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MC HELIOS-44M-7 58mm 1:2

Description and Review

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Description & Specifications

Depth of Field Guide

	f/2		f/2·5		f/2·8		f/3·5		f/4		f/4·5		f/5·6		f/6·7		f/8		f/9·5		f/11		f/16
0·50	0·50	0·50	0·49	0·51	0·49	0·51	0·49	0·51	0·49	0·51	0·49	0·51	0·49	0·51	0·49	0·51	0·48	0·52	0·48	0·52	0·48	0·52	0·47	0·54
0·60	0·59	0·61	0·59	0·61	0·59	0·61	0·59	0·61	0·59	0·61	0·59	0·61	0·58	0·62	0·58	0·62	0·58	0·63	0·57	0·63	0·57	0·64	0·55	0·65
0·70	0·69	0·71	0·69	0·71	0·69	0·71	0·69	0·72	0·68	0·72	0·68	0·72	0·68	0·72	0·67	0·73	0·67	0·74	0·66	0·74	0·66	0·75	0·64	0·78
0·80	0·79	0·81	0·79	0·81	0·78	0·82	0·78	0·82	0·78	0·82	0·78	0·83	0·77	0·83	0·76	0·84	0·76	0·85	0·75	0·86	0·74	0·87	0·72	0·90
1·00	0·98	1·02	0·98	1·02	0·98	1·03	0·97	1·03	0·97	1·04	0·96	1·04	0·95	1·05	0·94	1·06	0·93	1·08	0·92	1·09	0·91	1·11	0·87	1·17
1·30	1·27	1·33	1·26	1·34	1·26	1·34	1·25	1·36	1·24	1·36	1·23	1·37	1·22	1·39	1·20	1·41	1·19	1·44	1·17	1·46	1·15	1·49	1·09	1·60
1·70	1·65	1·75	1·64	1·77	1·63	1·78	1·61	1·80	1·60	1·81	1·59	1·83	1·56	1·86	1·54	1·90	1·51	1·94	1·48	2·00	1·45	2·05	1·36	2·27
2·50	2·39	2·62	2·36	2·65	2·35	2·67	2·31	2·72	2·29	2·76	2·26	2·79	2·21	2·87	2·16	2·96	2·11	3·07	2·05	3·21	1·99	3·36	1·82	3·98
4·00	3·72	4·32	3·66	4·41	3·62	4·47	3·54	4·60	3·48	4·71	3·42	4·81	3·31	5·06	3·20	5·34	3·08	5·71	2·95	6·21	2·83	6·81	2·50	10·00
10·00	8·41	12·33	8·09	13·10	7·91	13·60	7·51	14·95	7·26	16·08	7·01	17·41	6·54	21·26	6·12	27·30	5·69	41·08	5·27	∞	4·90	∞	3·98	∞
∞	36·18	∞	30·87	∞	28·37	∞	23·87	∞	21·44	∞	19·45	∞	16·16	∞	13·83	∞	11·81	∞	10·11	∞	8·83	∞	6·22	∞

(Distances in metres; Circle of Confusion is taken at 0·032 millimetres.)

Review

This is an amazing surprise of a lens, but then what do you expect from a direct copy of a Carl Zeiss design? It’s a heavy and extremely well-contructed lens. If nothing else, those Soviets knew how to make equipment that lasts.

The focal length of 58mm is another of those odd ones and gives a field of view of 40° diagonal. I would have loved this lens on my Pentax S1a, but it is with FoVCF digital cameras where this lens has now come into its own. Not much of a walkabout lens anymore, but it is brilliant as a portrait lens. Don’t discard it because of the maximum aperture of just f/2, but rather look at the depth of field table above. The average face gets perfectly framed at one metre, where f/5·6 provides the required depth of field.

Colour rendition is beautiful, distortion and CA non-existent, and the multi-coating a nice purple. The hexagonal aperture is slightly rounded and creates pleasing bokeh. Distances are marked in metres only — none of that outdated feet on this lens.

On the negative side, the bezel is a clip-on plastic ring that rotates (unless you lock it with a drop of glue). The front filter, however, does not rotate. There’s no A/M switch, so it must be used with a flanged adapter. On my review copy, the numbers on the aperture ring do not align perfectly with the red marker line. This makes it rather difficult to ascertain whether the aperture is set to the indicated f-stop or the half-stop inbetween. And, as I had stripped the lens, feel they could have used a few washers here and there.

Bottom-line is this is a spectacular lens that surpasses the legendary Zeiss design it is based on.

Recommended: Yes

Sample Photographs

Disassembly and Service

The lens is very easy to disassemble and, more importantly, reassemble. Just note that the front bezel is a clip-on plastic ring. Wriggle a thin screwdriver under it (from the centre, taking care not to scratch the lens) and gradually pop it out. And remember to calibrate the aperture.

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Created and Copyright by Robert I. Sadler, 2002-2012

http://southerncape.co.za/recreation/photography/lenses/helios/mc_helios-44m-7_58mm_f2.php

22 August 2011