| Author: | | Site Supporter Registered: May, 2015 Location: Hampshire Posts: 892
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: June 16, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $5.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Cheap, sharp and interesting. | | Cons: | A/M switch | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5
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This is available at very low cost if you look. Maybe does not have the cachet of a 44-2 for swirley bokeh but it is unlikely to disappoint anyone unless they are very critical and boast a cupboard full of Planars, Flektagons and Summicrons.
I used this lens at an "Eco funeral" and a Wedding over the course of a couple of days after I bought it. No special reason for using it unless it was to see if I would be disappointed with it in c omparison to the 44-2.
I find it sharper than the 44-2 and was not disappointed . Well who could be at that price.
Everyone should have a Helios 58mm and use it.
 | | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: July, 2012 Posts: 928
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 13, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Value for money, bokeh, centre sharp | | Cons: | Quite heavy, screwmount | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
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First of all: the key question many will want to know. Will this lens produce the unusual and beautiful swirly bokeh like the extra-ordinary earlier Helios 44-2? And the answer is yes in the right conditions at f2. I got the 44-2 first, I'm more partial to that lens, and I feel the 44-2's bokeh swirls even more. But that's just my opinion (I'd be interested what others say about this) and you can still produce amazing swirly bokeh with the 44M.
Unlike the 44-2 it has a useful "M" and "A" switch - same as the Takumars. Less useful to me, it does not have the 44-2's dual front aperture dials - instead it has a conventional f-stop dial.
Using a Helios is almost an indescribable (good) experience for people used to modern digital lenses. One thing you'll notice about the lens's outputs is that you can post-produce a range of different results: vivid colors, muted colors, water color pastel-like colors, blurred colors etc. It seems to deliver outputs that can be changed quite radically and still look interesting. You'll also notice not everyone likes the results!
Here's a photo from the lens, no attempt at swirly bokeh, but this photo does show bokeh at - at least - three different depths of field.
EDIT: Since writing this review, I've come across older threads discussing the kind of bokeh the 44M actually produces, so I thought I'd post an example of the kind of extreme bokeh at f2 I've got from my copy of this lens...it all depends on how you set up the photo, light etc.
 | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Posts: 18,076
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 21, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $5.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp, build, inexpensive, (swirly) bokeh ... | | Cons: | Traditional stiff focus ring ...needs relube | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 10
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Bonjour,
This lens is being reviewed in the Helios 44-2 reviews, so I thought that it should have its own review site.
Fantastic bang for the buck lens, and I have several thanks to my local thrift store.
Test shot w/on-board flash, MFD, f11-ish
 | | | | | New Member Registered: July, 2017 Location: Tbilisi Posts: 18
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 19, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Amazing micro contrast, wonderful colors, great bokeh, swirl, build. | | Cons: | Not useful for other than portraits at f/2 (such a great problem, eh?). | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-50
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I cannot say that I have used many primes. But I still can argue that this lens, not only for her (yeah, mine is a she and I love her) price but for the results she produces, is an amazing piece of a glass.
Officially she is the worst copy of all of her sisters (44-2, 44m-6, etc.) yet the images she produces are either fantastic, or takes a minute of PP to become fantastic. Get close to your subject, and fill background with some nice colors, and let her do the job.
Pros
- The well-known Helios swirl. On crop sensor it is limited only to the edges of the frame but still is great to have and produces very nice images.
- The photos look real, not unreal/surreal like many other lenses. When you view a photo, it feels like the screen is just a piece of glass, and you can actually touch the subject you photographed. This is an amazing and very important asset which is rather rare - at least in this price range.
- I love the colors that this lens produces. I had two reasons to switch to Pentax. One was the ability to use legacy lenses easily, second was the colors which reminded me of the good old film days (although 31, I am old enough to remember those days). This lens helps the camera to produce the exact colors I want to have. I fall in love with both pieces every time I take a shot and fix it at home.
- Built like a tank. She once fell, I did not even care. She is that strong.
- CA is a rare thing, if it happens.
Cons
- Heavy (if you care). She is all metal, and I love her being heavy, to be honest.
- At f/2 and f/2.5, it is usable only for portraits (soft, low contrast). It is not a problem for me, though, as by f/2.8 she already produces good corners, becomes sharp and produces contrast).
