Helios (lens brand)

As all lenses based on the Biotar formula, the Helios-44 and Helios-40 produce an unusual "swirly" bokeh effect to the out-of-focus background.

This optical phenomenon gives images rendered by these vintage lenses a distinct character, which has created a cult following among fine art photographers.

At the same time, the chemical composition of the optics coating changed from violet to golden yellow.

Interestingly, the lens was black and there are chrome stripes on the focus ring - by analogy with the German Carl Zeiss Jena.

In design and appearance, the lens repeated the previous KMZ sample, but there was a decrease in build quality.

In the early 80s, BelOMO began assembling Helios-44-2, it completely repeats the 1967 model - the rear group of lenses is unscrewed by a block.

Now the aperture control mode switch has disappeared from the lens barrel, which did not arouse the delight of amateur photographers.

Helios-44M lenses have been produced at KMZ since 1971, and the main differences from the base model Helios-44 concern only the aperture control method, the number of aperture blades and the resolution of the lens: - Helios-44M has an 8-blade diaphragm; - Helios-44M has a jumping diaphragm device, unlike Helios-44, which has only manual control of the diaphragm with a preset ring; - Helios-44M has a M / A aperture control mode switch, the same as that of Zenitar-M 50 1.7; - the lenses have a different diameter of the front filter - 49mm versus 52mm for 44M.

Lenses have been recalculated to use multi-coated coatings, which improve the light transmission and color reproduction of the lens.

Additionally, some lenses were made by Japanese manufacturers[cite 4] and badged as Helios for import to Britain and the Netherlands.