Helios 44M

figmental1978 · 12-13-2008, 04:56 PM

anyone else with the 44-2 with a genuine pentax M42 adaptor? when the 44-2 is screwed on, it doesn't touch the flange of the camera body, just the adaptor which causes it to wobble, is this normal?

Supernaut · 01-13-2009, 11:26 AM

Originally posted by georgweb

elkarrde,
About the manual aperture conversion, just unscrew the 3 screws on the back, hold the pin from outside while lifting the back off, put a piece of a cotton swab plastic shaft onto the pin from inside, close it back. There you have your manual lens (done that on version -6 and -7).

Thanks! Your instruction worked great although it took me a while to figure out how your cleaning device looks like

dave sz · 01-13-2009, 01:25 PM

I bid on two of these in fear I was going to lose the first auction and I wasn't going to be near a computer when they both ended. Well, I have two of these coming my way...

elkarrde · 01-13-2009, 02:23 PM

Originally posted by figmental1978

anyone else with the 44-2 with a genuine pentax M42 adapter? when the 44-2 is screwed on, it doesn't touch the flange of the camera body, just the adapter which causes it to wobble, is this normal?

i have 44M version, much fatter lens at the mount, but since the locking pin doesn't have something to lock on, it does wobble a bit just the same.

interesting, it wobbles more on K100Ds than on MX.

figmental1978 · 01-13-2009, 07:30 PM

Originally posted by elkarrde

i have 44M version, much fatter lens at the mount, but since the locking pin doesn't have something to lock on, it does wobble a bit just the same.

interesting, it wobbles more on K100Ds than on MX.

Cheers, it's not a big deal as it's optically a great little lens, just a little annoying to use.

jsherman999 · 02-27-2009, 06:57 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by georgweb

...

...

About the manual aperture conversion, just unscrew the 3 screws on
the back, hold the pin from outside while lifting the back off, put a piece
of a cotton swab plastic shaft onto the pin from inside, close it back.
There you have your manual lens (done that on version -6 and -7).

Got a Helios 44-M-4 in the mail today from an English ebay seller ($37 IIRC,)
making this probably the most expensive Helios in this thread.

Gus made me do it with his non-stop Helios image-mongering. Serves me
right for letting him get that Helios from me. Well, now I have one again.

Except this turns out to be the 44-M-4 version, vs. 44-M, and it doesn't have
the Auto-manual switch.

My question is - what exactly does the procedure above accomplish, exactly?
Sounds like you're disabling the pin?

Anyway, meantime, wide-open is a good place for this lens to live - very
sharp for f/2.

Couple test shots:

focus on fish mouth

Igilligan · 02-27-2009, 07:35 PM

That procedure literly just allows you to stop it down on the digital bodies... otherwise it is always wide open... but the beauty of this lens as you have so perfectly shown is that is shines wide open... My goodness those are some beautiful 'first' shots...

Mine (or should I say yours) seldom leaves F2.

congrats on the new lens...

And I still thank you every day for the one you so graciously gave me. It truly re-awakened my joy for shooting and playing.

figmental1978 · 02-27-2009, 07:35 PM

nice shots Jay, the colour really pops.

**Rense** · 02-28-2009, 02:53 AM

Great shots, Jay! I think that the Helios will turn out to be my best new lens in 2009.... Probably a bit premature to say this the last day of February allready, but we can evaluate things in January next year

jsherman999 · 02-28-2009, 10:10 AM

.

Thanks, all! Still had it on the camera at breakfast, so I grabbed it for
some Gus-like portraits. Unfortunately, my little guy bobs around in his
chair like Mohammed Ali doing rope-a-dope, so I had to boost ISO and use
slightly faster shutter speeds to stop action, and these shots are have a little
contrast boost to make up for the slight under exposure. But the lens
did great:

crop of above:

And a typical ending to breakfast...

richard64 · 02-28-2009, 12:19 PM

Originally posted by figmental1978

anyone else with the 44-2 with a genuine pentax M42 adaptor? when the 44-2 is screwed on, it doesn't touch the flange of the camera body, just the adaptor which causes it to wobble, is this normal?

Actually, this irritates me. I have three adapters, a genuine Asahi adapter, a Kood adapter, and an un-named one (rather, it is so old, the name has rubbed off). The last one is useless, the flanges are slightly the wrong size. The other two I use a lot.

I use the genuine one with all of my Takumars, and it works fine, except for one of my Asahi extension tubes where I get the wobble. Interestingly, the Helios 44M I bought recently does not have the wobble.

I have a CZJ 135/3.5 and 35/2.4 and both of those wobble with the Asahi adapter. With the Kood adapter, there is no wobble.

