[film-love]

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So I've been wanting to try out the Helios 44 for a while now, and found a cheap one yesterday from a flea-market. Good condition, too, w/ buttery focus feel and both lens caps.

Going to put it on my Pentax MX - the lens has an m42 screw mount and I realize adapters have been discussed a lot here but I'm still not entirely sure which adapter would suit me best.

I wouldn't want the adapter to cost more than 30 bucks, the lens only cost me 10 so...

I would prefer something that is as easy to attach and remove as it would be to use any other lens - and I'd like to keep the adapter fitted on the lens at all times.

Infinity focus ability would be very nice, but not 100% necessary in my case because I would be using this lens mostly for the... Yeah you guessed it... Swirly bokeh...

There's a good camera store here, which has a couple of options available - could anyone confirm or have user experience whether one of these would work. Also, in two of these the description doesn't confirm if it's m42... If these are no good for any reason, it's no problem for me to grab it from Ebay, either, just not really sure which brands in this price range are sturdy and easy to use.


Tamron Adaptall - Pentax K - Kameratori


Tamron Adaptall - M42 - Kameratori


Tamron Adaptall - Pentax K - Kameratori

[kypfer]

Nothing to do with "Tamron Adaptall" at all ... completely different system ... very good in it's own right but of no relevance here!


What you need is an M42-PK adaptor, preferably the Pentax original "Mount Adaptor K", such as https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Asahi-Pentax-M42-PK-Mount-adaptor/274369296871?ha...MAAOSw5IRewmlX


Some aftermarket options have a poor reputation for jamming on the camera, others won't focus to infinity, but if this is not a problem, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M42-PK-Screw-Thread-Mount-Lens-adapter-to-Pentax-...0AAOSw65BcpHuV will serve adequately and can be left mounted to the lens permanently (don't forget to buy an extra PK lens cap if you don't have a spare)


Enjoy, the Helios-44M is a fine lens

[BarneyL]

The adapters you link to are Tamron Adaptall mount adapters for Adaptall manual focus lenses made by Tamron. They are not generic adapters, they only work for Adaptall lenses.
Tamron Adaptall-2 lenses | Adaptall-2.com

[film-love]

The adapters you link to are Tamron Adaptall mount adapters for Adaptall manual focus lenses made by Tamron.

Nothing to do with "Tamron Adaptall" at all ... completely different system ... very good in it's own right but of no relevance here!

Argh, silly me - the "adaptall" wording got me thinking these are universal adapters of some sort. Yup, first plunge into the world of adapters here... Always just used Pentax K bayonet lenses with my MX before this.

What you need is an M42-PK adaptor, preferably the Pentax original "Mount Adaptor K", such as Asahi Pentax M42-PK Mount adaptor | eBay

Fantastic! Thanks.

Did I understand correctly, this type of original adapter cannot be left on the lens itself? Ok it -might- not be a huge issue for me, but does mean there's an extra step of attaching the adapter ring onto the camera body each time I'd like to use the Helios 44.

In that sense, the latter cheapo adapter might be the less-hassle option for me.

[swanlefitte]

Adaptall is a universal adapter. It makes a tamron adaptall lens fit a nikon, canon, pentax, etc by changing the mount. The lens is made so that the mount can be changed out.

[kypfer]

Argh, silly me - the "adaptall" wording got me thinking these are universal adapters of some sort. Yup, first plunge into the world of adapters here... Always just used Pentax K bayonet lenses with my MX before this.

Fantastic! Thanks.

Did I understand correctly, this type of original adapter cannot be left on the lens itself? Ok it -might- not be a huge issue for me, but does mean there's an extra step of attaching the adapter ring onto the camera body each time I'd like to use the Helios 44.

In that sense, the latter cheapo adapter might be the less-hassle option for me.

You are correct. The "Pentax-original" type adaptor is designed to be fitted to the body, then the lens screw-mounted and dismounted in the old-fashioned manner ... some "enthusiasts" (I include myself here) have a "spare" body with an adaptor permanently fitted for use with our drawer/bag full of old lenses


If infinity focus is not an issue, the cheaper "flanged" adaptor can be fitted semi-permanently to any M42 lens and swapped just like any PK-mount lens. For reference, my Helios-44M has a maximum focus of about 10ft/3m when fitted with one of these adaptors, so perfectly adequate for a half-length portrait of an adult, for example, close-focus is about 18in/50cm but of course one can add extension tubes if required ... M42 tubes are cheap!


