Speed Lens Cine 4k 2/58mm Helios for M42 Screw Mount With Follow Focus Gear Review

UPDATE: Be sure to cheque out the new post on using the Helios with the Mitakon Lens Here

Review fourth dimension!

Todays blogpost is a review of the Helios 44m-4 58mm f/2 lens. The lens was produced in the old Soviet Union by Jupiter amidst others from 1958 till 1992 and is one of most mass produced lenses in the world! I bought the M42 screwmount version (hence the 44m proper name), since I have that adapter, but they made it available in many other mounts.

The reason for buying this lens was 1 matter, and 1 thing merely: The swirley bokeh issue!

The lens has, what is referred to as optical vignetting, meaning that out of focus "bokeh-balls" becomes more elipsoid as you move away from the center of the epitome. Also referred to, as "Cat-centre" effect, this phenomenon gives a pronounced feeling that the background "swirls" around the heart focus subject. What actually surprised me though, was all the other scenarios this lens was good for! The 58mm focuslength on a APS-C sensor turns into a 87mm FOV equivalent which makes information technology a really nice medium tele lens. For the streets I was VERY surprised at how well information technology is doing. And it does astonishing with black and white photography. The lens is built like a tank! Seriously. Metallic and Glass….the USSR-way!! My copy is very smooth in the focus band, and the aperture band has nice clicks. A good condition lens.

Because the lens was built in such superfluous numbers they're CHEAP…. and I mean REALLY cheap! $10 on ebay and you get a good condition lens…. it'southward ridiculous, really.

Performance:

This lens has actually replaced my fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4R as my "stay-on-camera" lens. Which is crazy, since I'm non that good at manual focussing…. only the results from this lens is merely damn worth it!

For black and white street photography the lens is really peachy. It does have a picayune glow at the highlights in bright sunshine, but that only adds to the charm. The contrast needs to be upped in postal service-processing, since I find the OOC files to be a little lacking in that surface area. Micro-dissimilarity on the other mitt is great. Files go a existent sense of 3D "popular" Quite absurd.

The swirley bokeh is not equally pronounced on the APS-C sized sensor, since the FOV is cropped, only I assure yous information technology is still there. The maximum result is when yous have a focus bailiwick virtually 2-three meters abroad and the background well-nigh 10-15 meters away, and then count a factor 1:five ratio for foreground/background subject distance. The optimal background is sunlit foliage. This is where y'all become that amazing special "cat-eye" effect.

I only shoot this lens wide open up at f/2. Same equally with the Fujinon 50mm f/1.four M42 that I reviewed here you become a footling softness which I actually like. Stopped down it is not equally abrupt as the Takumars or the Fujinons. but for 10 bucks…I'll manage!

The Bokeh on this lens is amazing. Information technology can get harsh when you desire it to (foliage background) but for street apply with regular busy backgrounds the bokeh is fantastic.

Samples:

No demand for me to ramble on. This lens is an amzing lens, and I highly recommend information technology to anyone with an X-series lens organization. It'southward inexpensive and gives you lot amazing results! Below is my typical review shots. Shot in many situations. Mostly street. But for this lens, besides alot of nature shots.

All shots below were shot wide open at f/two mounted on my 10-Pro1. For the most sunlit days I mounted a iii-stop ND filter.