The reason appears to be that when the lens (or extension tube) is fully screwed into the genuine adapter the end of the screw thread on the lens is achieved before the back face of the lens is in contact with the camera mount. You cannot screw the lens any further in but there is still a small gap between the lens and mount. The wobble is the slight play in the adapter locking spring (and mount catch). One solution with the Asahi adapter is to use a shim (the bits of metal in security tags are great for this), and if you put the shim over the electrical contacts then you'll also get focus trap. The problem is that if the lens is not completely screwed in, then there is a chance that you'll not get infinity focus.

However, I find that it is better to use the Kood adapter because I can then screw the lens in further in the mount, and get a complete contact between the lens and mount.

I have to mention that I have removed the spring off my Kood adapter, and I have drilled a hole for the camera locking pin in the Flektogon. If I use the Flek with the Asahi adapter I find that the locking pin does not engage in the drilled hole, further indicating that the lens is not fully screwed in.

Richard

Canonian · 07-13-2013, 12:30 PM

Just delivered by the mailman and immediately mounted on a Canon EOS M. This is my first test shot. I paid more than usual for this Helios 44M-7 MC, but it has been on my wishlist a while after my first Helios, the 44M-2. Renowned for its sharpness and lovely bokeh. The "7" has the best coating of the entire 44M family. The Optical Formula: 6 elements in 4 groups, is a blatant copy of the East German lens, the Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm. It has six Aperture Blades and was manufactured in the Valdai Optical-Mechanical Factory. The Optical Resolution of this MC Helios-44M-7 is 50/30 lines/mm (center/edge) . Not bad for a lens build around 1970.

**Billy Joe** · 07-13-2013, 03:54 PM

Oh man... the Helios rocks the EOS M

cant wait to see more from you...

ignmar · 07-13-2013, 10:35 PM

Originally posted by figmental1978

anyone else with the 44-2 with a genuine pentax M42 adaptor? when the 44-2 is screwed on, it doesn't touch the flange of the camera body, just the adaptor which causes it to wobble, is this normal?

i got a Helios 44-2 with genuine pentax M42 adapter it doesnt wobble but it mount upside down or it my lens problem i don't know why but other M42 lenses i got mount correctly.

here is what i test with my student.

stevebrot · 07-14-2013, 08:12 AM

Originally posted by ignmar

i got a Helios 44-2 with genuine pentax M42 adapter it doesnt wobble but it mount upside down or it my lens problem i don't know why but other M42 lenses i got mount correctly.

here is what i test with my student.

Mounts upside down (distance scale on underside)? That is interesting. Does it do this if you mount the adapter to the lens and then the both to the body and is the adapter fully engaged in the mount? It may be that your lens has been reassembled at some point with the mount 180 degrees from what it should have been.

Steve

02-27-2009, 06:57 PM - 1 Like	#21
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	Gus got me back! Originally posted by georgweb ... ... About the manual aperture conversion, just unscrew the 3 screws on the back, hold the pin from outside while lifting the back off, put a piece of a cotton swab plastic shaft onto the pin from inside, close it back. There you have your manual lens (done that on version -6 and -7). Got a Helios 44-M-4 in the mail today from an English ebay seller ($37 IIRC,) making this probably the most expensive Helios in this thread. Gus made me do it with his non-stop Helios image-mongering. Serves me right for letting him get that Helios from me. Well, now I have one again. Except this turns out to be the 44-M-4 version, vs. 44-M, and it doesn't have the Auto-manual switch. My question is - what exactly does the procedure above accomplish, exactly? Sounds like you're disabling the pin? Anyway, meantime, wide-open is a good place for this lens to live - very sharp for f/2. Couple test shots: focus on fish mouth Last edited by jsherman999; 02-27-2009 at 07:05 PM.

02-27-2009, 07:35 PM	#22
Igilligan Guest	Hey Jay That procedure literly just allows you to stop it down on the digital bodies... otherwise it is always wide open... but the beauty of this lens as you have so perfectly shown is that is shines wide open... My goodness those are some beautiful 'first' shots... Mine (or should I say yours) seldom leaves F2. congrats on the new lens... And I still thank you every day for the one you so graciously gave me. It truly re-awakened my joy for shooting and playing.

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12-13-2008, 04:56 PM	#16
figmental1978 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 789 Original Poster	anyone else with the 44-2 with a genuine pentax M42 adaptor? when the 44-2 is screwed on, it doesn't touch the flange of the camera body, just the adaptor which causes it to wobble, is this normal?

01-13-2009, 11:26 AM	#17
Supernaut Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: West Coast , Sweden Posts: 467	Originally posted by georgweb elkarrde, About the manual aperture conversion, just unscrew the 3 screws on the back, hold the pin from outside while lifting the back off, put a piece of a cotton swab plastic shaft onto the pin from inside, close it back. There you have your manual lens (done that on version -6 and -7). Thanks! Your instruction worked great although it took me a while to figure out how your cleaning device looks like

01-13-2009, 01:25 PM	#18
dave sz Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: carpentersville, IL Posts: 693	I bid on two of these in fear I was going to lose the first auction and I wasn't going to be near a computer when they both ended. Well, I have two of these coming my way...

