Helios 40-2 lens sample

[Kevin Pinkerton]

Here is a photo I took this morning with my relatively new Helios-40-2 (85mm f/1.5) lens. This was shot either wide open or almost wide open to get the maximum bokeh affect. This lens was mounted on a Chinese helicoid (eBay) using hardware I purchased from rafcamera. The lens was pretty much NIB and came with a Canon mount, which I removed. ISO 100, 1/750 sec, hand-held and using the helicoid to focus much closer than the lens would have without it. All editing was done in Capture One.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Why is is called 40-2?

I first thought it would be a 40mmf2.0!

How did you remove the Canon Mount? What are you left with to attach to the helicoid focus?

What camera did you use it on?

In any case the bright outline around the leaf is fascinating.

How does it come about?

Ashet

 

[Kevin Pinkerton]

I am not sure about the 40-2 and how it got that. If you google Helios-40-2 you can see much more data about the lens. The first variant of this lens was called the Helios 40 (same focal length and aperture) and began production in 1957! It is difficult to focus with the aperture wide open and not very sharp until you stop it down to at least f/2.5 and it is not known for a lot of contrast. Here are a couple of links to look at:

The original Helios 40: http://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_8.html
The Helios 40-2 (made from 1969 to 1972 according to this page) : http://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_7.html
And the current production version of the Helios 40-2 (which is the one I have), in Russion : https://shvabe.com/products/foto-i-...hvB4LK6-aytkUkDZaVAeal4sXYDaKkxxXnjiK746A1GaI

The base of the lens had a mounting plate for the Canon, and it served as an adapter to allow you to mount it on a Canon. It had no camera interface such as auto aperture or focus controls. I simply removed 3 screws and took off this thin plate. In it's place I put one of these:

https://rafcamera.com/62-5mm-to-m65-adapter

I used it on my Nikon Z6. I got the M65 to Nikon Z6 adapter (used to mount the helicoid to the camera) from rafcamera.com as well. Here is a shot of my Z6 with a different lens and helicoid mounted on my camera. This will give you an idea of how I use most of my odd lenses. The lens on the camera in this photo is a Topcor 5.8cm lens from the late 1960s or so. It is an M42 threaded mount.

 

[Kevin Pinkerton]

Why is is called 40-2?


How does it come about?

Ashet

The leaves were back-lite by the early morning sun. I was doing my best to stay in the shadows with the front of the lens because it flares pretty easily. So my thinking is the glow around the leaves was caused by a combination of the sun backlighting the leaves, and the lack of a very sharp focus. The low contrast probably did not help much either. I did not do anything in the post editing that enhanced the white outline, that is for sure.

Kevin

 

[Asher Kelman]

I like the adaptions. I did that with the Sony A7RII and a helicoid!

Mostly Leica variant lenses!

Now I have the Fuji GFX I use Canon, Pentax and Bronica lenses!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

I will check my helical Mount and see what is on either side and figure out a way to mount it on either a Canon or the GFX!

I do like the crazy sculpting even at at f2.0!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

​

Werecyou using a lend hood. This optic really needs one!

Asher

 

[Kevin Pinkerton]

I will check my helical Mount and see what is on either side and figure out a way to mount it on either a Canon or the GFX!

I do like the crazy sculpting even at at f2.0!

Asher

Rafcamera has a M65x1 to Fuji GFX adapter. https://rafcamera.com/adapters/for-cameras?adapter_rear_side=593