top of page

Helios M42 lenses

Helios (Russian: Ге́лиос) was a brand of camera lenses, made in the USSR. They were usually supplied with Zenit cameras and thus usable with other M42 lens mount cameras such as the Pentax Spotmatic. Some later Helios models were built also for the Pentax K mount.

The Helios-44 and Helios-40 are derivatives of the Carl Zeiss Biotar optical formula.

 

Like most Russian lenses, build and optical quality is very good.

Helios 28mm F2.8

Another great lens and one of the better wide angle lenses The Russians are renowned for their optics, and this lens offers great value for money. This lens is sharp wide open, and we have yet to encounter Chroma in any picture.

F2.8 1/1600th

F8 1/640th

F11 1/250th

F2.8 1/1600th

F5.6 1/1000th

F11 1/250th

PANORAMA F5.6

F8 1/640th

F8 1/160th

F5.6 1/1000th

F8 1/15th

Helios 50mm F1.8

Truly a great lens and one of my favourite 50mm lenses! The Russians are renowned for their optics, and this lens offers great value for money. This lens is sharp wide open, and we have yet to encounter Chroma in any picture. Like an idiot, I sold mine and they have become very scarce now, and prices have sky rocketed.

F1.8 1/500th

F5.6 1/180th

F5.6 1/180th

F5.6 1/250th

F8 1/90th

F5.6 1/180th

Helios 44M-6 58mm F2

The Helios 58mm F2 lenses were copies of the renowned Carl Zeiss Biotar 58mm F2 lens and they came in quite a number of variants. They are all great portrait lenses. The Russians are renowned for their optics, and these lenses offers great value for money. These lenses are sharp wide open, and we have yet to encounter Chroma in any picture.

F5.6 1/1500th

F2 1/1600th

F8 1/125th

F8 1/45th

F8 1/250th

F2.8 1/1600th

Helios 44-2 58mm F2

F2 1/1600th

F8 1/200th

F5.6 1/640th

F2.8 1/1250th

Helios 44-3 58mm F2

F2.8 1/800th

F2 1/1250th

F8 1/200th

F5.6 1/500th

Helios 44-M4 58mm F2

F2 1/2000th

F8 1/200th

F5.6 1/200th

F2.8 1/1250th

Helios 85mm F1.5

What a beauty!! Considered to be one of the best portrait lenses ever manufactured. Superfast @ F1.5 and super sharp. This all-metal lens is built like a tank, and weighs in at about 2 kg. Our lens came packaged with 3 filters in a very nice genuine leather carry case. 

F1.5 1/5000th

F11 1/160th

bottom of page