Helios Lenses
Hey all, I’ve just ordered a Helios 44k-4 for the ol Pentax K-mount and wanted to start a thread! Has anyone else shot on this variety of lens, if so I’d love to see your shots. Expect some from me sometime in the next week.
There are a few versions of these and I don't remember the exact one I had. I sold it a while back because I had stopped using it, but it's a really fun lens. Cheap, full of character. Fun having a lens that said MADE IN USSR on it, lol. I think you'll like it. I used it on APS-C mostly.
Some old pics still on my flickr.
IMGP4592 by Snappiness, on Flickr
IMGP4671 by Snappiness, on Flickr
Really fun for portraits, because of the swirly bokeh around the subject
IMGP3170 by Snappiness, on Flickr
Those shots look great! I really love how sharp the lens can be but still have some level of visual distortion. It really is quite unique and I think that's how it caught my eye.
Quote from Snappy on November 6, 2021, 7:05 pmThere are a few versions of these and I don't remember the exact one I had. I sold it a while back because I had stopped using it, but it's a really fun lens. Cheap, full of character. Fun having a lens that said MADE IN USSR on it, lol. I think you'll like it. I used it on APS-C mostly.
Some old pics still on my flickr.
Really fun for portraits, because of the swirly bokeh around the subject
I have the Zenit 44M-6, it's very soft wide open and it's not liking my adapters except my Nikon Z one. I'm kinda struggling to get the focusing down. It has such an insane depth of field. For some reason, I can't focus to infinity on my M42 to K adapter on my KP as well. Just a quick experiment with the Z50 today.
I've got to practice with this glass more.
Uploaded files:
oh I love this one, I had a helios 44m-7 as my first vintage lens and I can't recommend it enough for the value.
the lens was sharp, had pleasing bokeh especially for closeups (also lovely portraits) and the colors just felt natural and really pretty.
Uploaded files:
Great shots! I'm really impressed with the sharpness of that model, is it the 44-4 or the 44-3? I've heard those two are the best performers but the 44-4 does suffer from poor QC, I took a gamble and bought one anyway but I'm super stoked to see how this thing performs if it ever leaves Russia haha. eBay is saying I may not see it until Christmas time so I guess I will patiently wait. In the meantime I think I've won an auction on a malfunctioning but almost brand-new K-1 and 3 great lenses for only $750. I'm hoping based on how light of use that camera got (basically shot a few hundred photos 3 years ago and then stuffed into a closet in it's bag) that I should be able to resurrect it. So I should be in a really good spot to experiment with that lens when it finally arrives. (for the record I was shopping for a KP but when you see three lenses and a K-1 for $750 sometimes you make rash choices)
Quote from HeggenDazs on November 13, 2021, 5:09 pmGreat shots! I'm really impressed with the sharpness of that model, is it the 44-4 or the 44-3? I've heard those two are the best performers but the 44-4 does suffer from poor QC, I took a gamble and bought one anyway but I'm super stoked to see how this thing performs if it ever leaves Russia haha. eBay is saying I may not see it until Christmas time so I guess I will patiently wait. In the meantime I think I've won an auction on a malfunctioning but almost brand-new K-1 and 3 great lenses for only $750. I'm hoping based on how light of use that camera got (basically shot a few hundred photos 3 years ago and then stuffed into a closet in it's bag) that I should be able to resurrect it. So I should be in a really good spot to experiment with that lens when it finally arrives. (for the record I was shopping for a KP but when you see three lenses and a K-1 for $750 sometimes you make rash choices)
Oooo, exciting. What's wrong with it? What lenses came with it? I hope your lens makes it out of Russia, haha.
I'm banning myself from buying anything new for the rest of the year. That's going to be really hard to follow and I'll probably break it. But I really want that GRIIIx so gotta save save save.
Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS Macro HSM
and Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 ex dc HSM
it also comes with 2 batteries and the grip.
Quote from HeggenDazs on November 13, 2021, 9:09 pmSigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC OS Macro HSM
and Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 ex dc HSM
it also comes with 2 batteries and the grip.
Oh man, that sounds like a great deal. Very fun.
it should be a lot of fun, the glitch it has is odd. It switches randomly around modes and between viewfinder and live mode after being on for a few minutes. It could be a software glitch or also an issue with contacts on the mode dial? Not 100% sure, at the worst I imagine I'd have to pull the body apart to reseat a connection.
