How to lubricate Helios 44 2/58 early USSR lens
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2016
- Hello! In this tutorial i'm explaining how to open, clean up old grease and relubricate helicoid of popular and gorgeous helios 44 russian prime lens.
I'm a professional lens seller/repairer of russian foto equipment. If you are seeking for tested and adjusted russian lenses, please visit my eBay stores at:
www.ebay.com/usr/kosbik84
www.ebay.com/usr/retrofotohouse
Please visit my eBay stores at:
www.ebay.com/usr/kosbik84
www.ebay.com/usr/retrofotohouse
Hi, you’re videos are very helpful. I have a similar early model Helios 44 and the front aperture ring is broken on it, meaning that you can you cannot use the aperture lock system. I was wondering if you had any advice for this or whether you accept lenses for repair work. Thanks you.
Thank you so much for posting this on TH-cam it’s help me no end and now my lens is focusing buttery, smooth.
Really excellent, very well done step by step tutorial. It has given me the confidence to try this myself on my own copy. Thank you so much and keep up the good work.
you're welcome!
Excellent tutorial.
Thanks for this great tutorial.
I managed to lubricate my pristine (100% original) Helios-44.
So now it's almost like new - in every sense.
Like a time capsule! :)
I have a 44 but just can't open it because it is jammed. Any advice? Would love to make it work again as it is optically and cosmetically in excellent condition
@@kastrel1 Buy a cheap plastic filter wrench (49 mm), and wrap it with self-amalgamating tape. Then place it around the first barrel (with the filter thread) and twist against the clock.
~4 years ago I bought one of these Helios 44 with a stuck focusing ring,it was really hard to turn, it was grease problems just like in this video. Since I am not a professional and I got the lens for really cheap price, I though what the heck, why cant I just wash it of with WD-40? So did I... Just removed the glass part and sprayed the WD40 inside of the barrel through the gaps visible.. Turned it forth and back for like ~10 mins, cleaned everything as much as I could, after that I applied couple droplets of a sewing machine oil on the barrel just to make a little moisten... So far 4 years have passed, the lens is good as new... Focusing helicoid moves perfectly, havent noticed anything negative...
WD40 just melts the old grease, it looks like it dissolves in it like mud in the water.
I am definitely not sure if what i did was right and wont damage the lens mechanism, but I am pretty sure if it did I would have already noticed something bad about it..
How is it 4 years later? I'm considering doing the same as you
really appreciate your instructions!!!
Thank You for another great cleaning tutorial. I now know how to service my lens, cheers.
Excellent, and simple explanation for lubricating my 44-2, thank you.
Greetings from Orlando, Florida. Thank you for this useful video, my Russian friend!!!!
Thanks so much! The wd-40 in the syringe is a great idea. Those screws really like to crumble up and become lodged inside with no way to get them out. terribly frustrating.
Good job.
I really appreciated your teachings.
Thank you
you're welcome!
Amazing work... Cheers
This video helped me a lot - thank you! :)
I also have the same beautiful Silver lens with very stiff focus. I'm a bit afraid to lubricate it, but I think I have to, because the lens is almost unusable now, because it's so stiff
Thank you for this video and also the one on oily aperture blades.
you're welcome!
this is a great video!
Thank you very much for the very good video.
Nice! Keep up the good work!
+Christopher Brown Thank you! Are you a subscriber? ;)
+Retro Foto House I have been for quite some time. It's great that you take the time to do this.
Hi again, RFH - I sent my 44M 58/2 lens off to a guy in the UK who sells lots of old lenses and also does repairs on these fabulous Helios lenses (and others too, of course, he doesn't specialise in specific lenses). I should have the lens back from him this week with oil/grease-free iris/aperture blades and a fully clicking aperture ring too. :)
I WOULD like all the powder paint removed too, (to 'silver' it), but I figured that was purely a cosmetic thing and wasn't very important AND there'd be no guarantee he'd do a perfect job of it. :D Thanks for your Helios lens videos, nice one. Spasiba. :) By the way - your English is very good - DEFINITELY better than my Russian. :)
Happy you were able to manage this!
Indeed. :) Can't wait to get out there and use my 'new' Helios lens from 1974. :) You can see some of my Asahi Pentax Takumar 50mm f/1.4 shots, here: www.flickr.com/photos/kester-andrews/albums/72157670030252522 I'll update the galleries with new images taken with the Helios 44M 58/2 if you want to see, over the next few months.
nice shoots, indeed! Congrats!
Tried it, but unfortunately I just couldn't unscrew the last screw on the black ring. But I went ahead and cleaned and re-applied grease wherever I could and I'm very happy with the results.
