years and serial number for helios 44 m39

Hello all,

I'd llike to ask if anyone knows if there is a list of helios 44 58mm m39 lenses with their serial numbers and year of manufacture anywhwere?

I may be getting one of two zenit 3m's but they comes wiht industar 50 lenses, and I believe the 3m actually came with helios 44 58mm m39 lenses.

One 3m is from 1964 and the other is from 1965 and I'd like a lens that's from the same year.

ny help would be much appreciated.

The simplest way would be to get a MMZ silver Helios-44 with serial number starting with "5" (ex 504781), it will be from 1965.

If you want a KMZ, task will be a bit harder since in this period (untill the Helios-44-2) all lenses has number starting with a zero (ex 0549745). So, the only chance to be sure of the date would be a find the passport of the lens, or passport of a lens with serial number very close to yours.
But MMZ Helios-44 is good, they also equiped Zenit-3M afaik.

Thanks for the info Moxies. I think I vaguely remember reading something about MMZ made stuff not being quite as good as KMZ made stuff. Is that correct?

Let me just duoble check, if the serial number starts with a zero its a KMZ one and if it doesn't, its an MMZ one?

quote:

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Originally posted by seany65

Thanks for the info Moxies. I think I vaguely remember reading something about MMZ made stuff not being quite as good as KMZ made stuff. Is that correct?

Let me just duoble check, if the serial number starts with a zero its a KMZ one and if it doesn't, its an MMZ one?

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Regarding to this case, yes. Don't take it like a rule. Simply theoricaly there could be MMZ Helios-44 starting with 0 (that would mean it was built in 1970) but in 1970 helios-44 were already black painted (and I guess it was already Helios 44-2), so no chance to find silver Helios-44 MMZ with sn 0.
Same about KMZ, they usualy use system 2first digit = year of production. But in this particular case, all their silver Helios 44 have serial starting with at least a zero.

Regarding to quality, I don't think silver Helios-44 suffer of bad quality, maybe because it was the first year of production. Usualy, lack of quality is about their Zenit built with other material (plastic instead of metal)and their variations of this camera.

Regards,
Pierre

The early MMZ are very well made. I have one of them in hands (500xxx series). They are big, but it's not a problem on a reflex. The front lens is coated in yellow/gold. And the minimum focus is at 50cm...

A very interesting lens.

Amitiйs. Jacques.

I've got two helios 44's on my ebay watch list, a silver one serial No. 0288123, (I think kmz as it has the arrow going through a 'thing' and being bent down to the bottom and back to it's original path), and a black one with silver squares on the focusing ring, serial No. 6054840, (I presume an mmz one, as it's symbol is a curved line that stays within the 'thing').

I take that the black one was made in 1960, but what year is the silver one from? 1962? 1968?

I wish someone could get doctor who to go back in time and make all soviet photo equipment makers use one, single, simple dating serial number method!

You may find some answers here...http://forum.mflenses.com/complete-list-of-helios-lenses-getting-closer-t26100.html

And then again, it may raise more questions

Cheers

Thanks for the link geoffox23.

I think I found that site myself. I got a bit confused with the info then and have done just now when I clicked on the link.

I think I'll just make it easy on myself and say "both the helios's I've got on my list were probably made in the 50's or 60's."

My brain's stopped hurting now.

I read somewhere in the internet that some helios lenses don't have a standard filter thread depth or pitch or something, it's ' 0.75mm ' instead of the usual ' 0.50mm '. Is this true, and is there a way of knowing before buying without being able to try to screw a filter on?

quote:

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Originally posted by seany65

I've got two helios 44's on my ebay watch list, a silver one serial No. 0288123, (I think kmz as it has the arrow going through a 'thing' and being bent down to the bottom and back to it's original path), and a black one with silver squares on the focusing ring, serial No. 6054840, (I presume an mmz one, as it's symbol is a curved line that stays within the 'thing').

I take that the black one was made in 1960, but what year is the silver one from? 1962? 1968?

I wish someone could get doctor who to go back in time and make all soviet photo equipment makers use one, single, simple dating serial number method!

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6054840 from MMZ should be 1966, not 1960.MMZ and KMZ numbering is different.
You can find informations here about serial numbers : http://www.zenitcamera.com/qa/qa-serialnumbers.html (in russian, but you can use google translate)

Thanks for the info and link moxies.