Helios 44-2 aperture

bikehead90 · 10-25-2018, 07:18 PM

I just took receipt of the swirly bokeh Helios 44-2, and this thing is strange, and I'd love some advice from those of you who've used it. I have the Pentax-brand K-mount adapter, so I'm good there, but I'm unsure how to use this thing. I regularly use my M and A-series lenses on my K7 and K3, without any difficulty (as well as my K1000), but when I put the Helios on the digital bodies, their display went crazy with the numbers. One second it'd suggest a shutter speed of X and a second later the SS is now Y. I get that you control the aperture via the front dial, but what is the dial that physically opens the aperture? While we're on the subject of aperture, just for clarification, wide open produces the swirly bokeh yeah? I have some engagement shoots and a couple of graduation shoots I'd like to use this with.

**kiwi_jono** · 10-25-2018, 08:22 PM - **1 Like**

Its a fun lens. Yes I find generally it displays the best swirly bokeh wide open (f2).

This is a preset aperture lens and so there are two controls near the front of the lens.
The very front ring sets the target aperture and like most aperture dials has click stops at the main aperture positions - it can be a bit stiff and so not always obvious this is the aperture ring. The other (more obvious) ring just behind the aperture ring is the pre-select ring. Looking from behind the camera, turn it all the way clockwise to stop the lens down to the selected aperture and all the way anti-clockwise for wide open. This ring has no click positions (and so with aperture ring set to f16 can be used like a "de-clicked" aperture ring for video effects if you like!).

The idea is the pre-select ring allows you focus wide open and then stop down to preselected aperture without having to look at the lens ring.

kypfer · 10-26-2018, 03:43 AM

Originally posted by bikehead90

I just took receipt of the swirly bokeh Helios 44-2, and this thing is strange, and I'd love some advice from those of you who've used it. I have the Pentax-brand K-mount adapter, so I'm good there, but I'm unsure how to use this thing. I regularly use my M and A-series lenses on my K7 and K3, without any difficulty (as well as my K1000), but when I put the Helios on the digital bodies, their display went crazy with the numbers. One second it'd suggest a shutter speed of X and a second later the SS is now Y. I get that you control the aperture via the front dial, but what is the dial that physically opens the aperture? While we're on the subject of aperture, just for clarification, wide open produces the swirly bokeh yeah? I have some engagement shoots and a couple of graduation shoots I'd like to use this with.

The "crazy numbers" symptom is almost certainly due to bad electrical contact between the lens and the camera body. The lens needs to be insulated where it contacts the camera so's the camera doesn't "think" there's a lens fitted. Try a lick of nail varnish or similar quick-drying (and easily cleanable) paint on the back of the lens. A single layer of thin adhesive tape may also be a temporary solution.
For the 'bokeh' effect you'll need to have the lens wide open, as recommended. Be aware that the effect is not as well pronounced on a cropped-sensor (APS-C) camera as it is on a full-frame camera, as the effect is most noticeable in the outer field of the image.
Whilst pre-set lenses may be second nature to those of us who grew up with them, they can be an acquired taste in this modern age of auto-everything. If the instructions given you by other posters don't quite make sense, try to find an illustrated guide or video on the internet. Even a scan of an original Zenit camera manual may help. Be aware, there are mechanical differences between the various models of Helios-44, so do try to find instructions that refer specifically to the 44-2.
Good luck and enjoy

I've used these lenses (on and off) since the '70's, they continue to satisfy!

Cabessius · 10-26-2018, 05:11 AM

Which mode are you using?
For K mount lenses in M mode, the numbers will obviously stay the same until you manually change the values.
For M42 lenses I use Tav, if you are using this mode the crazy numbers mean that the camera is calculating the ISO and shutter speed, and the values will change as soon as you move the camera or open/close the diaphragm.

bikehead90 · 10-26-2018, 09:14 AM

Originally posted by Cabessius

Which mode are you using?
For K mount lenses in M mode, the numbers will obviously stay the same until you manually change the values.
For M42 lenses I use Tav, if you are using this mode the crazy numbers mean that the camera is calculating the ISO and shutter speed, and the values will change as soon as you move the camera or open/close the diaphragm.

I shoot in Manual for pretty much everything, even when I use my M and A lenses. I'll try aperture priority for this one then.

