Why I CANT recommend the Legendary Helios 85mm F1.5 lens (King of SWIRLY Bokeh)
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I strictly use vintage lenses in my photography. This is my go to lens for my shoots. It taught my focus and patience.
FIY swirly bokeh and soap bubble bokeh isn't the same, you seem to be using them interchangeably in your video, but that is not the case. The helios has swirly bokeh while something like a Trioplan 100mm f/2.8 has soap bubbles.
F1.5 lenses don’t need to be shot at f1.5. A lot of vintage lenses (and modern lenses) are less sharp wide open. The purpose of the low aperture is more so you can shoot a couple of stops above it where the lens is optimal and still get a shallow depth of field. There’s a reason that most of the great photographers of the earlier days of photography shot closer f5.6. It’s a bit of modern obsession due to tech advances but with these lenses they really shine from f4 onwards.
At F5.6 you don't get the swirl, at that point you just have a worse lens than if you bought a modern lens.
Sure it'll be sharper, but not sharper than a modern lens. Back in the day you shot these lenses stopped down (some of the time), but today if you want that you have better options. If you shoot vintage it will more often than not be for the optical defects wide open that gives them character.
Do people buy these lenses for sharp images lol. I assumed it was more for character and creative shots
@@xanderchanning exactly, if i want sharp i would reach to my Z 85/Z 50mm or Sigma lenses.
I think the lens is too heavy for the TechArt. I have the new black version that I bought a year ago. The lens requires patience but you can absolutely master it and start to get fast. The best bokeh comes if you have varying colors and points of light behind the model, and position the model about 6 feet away from the object you want to swirl. I have gotten really outstanding pictures with this and a Godox Ad200.
I shoot with a lot of different vintage lenses. What I have found, is usually when shooting wide open it really emphasizes a lot of flaws. However, if you stop down a bit you still retain a unique vintage look without a lot of the ghosting, CA and LOCA. Also you stand a better chance of getting your subject in focus.
I didn't even know this lens existed. The Helios 44-2 gets far more attention in the TH-cam creative space.
44m-4 is far better, especially on apsc with speedbooster
@@jerronimo6874 why is that?
@@rafalnieckarz zobacz jakie są różnice w zależności od miejsca produkcji, generalnie powłoki to jedno, a ostrość szkieł go drugie
my 1961 helios-40 is very sharp wide open.
At F2.8 or F4 it's even better and without swirly bokeh ;)
With some practice you know where to place the sun to have an usable flare
Used on a 5D classic and a 6D, always fun to shoot with it (same with my helios-44 red P, 77M-4, Zenitar-M, KO-120M)
I am so excited to see you doing a review like this. I LOVE shooting with vintage manual lenses on my Sony
We need more of this, about Special Character lenses 😍🙏🏻
Great review as always. I have one of these lens. They are very hard to use and requires a lot of time and patience to nail the shots/ I wish you could have shot this in a scene with more trees for more of that swirly bokeh
I have the 55 and I can relate. So soft, but the background is so unique. Maybe you can try the Lomography Petzval 85 as it has swirly bokeh and was built more recently, so maybe sharpness is better. It also looks very beautiful w/ the brass. They made it for EF and F mount iirc
Look at Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8. There were several M42 versions: 1. old radioactive one in "zebra" design, 2. newer "zebra" which is not radioactive (you can find serial numbers to be safe. Also, they are slightly different in length), 3. later black body versions. I use the second one. Cheap, very sharp, and swirly. The later black version is also better than Helios.
So funny! I started trying out old vintage lenses for my R6 just recently. Yeah, I need some different style for my images. Great video as always! 👍🏽
I have the old silver Helios 58mm and Helios 40-2C (2015). The only way to master the lenses.... Spend time practicing. Lens sharpen up at f/2.8 and up. f/2 is a good balance
There's three other lenses that I can recommend trying if you like vintage look: the Minolta 58mm f1.2 Rokkor (use at f2), the Nikon 105mm f2 defocus control or the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f1.2.
Those are awesome (but different) lenses.
Thank you for an awesome video
i have the 58mm from my grandfather, and i is my absolute favorite - the fact you have to use on manually and the special why it works with light, makes me fell much more connected to the process of making, taking photos.
where do you recommend to buying this one?
Thank you for this review, Manny. I almost got rid of my Fujifilm X-T30 until I started adapting vintage lenses. Now, I love my my Fuji camera. I've been considering getting this lens. You're certainly given me reason to get it. Well done and thanks!
The thing to emphasize, if you want that swirly look, is to look for backgrounds with strong specular lighting, as that plays to the quirks of the Biotar optics. As for flaring and contrast issues, you might want to look up original Zeiss Biotars, as opposed to the Helios copies. The later 55mm CZJ Biotars are more expensive than the Helios, but not absurdly so (unlike the 75mm ones, which are rare and very spendy), but they have a better build quality, and better coatings for better flare control and contrast. Meyer Optik is making new Biotar-formula lenses that should be better still (Matthieu Stern has a good review). Meyer says they are working on a 75mm version too, but this is not out yet.
You're right that modern lenses, with their corner-to-corner "perfection", lack character. Looks to me like this one is perfect for portrait work, even if it does require you to slow down and be careful.
I'm watching your videos many years and it was so unexpected to see the review of the Helios! Anyway it's a nice swirly monster for experiments and just different look.
Did you try a UV-Filter which might avoid too much flares and to get better AF with the Techart LM-EA9 adapter?
Did you configure the LM-EA9 correctly for the 85mm focal length?
