Helios 44 pre set or Auto variations - The Basis.

The Helios 44 lens is a very interesting lens in its concept. Its quality is not limited to the excellent pictures it is able to do, but its unique mechanical construction gives us great possibilities of other uses.
Now we will show some of those possibilities, but first let’s be familiar to those interesting device.

The schematics (Helios 44-4)



The optical formula


As you have seen, this lens is a six element, four groups symmetrical formula of Gauss type.


The mechanical assembly

In the above drawing we see the assembly details of the Helios 44/2, which is similar to all previous Helios 44 lenses. This schematics is for illustration purposes. Now let’s go to the proposals.

First proposal: Telephoto conversion.


Removing back unit

When you remove the back unit, the front unit remains in the lens body retaining its diaphragm and focusing abilities. The front block has a focal distance of 116 mm; an excellent choice for a short telephoto or a portrait lens.


The normal Helios 44


Telephoto condition

In order to replace the front unit of three elements in a useful position to focus correctly, we need a corrector tube, whose construction is shown in the following picture.


The tube (measures in mm)


Normal and telephoto with sunshades

The above drawings show us the Helios 44 with a proper sunshade and used as normal or telephoto condition.


Second proposal: Use telephoto concept for macrophoto.


Reverser ring and filter ring


Telephoto, Macro and Macro reversed in two magnifications

The introduction of a tube in the system immediately extends the close focusing range of the normal lens so you have the macro possibilities. But now we introduce two more rings a reverser and a filter ring, putting the lens at a reverser way. With the reversed lens, you have two macro ranges, with or without tube. In the normal position with the tube one macro range, therefore, three macro possibilities.

Third proposal: Soft lens for portrait.

Spot filter


Two soft portrait lenses

In order to transform the Helios lens in a soft portrait we follow the famous Thambar solution. Build a filter with a center darkened spot. An 11mm metal disc is glued in a UV or lens protection filter in 49 or 52mm according with the lens. And you have two portrait lenses. A 58 and a 116mm FLs


Fourth proposal: Microscope.


The bell as a high quality loupe

We begin with a great quality hand observation loupe.
An acrylic bell with a screw mount in the top puts the Helios lens in the right focus position, the acrylic do the best in homogenize the external light to the object to be seen or photographed. But your eye can be replaced by the camera and that way you can obtain various microscope magnifications, according to the used camera lens.

Magnifications with the various combinations
1) Helios 44 / Helios 44 - 1,00 - 1/1 also Industar 61LZ or Volna 9 / Helios 44
2) Jupiter 9 / Helios 44 - 1,46 - 1/0,68 - 1,46/1
3) Jupiter 37 / Helios 44 - 2,33 - 1/0,42 - 2,33/1
4) Jupiter 21 / Helios 44 - 3,45 - 1/0,29 - 3,45/1

How to use the lens combination together the Helios and bell.


Enlarging combinations


The bell constuction details


Coupling rings

To do so, you will need a proper coupling ring with two external threads.



The Primary set


Only with lens so built

But take care! Not all Helios 44 can be used in all the described proposals. You can recognize those ones through the existence of the rear block removing slots.
Those which have no slots have the rear block irremovable and telephoto use is impossible. All other uses are although completely feasible.

Addendum



Description of tube construction



The length: This tube is a compromise, The original Hélios 44 lens unit is considered a unit and so is treated.
When in assembly line the whole unit is made to fit the focusing mount and in that way focused to infinity.
When one removes the rear lens block the unity is broken. In the production run , as we know, the elements comes different and the sets made to match, that way, when you use only the front set , never it will focus exactly in the same place each other. That way, our extension tube is proposed after a series of trial and experiments and we decide to make them slightly shorter than needed in order that the front element will always reach the infinity, really it will slightly over focus the infinity mark.
The construction: It is composed of three parts and it is absolutely universal. Can be used with M39 lens in M39 cameras, with M42 lens in M42 cameras, or M39 lens in M42 cameras, or even M42 lens in M39 cameras.
The internal step in the front of the tube is intended to use automatic lenses in automatic or non automatic diaphragm cameras.

Helios 44 lens without removing back.

For those lenses we developed a clever teleconverter with a single element negative meniscus made to match all the intended proposed performances. Its construction follows the extension tube above including only a threaded internal and two rings to secure the minus lens. The front ring that holds the Helios 44 lens is glued by anaerobic glue, as in the extension tube.


Here you have the detailed teleconverter construction. The negative lens of 28mm in diameter is a minus 6.75 diopter glass lens. The shown position is the better one to minimize aberrations.


Description of bell construction

The bell is made of a single piece of acrylic, and is intended to focus correctly the lens in the base and give an even illumination to the inner object. In the upper part is glued a ring intended to retain the threaded lens. This part is the same frontal ring used the in extension tube and the teleconverter.

Please contact Luiz Paracampo with any questions.