10-25-2018, 07:18 PM	#1
bikehead90 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Photos: Gallery Posts: 193	Helios 44-2 aperture I just took receipt of the swirly bokeh Helios 44-2, and this thing is strange, and I'd love some advice from those of you who've used it. I have the Pentax-brand K-mount adapter, so I'm good there, but I'm unsure how to use this thing. I regularly use my M and A-series lenses on my K7 and K3, without any difficulty (as well as my K1000), but when I put the Helios on the digital bodies, their display went crazy with the numbers. One second it'd suggest a shutter speed of X and a second later the SS is now Y. I get that you control the aperture via the front dial, but what is the dial that physically opens the aperture? While we're on the subject of aperture, just for clarification, wide open produces the swirly bokeh yeah? I have some engagement shoots and a couple of graduation shoots I'd like to use this with.

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10-25-2018, 08:22 PM - 1 Like	#2
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Its a fun lens. Yes I find generally it displays the best swirly bokeh wide open (f2). This is a preset aperture lens and so there are two controls near the front of the lens. The very front ring sets the target aperture and like most aperture dials has click stops at the main aperture positions - it can be a bit stiff and so not always obvious this is the aperture ring. The other (more obvious) ring just behind the aperture ring is the pre-select ring. Looking from behind the camera, turn it all the way clockwise to stop the lens down to the selected aperture and all the way anti-clockwise for wide open. This ring has no click positions (and so with aperture ring set to f16 can be used like a "de-clicked" aperture ring for video effects if you like!). The idea is the pre-select ring allows you focus wide open and then stop down to preselected aperture without having to look at the lens ring.

10-26-2018, 03:43 AM	#3
kypfer Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Jersey C.I. Posts: 3,596	Originally posted by bikehead90 I just took receipt of the swirly bokeh Helios 44-2, and this thing is strange, and I'd love some advice from those of you who've used it. I have the Pentax-brand K-mount adapter, so I'm good there, but I'm unsure how to use this thing. I regularly use my M and A-series lenses on my K7 and K3, without any difficulty (as well as my K1000), but when I put the Helios on the digital bodies, their display went crazy with the numbers. One second it'd suggest a shutter speed of X and a second later the SS is now Y. I get that you control the aperture via the front dial, but what is the dial that physically opens the aperture? While we're on the subject of aperture, just for clarification, wide open produces the swirly bokeh yeah? I have some engagement shoots and a couple of graduation shoots I'd like to use this with. The "crazy numbers" symptom is almost certainly due to bad electrical contact between the lens and the camera body. The lens needs to be insulated where it contacts the camera so's the camera doesn't "think" there's a lens fitted. Try a lick of nail varnish or similar quick-drying (and easily cleanable) paint on the back of the lens. A single layer of thin adhesive tape may also be a temporary solution. For the 'bokeh' effect you'll need to have the lens wide open, as recommended. Be aware that the effect is not as well pronounced on a cropped-sensor (APS-C) camera as it is on a full-frame camera, as the effect is most noticeable in the outer field of the image. Whilst pre-set lenses may be second nature to those of us who grew up with them, they can be an acquired taste in this modern age of auto-everything. If the instructions given you by other posters don't quite make sense, try to find an illustrated guide or video on the internet. Even a scan of an original Zenit camera manual may help. Be aware, there are mechanical differences between the various models of Helios-44, so do try to find instructions that refer specifically to the 44-2. Good luck and enjoy I've used these lenses (on and off) since the '70's, they continue to satisfy!

10-26-2018, 05:11 AM	#4
Cabessius Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ibiza, Spain Posts: 471	Which mode are you using? For K mount lenses in M mode, the numbers will obviously stay the same until you manually change the values. For M42 lenses I use Tav, if you are using this mode the crazy numbers mean that the camera is calculating the ISO and shutter speed, and the values will change as soon as you move the camera or open/close the diaphragm.

10-26-2018, 09:14 AM	#5
bikehead90 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Photos: Gallery Posts: 193 Original Poster	Originally posted by Cabessius Which mode are you using? For K mount lenses in M mode, the numbers will obviously stay the same until you manually change the values. For M42 lenses I use Tav, if you are using this mode the crazy numbers mean that the camera is calculating the ISO and shutter speed, and the values will change as soon as you move the camera or open/close the diaphragm. I shoot in Manual for pretty much everything, even when I use my M and A lenses. I'll try aperture priority for this one then.