helios 44-2 lens on canon 5DII

when a crappy old russian lens actually makes awesome pictures…

I got mine from e-Bay for around $50. it’s all metal, old school, build like a tank, all manual. I’m using it with Fotodiox adapter that I bought on Amazon for around $10. It does have focus confirmation chip so the 5DII beeps when you are properly focused. I found out that when I’m focused to infinity, the rear of the lens protrudes to the mirror chamber and the mirror gets stuck when it flips up so I have to be really careful with it. it only takes a hair of focus ring turn to “unstuck it”, so if you get the same combo, be careful.

regardless this small issue and the fact that the lens is all manual, the results are quite impressive, at least to me. the lens is very sharp in the center wide open, the corners are different story. it has this weird distortion that makes out of focus highlight areas of the frame (in certain distance from your subject) seem to be swirling like a water in your toilet when flushed. it is also very prone to flare as there is almost no control of it (or at least it seems not to be) so you can create some cool looking effects and I’m sure video guys would love that plus the fact that the focus throw is pretty long. the lens is not for everyone and the photos lack contrast (easy fix) but the more I use it, the more I like it. I would probably never took it out to the paid shoot though as it would look really weird me trying to fiddle with live view + manual focus while the client is waiting for the click.

very cool lens for personal projects though, check out few photos I shot with it today.