"Helios" - objectives for artistic photography

"Helios" - the lenses that came to our digital age from film times. To compare their technical characteristics with the indicators of modern optics is simply incorrect, because the technologies develop at a tremendous rate. But still Soviet lenses have their charm, which allows them to win more and more fans, not only in the expanses of the former USSR, but also far abroad. Perhaps, the palm tree is held by the well-known family "Helios". Lenses are great for photographers-experimenters, photographers-artists who love everything unusual. But due to a number of features they are unlikely to be useful to the reporter.

Objective "Helios-44-2": history and rebirth

Once this lens was very common. They were often equipped with a mirror camera "Zenith". Soviet amateur photographers shot him weddings and anniversaries, portraits, still lifes and landscapes. Thanks to the thrift of the older generation, a huge amount of Soviet optics, quite usable, survived to this day. Someone inherited the lens from a father or grandfather who is interested in photography. And someone got it as a result of long searches. In any case, the owner will have to acquire a special adapter. You can find it in any department of photo optics. Such an adapter is also suitable for many other lenses made in the USSR. We can say with confidence that the lens "Helios-44-2" is experiencing a second youth.

"Helios" in figures

A few dry facts about "Glios-44-2" will help to get theoretical knowledge. But to understand how it works, you can only in practice. So, "Helios" removes with a focal length of 58 mm (and 87 mm in the crope); Its optical system consists of 6 elements (in 4 groups). The diaphragm has 8 petals, and its value can be changed in the range from 2 to 16.

"Helios" in the world of high technologies

The impossibility of autofocusing, relatively large weight, manual control of the diaphragm - the indicators from which the modern photographer has long been unaccustomed. As for the quality of the frame itself, it is worth noting a rather modest sharpness compared to the standard optics Nikon, Canon, Sigma. In addition, the light-emitting diode "Helios" is not so high, and on the edges of the frame it is sometimes possible to vignetting or even lower sharpness.

Unique charm

So what attracts modern photographers? First of all, what at first glance may seem a disadvantage! Amazing soft colors that "draws" "Helios", the lenses of the leading manufacturers are unlikely to give without a heap of additional settings or color correction in the editor. At first glance, the low sharpness increases at f above 4, and sometimes blur becomes the focus of the frame. But the main feature of "Helios" is, of course, bokeh. The truncated semi-ovals are familiar to all lovers of artistic photography. The back background, blurred, unusually twisted, softened, allows sharper highlight the subject and makes each frame special and not boring. For this, and like the photo artists "Helios" - the objectives that allow you to play and experiment, get completely unexpected effects, create unique frames.