Some years back, I made another blog that was mostly about film cameras, vintage lenses, and digital cameras. That blog is long since gone, but I’m resurrecting some of the better posts here:
Like most Soviet-era lenses, the venerable Helios 44 is built like a tank! One great thing about them is that they’re pretty easy to dismantle and clean. You can’t say the same about modern Nikkor lenses, can you? Helios lenses were manufactured in the millions by innumerable factory workers. Notwithstanding recent problems and bloodthirsty geopolitical games, I’m still quite fond of my Soviet-era lenses and cameras.
I took the Helios out for a spin on my little Olympus E-PM1 digital camera. There’s nothing quite like seeing a big old heavy Soviet lens sticking out of a sleek modern Japanese digital camera. It’s all glorious manual focus of course, but with the chunky metal ring on this example moving so smoothly, nailing focus was easy. All photos are JPGs straight out of the camera without additional processing.
As I was walking down the street, I noticed Buddha gracing the hallway of a Chinese restaurant in town. I like the way the door frames it and the combination of colours. It was quite a challenge because of the lack of light. I had to hold very still in order to make this one. It was either that or push ISO to a place I’m not comfortable with on this camera.
Look closely and you can see an ant nestled amongst the white petals. For a mass manufactured lens from 1978, it’s pretty sharp. The combination of old and new technology can yield some interesting results, don’t you think? At a wide aperture, the background is softened nicely, even on a smallish sensor Micro 4/3 camera.
Finally, here’s an example of the famous Helios 44 lens flare. Many photogs would cringe and cling to their modern multi-layered ED glass, but I love this effect! See how it softens the image? This veiling flare is an effect that some people spend time recreating in their fave photo editor. I’m getting it with a cheap lens from 1978. Of course, flare, like sharpness, is just another tool in your photo kit-bag. Sometimes you want it and sometimes you don’t.
In use, the Helios 44 is reassuringly heavy and solid. If you’re going to source one on eBay, it’s best to buy one that has either been recently serviced or is in good working condition. Though taking it apart is more straightforward than other lenses, it’s still no easy task. Fortunately, the Helios lens was produced in such great numbers that finding one in decent working order shouldn’t be too hard. The most common problem with the Helios 44 is that the original cheap wax used to grease the innards and focussing helicals tends to seize up after several decades.
The Rusty Ruin Journal 