand new. I bought it on the strength of this review & attached it to Fuji XT1.I love it

Good stuff. I like it when your videos have pics of Cardiff in them - I live there. I just picked up an Asahi 55mm 1.8 and waiting desperately for the lens adaptor !!! It looks beautiful - I love the retro look - I hope its OK !

I would like to see more weird lenses, I just discover this new hobby, thank you for posting

There are GREAT old vintage Russian lenses out there ! I am a collector of these. Amazing quality and ... can be very cheap !

Can you do a petzval 85 vs Helios 40-2 c comparison ?

Nice for portraiture - the edge deterioration actually adds to the charm

I've got the Zeiss equivalent on my 5D and the Helios on my Olympus E-5. Both result in pretty interesting pictures with a distinct vintage look

Anyone reading who has since got on the a7c train, this lens is amazing on that body. Perfect size and balance, focus peaking makes it a joy to use. Video looks straight out of a dream. They can still be had for $50 on eBay. Absolute steal!

Your videos are fantastic. Love the music too. Subscribed!

I've got the grandpa of the lens you have - Helios 44 produced in 60's. Very happy with it.

@christopherfrost

5 жыл бұрын

Cool :-)

Takumar has a nice 3.5/28 mm manual lens. I got it for like $30 on Ebay (used). Also a great attachment for Fujis X-series. It also works with Fotiox M42-FX adapter (which is needed for this lens) so you don't need to buy a separate adapter.

I'm happy people like this lens so much it leaves all the unknown brands that are sharper and better built untouched. (check ken wheelers m42 recommendations)

I own one. Got it for $60 on Ebay and thankfully the seller lived in the US since they are mainly produced in Russia. It's attached to my Fuji XT-1 and it is an amazing portrait lens. Never really bothered on achieving the swirly bokeh look since I prefer shooting someone closely with just enough background for a little depth. Aside from all that I definitely recommend this lens and you save a pretty penny and you will not be disappointed.

@christopherfrost

7 жыл бұрын

They have gone up in price a lot since I made this review

@evolutionaryapostle5488

7 жыл бұрын

Oh, wow It's all your fault!! lol j/k

@johnraj6782

7 жыл бұрын

St Gonzalez

Great review as always. Thanks!

Also its worth noting that you can often find vast differences in quality in these lenses--I've found mine to work beautifully, but some people have noted that due to age or other issues, that the lenses can act totally differently.

I have been using my 58mm Helios lens on my APSC A6500 with a Kipon 0.7x M-42 to E-mount Focal Reducer and it works quite well... I also use the Kipon on my A6500 when I shoot with a Meyer Optik Gorlitz Orestor 135mm f/2.8 lens...

Thank you for another excellent review!

Also you can find swirly bokeh in the crop frame, but it's only at certain combinations of distance, background, and aperture

Thanks Chris! My favorite vintage lens :)

Could you review Jupiter-9 85/2 ,which I'm really interested in??

The silver m42 adapter you used introduce allot flare when the lens is wide open. I recommend people using a black coated one unless you want a "special" effect. Thanks for your video

Does the adaptation of vintage lens ( m42 lens + adapter ring to EF + EF to EOS M mount ) apple a further crop ? if i use the helios 44-2 m42 mount with a canon ef mount then on a ef-m mount ( canon m50) .. will it produce a crop due to using double adapters ? pls reply ?

Ruskoje lenskoje! Thanks for the review. Very informative, very professional.

i have a zenit 44m-5 1/2 58mm. which adaptor do i have to buy for my canon EF-S mount? thank you. great video

I actually use a lot of M42 lenses adapted to my EOS RP. My favorite is a Mamiya 50mm f/2 that came as the kit lens for my Mamiya/Sekor 500DTL SLR.

Thank you very much, could you tell me which Adapter to use when using this lens with the Sony Alpha 6500 camera?

I recently bought one of these on a trip to Uzbekistan that is very similar to the one you reviewed. Yours was made in 1985, and mine is slightly newer, with the manufacture date of 1988 (The first two numbers on the serial number are the manufacture date). I found your review to be very useful as I begin my journey with vinatage Soviet lenses on my mondern Fujifilm camera.

great video! I hope you can do more vintage lensen.

