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.