Overall
- An amazing lens for portraits and close-ups (though not macros), as well as some architecture (if you can go enough far, though).
- (Even if not 44M version per se) a must for any photographer if you ask me. Ridiculously cheap for what she does.
I bought a Sigma super-wide II 24mm as a sister to her, yet this is still my lens-to-go.
| | | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2014 Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 12, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Bokeh, mega cheap | | Cons: | Poor Quality control means some lenses can be crap | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 10
Camera Used: A6000
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For the money that these can be had its a no brainer to get one. Being a copy of the Zeiss Biotar it has very good genetics however they may not be built as well. My focus ring is not smooth, I'm guessing the grease is drying up will need to take it apart and have a look.
Anyway heres some shots taken with this lens
 ??? by Scott Hills, on Flickr
 windswept & interesting by Scott Hills, on Flickr
 Wee Molly by Scott Hills, on Flickr
 Portrait practice by Scott Hills, on Flickr
 Phenomenal Bokeh by Scott Hills, on Flickr
 Flora by Scott Hills, on Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: May, 2013 Location: Jakarta Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 4, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp at centre, color, bokeh, value | | Cons: | stiff focusing, heavy? | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 9
Camera Used: K5
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for me this lens has an excellent price and performance ratio, if you got a good copy be surprised how sharp and nice bokeh produced even in wide open
here the samples images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/roe_groho/sets/72157646084322254/ | | | | | Forum Member Registered: September, 2013 Posts: 62
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 27, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $10.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | cheep | | Cons: | for his price it is no bad, but... | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 7
Value: 10
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It is a very cheap lens, who want to try M42 lens - welcome.
even for 10 USD it is working.
not recommended if you can obtain Pentax M50/2, also NOT THE BEST lens, but more-more useful (bionet, compact, higher quality, more easy handling)
from my Helios I was make an "monocle" lens, after some playing with it - it is forgotten.
If You can spend 50-60 USD instead of 10 USD - do not buy it.
Pentax M50/2 or A50/1.7 (more expensive) more useful.
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: June, 2013 Location: Newcastle Posts: 1,954
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: August 18, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $12.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | bokeh and colour | | Cons: | bit clunky and focusing is stiff | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
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This is a nice lens - cannot believe how cheap they are.
I've just received the 44M-4 and will need to test it too. Can't wait.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2020 Posts: 2 | | Review Date: August 24, 2020 | Recommended | Price: $17.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp in the center from f2, microcontrast, stunning colors, creamy bokeh, swirly bokeh, build,strong construction | | Cons: | A little hard, but it's strong construction is normal like that | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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Helios 44M is amazing lens.
| | | | | Pentaxian Registered: December, 2016 Location: London Posts: 1,079 | | Review Date: February 19, 2019 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Bright, a good all-round performer | | Cons: | Not as sharp as some of the other lenses of this marque | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 8
Value: 9
Camera Used: Canon Eos 400D
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I buy and sell a lot of old lenses, and generally see several Helios lenses a month. The 44-M probably isn't the best of them, but they're usually good all-round performers with no horrible flaws or problems, and I've only ever seen a couple with stopdown faults, the big weakness of many M42 lenses; by comparison, I see more faulty Domiplan lenses than working.
The lens I tested here was part of a job lot with a telephoto, a Zent body, a 200mm manual lens, and a teleconverter which I got for £25, about $30. If I had to value the lens alone I'd say it was about half the value of the lot to me. I took test photos in Kensington Gardens, a London park that has some nice statues etc., with the lens on a Canon Eos 400D with an M42 adapter with AF confirmation chip. All pictures at F8.
The full album for this test is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/150868539@N02/albums/72157676487175697/with/40120553453/
 | | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2018 Posts: 3 | | Review Date: October 8, 2018 | Not Recommended | Price: $32.62
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | I LOVE this bokeh | | Cons: | focus on dslr and | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 9
Camera Used: 750d
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verry good lens | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2017 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: July 19, 2017 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Es muy barato, una gran calidad de imagen y el Bokeh increible | | Cons: | Flojo a f2 | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 7
Camera Used: Pentax k5
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muy recomendable para retratos, a pesar de ser un objetivo manual posee una gran calidad de imagen a partir de f2.4, su desenfoque me gusta mas que el del pentax 50mm 1.4 m no es tan nitido pero si posee ese bokeh circular tan agradable.
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