Great movie, clear & helpful - thank you! BTW, the lubricant WD40 is prononunced 'double you' dee forty, not 'vee dee forty'. 'Vee' is a different letter! The product's full name is Water Dispersant (formula number) 40, abbreviated to WD40 :-)
Thank you for your input!
Thank you for making this!
I think this should also work for the Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58 as this is a copy of it!
Maybe yes, but needs to be tried to confirm
Retro Foto House I have a Biotar 2/58. I will try it out, very carefully.
Don't think so. Biotar is way more complicated.
Nice video! Now I understand how to fix my lens! I will try it when I have spare time! There are too few video talk about Volna 9 in the internet. Maybe you can make some video to talk about how to fix/lubricate this lens :)
+Clement yu Will come soon!
Very useful video especially helpful when taking the helicoid apart. I have a Tair-3 A 300mm f4 with similar problems. I cannot find a guide anywhere to dismantle it. I'm loathe to throw it away. Any ideas?
Very usefull thanks!
happy you love it!
Thank you!!!!!!! 👍👍👍👍
Thx for making the videos man, helped a lot :) One question: before I found your channel I've read/saw on others people channels they use Liqui Moly LM 50 Litho HT grease for lubrication. So I bought that and use it, but I'm not sure about it. It does make things smooth, but not very smooth. So I'm not sure if the lenses I have have such tight tolerances on their own or is the grease wrong. Do you know this grease, would you recommend it? TIA!
Hi! no, i never used it, so i can't say
I have an Helios 44M 6 but
I can not open the front cover because there are not 2 holes as in all the ones I see on You Tube videos. How do I remove the front lens to clean it?
Hi, great video. You are clearly very skilled and I appreciate the knowledge you are imparting to us. I would like to try this but I cant unscrew the optical block from the focusing block - its on very tight, Any advice?
you just need to apply enough of force, that's it.
Hey, im planning to clean and reapply the grease so i was wondering what grease could i use as an alternative to buying it from the local shops?
Greetings from Croatia
Tnx🙏
nice
Хорошо!!
I've got Helios from 1982...is it the same assemble...
Many thanks for this video, very helpfull.
Can you please do the same with the Jupiters 135mm ?
Thanks
Awesome videos!!! Please do a jupiter 8 lubricate video
+Trieu Tran Thank you! Will come soon! Please subscribe!
+Retro Foto House already have 👍
how much it coast if send you the lense to clean it ?
Thanks for this very helpful video. The 44 I bought had an extremely stiff focus ring, and while taking apart, when I got to the multi-thread ring, I couldn't get it back on, so I lost the position before I could mark it. I have just about managed to get it back on in a random position, and it seems like it works. Is there something that will not work properly if it is not in the correct position? I suppose there are only 5 or 6 different options to go through if I got it wrong, but so far it seems like it's fine, but I haven't had the chance to try it out extensively yet.
Thanks
If you assemble it in incorrect way, you will not be focus properly. Either it will not focus closely or infinity will not be reachable.
@@RetroFotoHouse Looks like infinity is out...I suppose I'll just have to go through each position until it works.
Oh boy, I have to do this soon when my equipment arrives...I'm a bit apprehensive.
No worries, man. You will make it in exemplary fasion)
Brilliant and detailed thank you for those of us who own this amazing lens
Thank you for your kind words!
What Grade Grease did you use ? Grade 10 or grade 40?
Hello. I'm looking to clean and lubricate some Helios 44's with start beyonet mount . A couple the aperture button twist push mechanism is not fully working. . I hope to find some guidance somewhere before preceding blindly.
i do not have such tutorial, sorry
@@RetroFotoHouse I made video if anyone interested, they are not too difficult. I was expecting more trouble from it.
How is it in terms of separating and leaking onto aperture blades and stuff and is it very light or it gives some resistance ?How does it compare to JHT #10 in your opinion?
I can't say, as i never used JHT#10 grease
what size is the syringe?
hi, how to clean and shine the tarnished yellowish aluminum ring?
you need to polish it, no other way
Hello. I regreased a Helios following this video and it worked perfectly. I’m now going to work on a Flektogon 20/4 and wondered if the disassembly is similar?
no, absolutely different
What is the lubricant or grease you use?
Thanks a lot, but what kind of grease are you using to?
I was using a USSR made Ciatim-201 grease, but now it is not available anymore, so i switched to ordinary Lithium based grease and it performs pretty well
hi, can you please let me know where I can buy the same screwdriver set you have? I cannot seem to find a small enough screwdrivers
search over ebay or aliexpress
i'm stuk at first step ! cannot unscrew the front, it is very well stuck...
