as most of you may know, in this days it not so hard and expensive to get an old Russian film camera like Zorki or Zenit
for example because my family and me originally came from USSR we have a lot of old Russian cameras at home
also many Russians immigrate to Israel and to the rest of the world during the 90's so it very easy to find second hand old camera.
so what good about old Russian cameras and lenses?
in my opinion the biggest advantage of russian cameras and lens is that most of them have been replicated from German cameras like Leica. also some of the lens have been replicated.
this cameras and lens have been mass produced and sold cheap for the masses.
it hard to compare the Russian optics to the German but some of this lenses are quite good.
it gives you good optical value for the money
like the first lens I gonna check, the Zenit-E's Helios 44-2 (also I have the Jupiter 8 that I gonna check it when I get the mount ring)
so about tow years ago I mange to get this camera
this is Zenit-E Moscow's 1980 Olympic edition, this camera is one of the most sold Russian SLR
and it came with the Helios 44-2
a Russian copy of a German lens it equals for 58mm on 35mm format
and it maximum aperture is f/2
on ebay the Helios 44-2 costs 40$ (the Carl Zeiss minimum cost 300$ ) and the M42 mount ring for Nikon cost 2-10$
so for ~50$ you can get this interesting lens
so I order the M42 mount ring for nikon and it arrived today
immediately I mount the lens on the ring and put it on my D7100 but as the expectation came the disappointment.
It could focous only for ~3m and not beyond, that means you couldn't put it on infinity
first I thought that there is a problem with the mount ring but after a close inspection I noticed that this is a standard of the mount, so if there is a problem, it came from the lens, in this point I have to say that before ordering the mount ring I check the internet for photos that have been taken with this lens on Nikon and it possible. so I went again on the internet and searched for lens modification for Nikon and I found this on youtube, there is no sound or description for this video but it been obvious for me what I have to do, to extend the rear segment of the lens so the image will be projected on the sensor.
So I decide to do the modification right away
on the rear segment there is a tow rings, you have to release the inner ring first
now take carefully the rear lens
cut a rubber , it length should be like circumference of the ring
you can cut it into segments if you cant align it inside
close the lens, (make sure it clean) now the first segment is extended
you see the rubber threw the lens but it not disturbing the image
now hold the outer ring and rotate it in order to take out the rear part.
now you have the access to the aperture system, be careful not to touch the blades
again, put a rubber to make more space between the parts, this will extend the rear lens
after you finish ,assemble it back and now it should go to infinity
set on infinity (taken on f/2) as you can see, the focus now is way beyond 3m (the focus is on the car and the tree line is out of focus)
Im not sure about the sharpness of this lens because it manual and it been set on f/2, like the manual nikon 50 f/1.8 it very hard to get sharp photos on 1.8, I hope to post updates soon about the preference of this lens on other setups
the contrast of the lens is very soft and the aperture blades are very rough, you can see it on the bokeh
on hard light condition
I didn't have time to take more photos but for now I have a working Helios 44-2 on my Nikon
what you think about this lens?
which photos you want me to take and show you here if you're interested.
for example because my family and me originally came from USSR we have a lot of old Russian cameras at home
also many Russians immigrate to Israel and to the rest of the world during the 90's so it very easy to find second hand old camera.
so what good about old Russian cameras and lenses?
in my opinion the biggest advantage of russian cameras and lens is that most of them have been replicated from German cameras like Leica. also some of the lens have been replicated.
this cameras and lens have been mass produced and sold cheap for the masses.
it hard to compare the Russian optics to the German but some of this lenses are quite good.
it gives you good optical value for the money
like the first lens I gonna check, the Zenit-E's Helios 44-2 (also I have the Jupiter 8 that I gonna check it when I get the mount ring)
so about tow years ago I mange to get this camera
this is Zenit-E Moscow's 1980 Olympic edition, this camera is one of the most sold Russian SLR
and it came with the Helios 44-2
a Russian copy of a German lens it equals for 58mm on 35mm format
and it maximum aperture is f/2
on ebay the Helios 44-2 costs 40$ (the Carl Zeiss minimum cost 300$ ) and the M42 mount ring for Nikon cost 2-10$
so for ~50$ you can get this interesting lens
so I order the M42 mount ring for nikon and it arrived today
immediately I mount the lens on the ring and put it on my D7100 but as the expectation came the disappointment.
It could focous only for ~3m and not beyond, that means you couldn't put it on infinity
first I thought that there is a problem with the mount ring but after a close inspection I noticed that this is a standard of the mount, so if there is a problem, it came from the lens, in this point I have to say that before ordering the mount ring I check the internet for photos that have been taken with this lens on Nikon and it possible. so I went again on the internet and searched for lens modification for Nikon and I found this on youtube, there is no sound or description for this video but it been obvious for me what I have to do, to extend the rear segment of the lens so the image will be projected on the sensor.
So I decide to do the modification right away
on the rear segment there is a tow rings, you have to release the inner ring first
now take carefully the rear lens
cut a rubber , it length should be like circumference of the ring
you can cut it into segments if you cant align it inside
close the lens, (make sure it clean) now the first segment is extended
you see the rubber threw the lens but it not disturbing the image
now hold the outer ring and rotate it in order to take out the rear part.
now you have the access to the aperture system, be careful not to touch the blades
again, put a rubber to make more space between the parts, this will extend the rear lens
after you finish ,assemble it back and now it should go to infinity
set on infinity (taken on f/2) as you can see, the focus now is way beyond 3m (the focus is on the car and the tree line is out of focus)
Im not sure about the sharpness of this lens because it manual and it been set on f/2, like the manual nikon 50 f/1.8 it very hard to get sharp photos on 1.8, I hope to post updates soon about the preference of this lens on other setups
the contrast of the lens is very soft and the aperture blades are very rough, you can see it on the bokeh
on hard light condition
I didn't have time to take more photos but for now I have a working Helios 44-2 on my Nikon
what you think about this lens?
which photos you want me to take and show you here if you're interested.
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