I agree with all you've said here. I had couple of 44-2s and surprisingly, all of them behaved differently (optically speaking). I've read somewhere that is because of poor control quality in Soviet days. Anyways, what you should've mention is the other version of this lens are known to hit mirror of FF Canon's, just a heads up to people who would be willing to buy this. When focusing to infinity or near it, some versions will protrude significantly more into body of camera then other, causing it to hit the mirror, and possibly damage it. I am talking about 44M-2, 44M-3, 44M-4, 44M-5, 44M-6 and 44M-7. I was so said when I realized I had to sell my MC 44M-3, when I made my switch to 6D, because it was much sharper and contrasty than 44-2s I owned. For any people interested in Soviet era lenses, I'd pay attention to Helios 77M-4 (50mm f/1.8) , Helios 40-2 (85mm f/1.5) and Jupiter 9 (85mm f/2). Whit exception of Jupiter, both of them have swirly bokeh, but they are much more expensive.

@TheJudge064

5 жыл бұрын

Some other Jupiter lenses are also interesting. I'm considering buying a bunch of them. Is there Anything I need to know before i do?

@NGC1433

4 жыл бұрын

these lenses were made on different plants, thousands of miles apart Produced from differently sourced glass and coated by different processes. w What quality control are you on about???

@vuk87

4 жыл бұрын

Јел препоручујеш апарат?

The F markings are still confusing me when I have to write down the settings at which the pictures had been taken.

I found this Lens in my attic. Did some work on the focus mechanism and it works amazing.

Seis años después de este excelente video, sería de utilidad saber cómo funciona el Helios en una Nikon Z full frame. Y cuáles son los adaptadores recomendados tanto para colocar el objetivo vintage en la montura de la cámara o en el FTZ.

Christopher what is the best converter to use for Canon, with the AF confirm chip or without ? I noticed you have an AF confirm... I use a Kiss X4 (t2i Rebel).

Just picked one up today,) great video C,)

Swirly bokeh can be achieved on APS-H camera, too. I used Helios 44-M lenses since 1995, had two of them, now just one, 44-M4. Anyway, thanks for the review.

My favourite lens ever

Lovely, in-depth review Christopher :) I am buying one for my SonyA6000 (APS-C) I have the same question, does the swirly bokeh produce different result when not used on FULL FRAME? Also, What adapter should I use?

Great review!

I own a similar lens (Helios 44M-4) didn't pay anything for it, found it in my grandma's locker :) I absolutely love this lens, the only disappointment is that it has some significant play in the focus ring. Makes focusing really annoying sometimes. I wonder if it is my particular lens problem or they're all like that. Also, the "swirly bokeh" effect is there on the APS-C cameras as well. It just depends on a background really. Thanks for your reviews, they are really helpful and fun to watch ;)

What verision this lens is? I've hear about the Valdai and KMZ, etc.

Hi Christopher, I am wondering if you could review the Viltrox DC-50 (or DC-70) monitor , which has FOCUS PEAKING and works with Canon/Nikon cameras. You've reviewed many manual focus lens, and I guess you could probably give a very insightful review to these monitors.

So would an M42 adaptor work well with my 1DS mark 2, or would I get lens slap?

man this is a great, well detailed video.

Christopher said his copy was £25, 8 years ago, I just picked a mint copy up for £50, so not bad inflation considering the hype. Thanks as always for your great reviews.

Great review. Is your aperture ring very loose? It’s nice there’s no hard stops, but the slightest changes the F stop.

This is my favourite lens. I have one on every M42 mount body I have. I've shot some incredible video with this as well with the cropped censored A6000. I'm shooting a review of this lens myself soon. Cheers.

@OldCameras

8 жыл бұрын

arjun rai I would get an M42 to E-mount adaptor and check out some Helios and other M42 classic lenses.

@OldCameras

8 жыл бұрын

arjun rai Also check out old Zuiko (Olympus) lenses.

@missparan

7 жыл бұрын

Old Cameras hi. Is the m42 adapter going to work on canon 5D? I am clueless. I need an adapter with af confirmation chip. I have been using it without the chip and it's making me nit want to use it but when i nail it it's beauty

@vshnv_c

6 жыл бұрын

The kit lens is not at all bad. The Kit lens of a6300 is actually a remarkable wide angle lens. Consider this, its a 16mm f3.5 on an APS-C body, which has a sensor slightly larger than Canon or Nikon APS-Cs. Nikon and Canon usually provide a 18mm f3.5 base kit lens. Imagine the landscape photography on that lens. f3.5 is a good aperture speed for landscape. You don't need anything lower unless you're going low light for landscape. Overall its an amazing lens and not worth any criticism, considering it comes free of cost. You just need to know to make the best of the lenses. I use A6000 with the Kit lens as my Wide angle lens, Sigma 30mm f1.4 as my portrait lens and the Sony 18-105mm f4 as telephoto. If you're into portrait photography, Helios 44m is a great and cheap option. Its an excellent lens. But considering your budget, your Kit lens is the best Wide angle option you have.