01-13-2009, 02:23 PM	#19
elkarrde Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Zagreb, Croatia Posts: 387	Originally posted by figmental1978 anyone else with the 44-2 with a genuine pentax M42 adapter? when the 44-2 is screwed on, it doesn't touch the flange of the camera body, just the adapter which causes it to wobble, is this normal? i have 44M version, much fatter lens at the mount, but since the locking pin doesn't have something to lock on, it does wobble a bit just the same. interesting, it wobbles more on K100Ds than on MX.

01-13-2009, 07:30 PM	#20
figmental1978 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 789 Original Poster	Originally posted by elkarrde i have 44M version, much fatter lens at the mount, but since the locking pin doesn't have something to lock on, it does wobble a bit just the same. interesting, it wobbles more on K100Ds than on MX. Cheers, it's not a big deal as it's optically a great little lens, just a little annoying to use.

02-27-2009, 07:35 PM	#23
figmental1978 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne Posts: 789 Original Poster	nice shots Jay, the colour really pops.

02-28-2009, 02:53 AM	#24
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050	Great shots, Jay! I think that the Helios will turn out to be my best new lens in 2009.... Probably a bit premature to say this the last day of February allready, but we can evaluate things in January next year

02-28-2009, 10:10 AM	#25
jsherman999 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,237	. Thanks, all! Still had it on the camera at breakfast, so I grabbed it for some Gus-like portraits. Unfortunately, my little guy bobs around in his chair like Mohammed Ali doing rope-a-dope, so I had to boost ISO and use slightly faster shutter speeds to stop action, and these shots are have a little contrast boost to make up for the slight under exposure. But the lens did great: crop of above: And a typical ending to breakfast...

02-28-2009, 12:19 PM	#26
richard64 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 309	Originally posted by figmental1978 anyone else with the 44-2 with a genuine pentax M42 adaptor? when the 44-2 is screwed on, it doesn't touch the flange of the camera body, just the adaptor which causes it to wobble, is this normal? Actually, this irritates me. I have three adapters, a genuine Asahi adapter, a Kood adapter, and an un-named one (rather, it is so old, the name has rubbed off). The last one is useless, the flanges are slightly the wrong size. The other two I use a lot. I use the genuine one with all of my Takumars, and it works fine, except for one of my Asahi extension tubes where I get the wobble. Interestingly, the Helios 44M I bought recently does not have the wobble. I have a CZJ 135/3.5 and 35/2.4 and both of those wobble with the Asahi adapter. With the Kood adapter, there is no wobble. The reason appears to be that when the lens (or extension tube) is fully screwed into the genuine adapter the end of the screw thread on the lens is achieved before the back face of the lens is in contact with the camera mount. You cannot screw the lens any further in but there is still a small gap between the lens and mount. The wobble is the slight play in the adapter locking spring (and mount catch). One solution with the Asahi adapter is to use a shim (the bits of metal in security tags are great for this), and if you put the shim over the electrical contacts then you'll also get focus trap. The problem is that if the lens is not completely screwed in, then there is a chance that you'll not get infinity focus. However, I find that it is better to use the Kood adapter because I can then screw the lens in further in the mount, and get a complete contact between the lens and mount. I have to mention that I have removed the spring off my Kood adapter, and I have drilled a hole for the camera locking pin in the Flektogon. If I use the Flek with the Asahi adapter I find that the locking pin does not engage in the drilled hole, further indicating that the lens is not fully screwed in. Richard

07-13-2013, 03:54 PM	#28
Billy Joe Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 374	Oh man... the Helios rocks the EOS M cant wait to see more from you...

07-13-2013, 10:35 PM	#29
ignmar Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Batam Posts: 43	Originally posted by figmental1978 anyone else with the 44-2 with a genuine pentax M42 adaptor? when the 44-2 is screwed on, it doesn't touch the flange of the camera body, just the adaptor which causes it to wobble, is this normal? i got a Helios 44-2 with genuine pentax M42 adapter it doesnt wobble but it mount upside down or it my lens problem i don't know why but other M42 lenses i got mount correctly. here is what i test with my student.

07-14-2013, 08:12 AM	#30
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by ignmar i got a Helios 44-2 with genuine pentax M42 adapter it doesnt wobble but it mount upside down or it my lens problem i don't know why but other M42 lenses i got mount correctly. here is what i test with my student. Mounts upside down (distance scale on underside)? That is interesting. Does it do this if you mount the adapter to the lens and then the both to the body and is the adapter fully engaged in the mount? It may be that your lens has been reassembled at some point with the mount 180 degrees from what it should have been. Steve