Are there many Helios-44 with M42 mount?

I searched on the Web, and found in camerapedia that Helios-44 lens only got Start camera mount & M39 mount. The link is here:

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Helios-44

But one Helios-44 in my hand is M42 mount. So here comes my question: Are there many Helios-44 with M42 mount?

Thanks!

Hello SadBear

Yes there are tens of thousands of them. M42 is one of the standard fittings of this lens after about 1967 (not certain of the precise date). Mainly used with Zenits E & B in black finish, not sure if Helios-44 came in alloy finish in M42 - it certainly did in M39 and Start. Camerapedia must have missed out on the M42 version, and there are also other late versions in M42 such as Helios-44/2 and Helios-44M (these are a bit late for me so others will be able to give you more info).

Hope this helps - ATB ChrisS.

Thanks a lot, ChrisS.

I have looked my collection and I did not find M42 Helios-44!!!

In 67 there were M39 helios-44, but not M42 and black.
69-70 year zenit is M42, so, I think only 69-71 there were M42 helios-44.
After that there were helios-44-2!

Only thing, I have 69 year zenit-E global. I have to check what lens is there.

Hi again

I have a Zenit-B in M42 made in 1968 with 68 dated black Helios-44. I also have a Zenit-3M of 1966 or 67 in M39 fitted with a Black Helios-44 of appropriate date (I think 1966). I'll have to dig them out to check the serials.

As far as I know the Helios-44 (alloy) was first fitted to the Start in 1958, followed by the Zenit-3 (alloy, M39) in 1960, then the Kristall and Zenit-3M and very early (1966) Zenit-E - all these with alloy M39. I think the Zenit-3M and the Zenit-E were also fitted with the Helios-44 in black M39 in 1966 or 67, and certainly the Zenit-E was fitted with black M42 by 1968 along with the Zenit-B.

As far as later versions are concerned I believe the black Helios-44 was made by Belomo and the black Helios-44-2 in M42 was made by KMZ, the 44-2 being slightly shorter. I think the earlier alloy Helios-44s in M39 were all made by KMZ, but I'm not certain about this.

Hope this is of some use - ATB ChrisS.

Look the first picture, it is helios-44 made in KMZ.
I have also black helios-44, 1966 year but it is M39.
And my 68 year zenit-E is still M39.

ChrisS again

I have just checked the 2 cameras mentioned in my previous post and here are the serials:

Zenit-3M s/n 66041852, Lens (Belomo M39) Helios-44 s/n 6050350 (1966 s/n)
Zenit-B s/n 68010645, Lens (KMZ M42) Helios-44 s/n 0455468 (1968 s/n)

Both lenses are all black but the Belomo has alternate polished alloy sections on the focussing ring and the engraving is finer and neater.

Incidentally the Zenit-B was bought new by me in 1971 from a shop in Liverpool, England, so I know the lens is correct.

ATB ChrisS.

Hello Marti

The lens in the photo seems to be a 1968 lens by KMZ just like mine. I believe the Helios-44-2 was introduced by KMZ in the early 1970's (1973?) who then dropped production of the Helios-44; the Helios-44 was then continued by Belomo, for how long I don't know. I have a 1977 example of a Helios-44-2 by KMZ on another Zenit-B and I think they continued production into the 1980's.

As I said before this stuff is a bit late for me (my main collection stops about 1960 although I do have some later Russian and German bits). I'm sure others will have better and more detailed info concerning these later lenses.

This seems to have got a bit off track - probably my fault. The main point is that the black Helios-44 in M42 is not a rare lens, there were probably tens of thousands of them made.

ATB ChrisS.