I bought this lens because of your review, thanks !

Hi @christopherfrost The fake contacts are realy needed for it to work properly considering the possibility to set it on Canon´s defs menu? Is a screw mount without those contacts good aswell?

Hi. I love the way you took photos and enhance the color and tones. It would be a pleasure to know how to edit your photos with great color and tones. Perhaps you should make a video about editing photos. Thanks.

Hi Chris, does the af confirmation chip work?

great video! I think i'm going to buy it just for the fun :)

I have the Helios - 44M f2/58 which I bought for £20 from a charity shop. Works well on my E mount Sony with a M42 adapter. It's certainly very solid and heavy, all metal design and whilst it does have its optical faults it does produce nice pictures.

What is that adpater you are using Chris? Is it good one? I am actually in need of one of those with Focus confirmation chip

I have this lens and an adapter, but have never dared to mount it on my beloved 6D as I have read that its rear element fouls the mirror. Is this not the case? My lens is shiny black and silver, without the green numerals.

yesss vintage lens review, cool

What are some good websites/forums for old lenses etc?

Chris thanks for this tutorial and review on the Helios 44-2 58mm f/2 lens, you have done a really detailed and awesome review, thanks. What is the brand name of the adapter? I noticed the adapter has contact points? Is this brand of adapter available in Micro Four Thirds? I want to pair this lens with the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K.

@christopherfrost

4 жыл бұрын

I can't remember what the adaptor was, sorry about that

Could someone recommend me which adaptor to buy for this lens so it fits on my Canon 6D? :D

Thanks to you, I just got myself one of these with a plain adaptor. I can't wait to try it out. I notice yours has contacts on it. Is this for focus confirmation and does it work?

@christopherfrost

8 жыл бұрын

+Mel Sebastian Yes and yes, but I tended to use liveview anyway

Finally a great review

I would love to see a review of the Pentax Takumar 55mm f1.8 M42 lens.. beautiful budget lens on Canon.

Woow this looks fantastic!

Hello! Do you have the focus barrel diameter of the Helios 44-2 measured with Calipers if possible?

@christopherfrost

3 жыл бұрын

?!

Does it came with a lens cap or something to protect the glass?

What would be a recommended wider lens to pair with this lens?

*Suggestion: maybe you could review some of the M42 Takumar lenses, these are brilliant in my experience.

What adapter do I need if I have Canon EOS t5i ??

Hi Chris, I managed to get this lens along with the Zenit E for just $10 or Indian ₹700 just 2 days back . The fellow selling this had no interest or knowledge of what or how valuable the stuff is. That was a lucky bargain, now just waiting for the adapter to arrive so that I also can try my hands on my first vintage lens.

Very well done review.

I have bought one like 2 weeks ago and i love it!

@smaakjeks

8 жыл бұрын

+Daniel Gális Awesome! :D

I need adepter for this lens and i have Canon EOS 60d please can u share the link

Hi Christopher! I've been following you're videos for quite a while now! One question, i have this lens with a Nikon adapter on a D7000 the thing is the lens doesnt focus longer than 2 meters i dont know why, Is it broken? Cheers!

@christopherfrost

6 жыл бұрын

I don't know, sorry - maybe it's the wrong kind of adaptor

Bought one really ancient with big green "Made in USSR" stamped onto it. Works great on my 600D, bokeh is less swirly but still very nice considering it's probably 30+ years old piece of equipment. Plus it's cheap (depends where and when you buy it) and build proper being all metal you don't have to worry about it too much when shooting outside.

Chris, its a russian clone of the Zeiss Biotar 58mm F2....after WW2. it gives a swirly bokeh at open apertures. I have that lens for many years.

@Mirrka2009

4 жыл бұрын

But it costs like a wing from the airplane!!!

@marcp.1752

4 жыл бұрын

@@Mirrka2009 Hrhr...not that much. I do have currently a Chinese Clone Lens for Minolta Mount... ;)

It is an incredible lens. Got mine via Ebay for about 60 bucks, adapted for Nikon and modified for infinity focus and I love it. Please, please review the Jupiter 21 200 mm f4 if you can.

I'd like you to please suggest a vintage 85mm or something like that, for portraits and for use on Canon DSLR. And test it too!