Enjoy

[film-love]

If infinity focus is not an issue, the cheaper "flanged" adaptor can be fitted semi-permanently to any M42 lens and swapped just like any PK-mount lens.

Thanks! Infinity focus would have been nice, but I'd prefer to be able to swap lenses on my MX quickly and without much effort. And when it comes to metering, that should all be ok even with flanged adapters, right...

Anyway. I read somewhere that some cheapo adapters can cause problems, such as getting stuck or leaving metal residue inside the mirror box. That sounds horrible

Does the above also apply to the 'flanged' adapters (without infinity focus) or just bad copies of the original Pentax design, which screws onto the actual camera body?

[pcrichmond]

IMPORTANT Any adapter you get besides original Pentax that has a locking spring on the side - run your finger nail through the threads before you attach the lens for the first time.
I have a few including a Kippon with the internal flange for pushing in the pin of my Helios 44m. The tiny screw that holds the spring on was just about 1/2mm to long and would have damaged the threads on the Helios had I not checked it first and removed the spring/screw assembly. I also have a few third party adapters that I picked up here on the forums that don't have this issue.
I've had my 44m since I bought it new in the mid 70's, it's a wonderful lens. Enjoy shooting with it.

[g026r]

Some aftermarket options have a poor reputation for jamming on the camera, others won't focus to infinity, but if this is not a problem, M42-PK Screw Thread Mount Lens adapter to Pentax K/PK Camera K-30, K-5, K-r, K-7 | eBay will serve adequately and can be left mounted to the lens permanently (don't forget to buy an extra PK lens cap if you don't have a spare)

One thing to watch for with this particular adapter is that some lenses don't fully cover the holes in it. A bit of black electrical tape on the lens-facing side of the adapter solves it though. Other than that, I've got one and it works great — particularly for lenses with narrower bases, which can be somewhat loose on the official adapter.

---------- Post added 2020-06-08 at 12:42 ----------

Anyway. I read somewhere that some cheapo adapters can cause problems, such as getting stuck or leaving metal residue inside the mirror box. That sounds horrible

Does the above also apply to the 'flanged' adapters (without infinity focus) or just bad copies of the original Pentax design, which screws onto the actual camera body?

Flanged adapters are safe. The cheap adapters that cause problems are some of the ones that look like copies of the Pentax design.

[film-love]

One thing to watch for with this particular adapter is that some lenses don't fully cover the holes in it. A bit of black electrical tape on the lens-facing side of the adapter solves it though. Other than that, I've got one and it works great — particularly for lenses with narrower bases, which can be somewhat loose on the official adapter.

Flanged adapters are safe. The cheap adapters that cause problems are some of the ones that look like copies of the Pentax design.

Just the info I was looking for, cheers - I'll probably get the cheap flanged one so that I can just leave it on the lens, should be a breeze to use - and I can always consider getting an official Pentax one later if needed. Can't wait to get my swirl on...

With the flanged adapter, does the MX still somehow manage to get the aperture info off the lens btw - or is light metering only possible at max aperture?

[g026r]

With the flanged adapter, does the MX still somehow manage to get the aperture info off the lens btw - or is light metering only possible at max aperture?

The MX can't read or automatically trigger the aperture in an adapted lens, so you'll be doing stopped-down metering. Basically: focus with the lens wide open, close the aperture down to the desired level, and then meter/shoot.

[film-love]

Basically: focus with the lens wide open, close the aperture down to the desired level, and then meter/shoot.

Gotcha

[grimnicholas]

The MX can't read or automatically trigger the aperture in an adapted lens, so you'll be doing stopped-down metering. Basically: focus with the lens wide open, close the aperture down to the desired level, and then meter/shoot.

Hmm is there a way to enable it to work like a normal Pentax lens and not have to use stopped down metering?
In my case the 44m will be On the MX, LX, MG and ME

[TwoUptons]

I'm afraid only the K-mount Helios does that...

-Eric