My MMZ made helios 44 is not screwing out like you did, any help?
you need to apply force in this case. Sometimes it is screwed in very tightly
where csa i get screws for my lenses the 135 f4 helios
on eBay
Where can i find these tools on amazon
Watch make screwdriver set is what you need
Hello mate, you have used gun oil to lubricate a Helios 44M-6 in another video. I don't want to fully disassemble it and use grease...which type of gun oil can I use? There's Silicon oil and Water-based oil on Ebay...
you can try sewing machine oil it is quite liquid oil so do not apply too much of it on the barrel it could leak. Just couple of drops should be ok.
My optical block is stuck on the focusing part, cannot unscrew no matter how hard I try. Do you have any advice? I want to use WD-40 but I am nervous to since this is bad for the glass
Sometimes, barely though, it is screwed in so tight that it is imposiible to unscrew it without special tools. Maybe this is your case.
@@RetroFotoHouse Can you recommend what tools to use to unscrew? I am thinking of using heat to loosen it up.
great videos, can you tell us what's the link to your shop?
thank you
+Eagle Eye Productions Hello ! stores.ebay.com/Vintage-photo-equipment-and-other
I just bought Zenit 3m with helios 44 but the diaphrame ring turns like junk and diaphrame has strong exploatation marks - to the point that bare metal is exposed and I think it may cause reflections inside the lense. Can i replace both ring and diaphrame with any other of 44 family?
It will not make reflections inside for sure. You need to find another one from same model, to be sure it will fit 100%
@@RetroFotoHouse Ok, thank you.
@@RetroFotoHouse Btw, is there a way to unstuck the optical block. I just cant unscrew it and dont want to force it to much. it shouldn't take lots of force to brake it free. Should I try to heat the lense or put few drops of WD-40 and let it soak for a day or so?
What size screwdriver do you use? 0,8mm?
yes, exact
🍀🍀
Many thanks for the video! I followed your instructions and ended up with a butterly smooth Helios-44, which is nice!
I do think I have made a mistake though: the focus ring will not go to 0,5m. Instead, it stops just before 0,55. The lens also has lost its sharpness. 😕 Hope you can tell me what I did wrong.
well it is difficult to say, but for sure you made a mistake somewhere in the processus
@@RetroFotoHouse Yes, that is for sure. When I have the time I will take it apart again to check it out.
@@BallenvanStaal I've got the issue with mine. I missed mark the multithreaded rings and I suppose that I have not put back the ring in the correct postion. I have tried to disassemble and re-assemble it several times but I get the same issue every time....
@@sthlm360 Thanks for replying. I think I might have done the same. I haven't taken the time yet to disassemble it again myself. When I have, I'll let you know the result.
@@BallenvanStaal Good news. After my "58th" try I succeeded to find the right thread. The focusing ring goes the whole way from infinity to even beyond M, which is beyond 0.5, exactly as shown in this video. Unfortunately in the process of many disassemblies/assemblies I damaged 2 of the 3 inner micro screws heads and one of the external ones BUT I managed to screw them back in anyways. Lens work as good as new.
Где можно приобрести такую отвертку от откручивания самых маленьких болтиков?
Лично я пользуюсь старым советским набором-качество стали хорошее. А так- на aliexpress можно без труда найти
@@RetroFotoHouse , старый советский набор будет найти проблематично, хотя качество стали, наверняка там очень хорошее. А на алиэкспресс я искал и даже находил кое-что похожее, но не уверен, что размер отвертки шлицевой подойдет для открутки самых маленьких болтиков на Гелиос 44 КМЗ серебряного цвета с 13 лепестками. Нашел в местном магазине дешевый китайский набор, там шлицевая отвертка 0,9 мм есть, но наверное нужно меньше, т.к. при попытки отвернуть мелкий стопорный винт на линзоблоке он не пошел.
Co masz na smar stosuje?
Ciatim-201
Aan alle Nederlanders die dit proberen: gebruik geen Kroon-oil lagervet zoals ik, want dat spul lijkt net lijm...
Please oil link
please google ciatim-201
i did the same but something is wrong, i can focus 4 meters maximally, i lost the mark of the last ring but I could find the position where it was possible to screw the ring in, several times but with the same result. Can you help me, where is the problem, is possible to fix it?
Do you mean 13 blades...
Both 13 and 8 blades versions. Focusing part there is the same
WD40 is not a lubricant. It is a water displacer.
Please visit my eBay stores at:
www.ebay.com/usr/kosbik84
www.ebay.com/usr/retrofotohouse