[eddie1960]

a couple of test shots from the jupiter 9 wide open (with the hood from my 135 tak)

[weakhead]

More MC Helios 44K-4...

F2 || ISO 80 || with hood


F2 || ISO 80 || no hood


F8 || ISO 400 || Raynox DCR-150


F8 || ISO 400 || Raynox DCR-150

[LesMizzell]

Just ordered a Helios 44M-6, so I guess that's an official ticket into the club!

I may have made a mistake though, perhaps I should have sourced an official Pentax 30120 adapter first! Not in stock at the Pentax store or any of the other online stores I trust - Adorama, B&H, Adorama, KEH.... Evilbay is fraught with deceiving knock-offs and what might be a real one for $48.00. Anybody know of a good source that has these in stock?

If I can't find the Pentax one, is there a TRUSTED 3rd party version that is known to work with no issues?

[Kozlok]

What I did was buy the cheapo Fotodiox adapter:

Amazon.com: Fotodiox Chrome Lens Mount Adapter with Infinity Focus, M42 (42mm x1 Thread Screw) Lens to Pentax K-x/PK Adapter, for Pentax *ist DS, DS2, D, DL, DL2, K10D, K20D, K100D, K110D, K200D, K100D Super, K-5, K-7, K-30, K-r, K-x, K-m, (K-m A.K.A

This one is probably very hard to remove if you use it the right way, but what I did was use little screwdrivers to completely remove the little latch spring. This way, it can never get stuck in you camera.

Next, I used a little loctite to permanently mount the adapter to the back of my Helios. I used the lower strength blue stuff so I could remove it if I really had to. In some ways, this lowers the value of your lens, but it's not worth much anyway, so I figured, what the heck. Now I just put it in the camera like any other lens, it just doesn't have any latch to keep it there. The mount is tight enough that it's not a problem, it will only come out on purpose. It's working really great for me.

[vladimiroltean]

More MC Helios 44K-4...

F2 || ISO 80 || with hood


F2 || ISO 80 || no hood


F8 || ISO 400 || Raynox DCR-150


F8 || ISO 400 || Raynox DCR-150

Great series! Do you edit the pics to look that way, or do they just come out with way high levels in the shadows area, making the blacks look grey?

[weakhead]

kcobain1992 - thanks. I've used split-tone filter for first one, so shadows have blue tint and are less "dark". The rest had those details in natural way, but I've done some operations on curves to pump up the contrast a bit.

[vladimiroltean]

Interesting, I never thought of using split toning in a colour image. I'll try it out!

[DougLee]

Got my first helios this weekend, a 44-2. I had a chance to take it out for a spin this morning...





This is my first lens that has a "free floating" aperture ring which is kind of fun to use for a change.

Thanks for looking.

Doug

[Codazzle]

Had my Industar 61mm for about a year. Hadn't really played with it until now. Haven't brought it out but has impressed me around the house

[vladimiroltean]

Nice Studio! I was thinking about getting a Les Paul too, but where to find the money when all of it is going on lenses and film bodies!

[ultraviolet]

Testing my M42 lenses during lunch break walk, no exciting subject available around here. so here it is from a 1972 KMZ Jupiter 9 (85mmf2)
No PP, +1EV, f4 (2~4), forgot to take the hood, also forgot to change the FL on the camera

[simbon4o]

One of the best 50mm lens ever!








KMZ Zenitar-M 50 1.7

[weakhead]

DougLee - those are nice!
simbon4o - now I'm impressed. Does this lens always give such creamy bokeh? Helios 44 is rather... busy, compared to this.

[simbon4o]

simbon4o - now I'm impressed. Does this lens always give such creamy bokeh? Helios 44 is rather... busy, compared to this.

Yep It is quite nice lens. One of the smoothest. The colors are nice too for a single coated old russian lens. It looses contrast closed down but stays sharp. For close down use I have pentax 50s and Pancolar. Wide open this one is so nice!
bokeh test 50mm

[weakhead]

Indeed, it's incredibly smooth compared to many 50's.

And now some more Helios 44 magic.

F2 || ISO 80


F2 || ISO 80


F4 || ISO 140