I have the black version of this lens
It’s so dreamy and a great lens for video specially when paired with a S35 sensor
Great video. I can't find a Techart adapter with the M42 mount though. Do I miss something?
OMG!!! This lens actually make you to be a photographer, not only a button pusher and preset finder. bring the sad violings.
As someone who only uses vintage lenses and is a professional photographer doing that for my business, it's really funny to me to hear you complain about this lens - which is stunning lol. Getting those weird shots and out center/out of focus, taking advantage of the crazy flare, and actually having a challenge (that you referred to as a "pain in the ass to use") is exactly why I love them. I feel like maybe you should just stick to modern lenses lol. Every reason why you describe it as "not fun" is exactly why it's so fun for those of us who appreciate these lenses and the challenge they offer. Also every client I work with comments on how fast I am compared to other photographers they work with who use manual lenses.. it's just a matter of getting to know the lenses you use. Anyways, hope you stick to new lenses lol, leave the vintage ones to those of us who love and appreciate them 😁
I know this video is several months old, but there's this photographer from Eastern Europe who lives in NYC you should ask regarding vintage lenses that have character. Her name is Anya Anti. She's an award winning photographer and she's a god at editing and photoshop given that is also a job she has as a photo editor for a company. And she's quite the introvert according to her.
She uses vintage lenses on her DSLR and the images she produces in given scenarios are quite beautiful perhaps for your work she probably would have a suggestion or two what would be better. She's very cool, I'd shoot her an email if anything or have her collab with you on a future video which I'm pretty sure she'll be down for. Hope it helps!
Man, embrace that dreamy look. Did you considered a lens hood? It's a cool idea. I feel like vintage lenses need to be learn to use them properly. But the results are unique.
It's definitely a very unique lens for those photogs that love that style of bokeh. Lots of great examples from photogs using this lens with trees in the background or what ever back ground that creates BOOOKEH.
It's a lens I've been looking at. Pretty cool to see your review on it man.
This 85mm and that 200mm f2 canon are destined to be in my kit! Don’t have them yet, but they’ll be in there eventually!
If you are into this kind of lenses, try the 135mm f/1.4 as well.
You need to try lenses from the Jupiter series! For example Jupiter 8, 9 and 37A, (50f2, 85f2 and 135f3.5) The bokeh is not twisted, but very soft.
Lens is a piece of art! I would buy it just to display in my house! Great review.
Is this the zenit helios version? Or older version !
A lifehack from a guy who was born in the Soviet Union: buy a Cyclop 85mm f/1.5 instead. It’s basically the same lens, but without the aperture (nobody needs it anyway). It’s 2x lighter and 2-3x cheaper. It’s not as pretty looking, but $150 is much easier to swallow to try such a special lens.
A nice suggestion but that does limit the lens to its full blown special effect usage. Sure, if you stop it down you are competing with modern 'normal' lenses more, but a) you still get vintage character and b) I don't want to switch lenses just to stop down
11:16 Just tighten the set screws bro!! I have a black copy.. Love it!!
Hey Manny, can you do a comparison between this helios 85mm and a modern 85mm probably the sony 85 1.4?
love old manual focus lenses for the look but they really are a pain. the joy of mirrorless is that there are so many adapters for retro lenses. but not having the information from that lens baked into the images is a pain when trying to recreate a shot.
Take a shot of the lens itself before each lens change. So, at least in the folder, you will see which one is used for the subsequent photos. Also, if you do not change them too often, you can change the filename options in camera settings each time. From IMG_*.* (or whatever your camera default is) to something recognizable CZF_ for Zeiss 50mm, MRM_ for Minolta rokkor macro., etc. Or just batch rename on PC while you still remember which is which.
@@valentinkovshik yoooooo that's actually a clutch move. That's the great thing about the photography community. Everyone tends to try to help everyone with tips and tricks. But the film and video side of things gets so... there's the forced elitism there that soon becomes grating if not down right over bearing. And it becomes hard to suffer fools that are knowledgeable but like the means to express themselves in a way that doesn't put people off. So thank you for presenting this information without talking down to me bro. Mad helpful and I mean that.
This Helios is a very imperfect glass copied from the legendary Zeiss. The network has a comparison of these two lenses. Helios is very bad against the background of Zeiss. And today Zenit has started releasing these Helios again and is selling for $500 - it's just crazy.
In regard to vintage lenses , is there any advantage to us it with a Sony 7 R V vs a Sony 7 R IV ?
there are tricks in using this lens my friend...and with modern day mirrorless camera bodies and modern day photo editing software, these type of lenses will grow in popularity if it hasent already. I also do foresee Nikon possibly coming out with a Z version, however i will foresee a fisheye Z lens first, as that lens is waayyyy overdue. But i own the Zenit version, and i use it every now and then, its definitely a fun lens!
you wanna review a sharp vintage lens ?? Jupiter 11 135mm f/4 "Rocketship" .. not so much swirls though
Hi you should try also tair 11 Russian Lens but you have to be very careful with it like with an egg because the blades inside likes to fall off and you have to disassemble and put the blades back in place I hot that once and it wasn’t pleasant experience 😂 Lens had awesome characteristic and my version is super sharp wide open 🎉 I really recommend
Great video as always. I am really surprised that the adapter is able to handle the weight of that lens. That lens is soooooo heavy. Instead of using the Helios, try the Biotar. The Biotar is so much sharper.
True, the Helios is a semi-legendary knock-off of the true legend, the Biotar 75/1.5.
anyone know where to find helios post workflow (correct/grade)?
what a funny coincident, I'm in my way to go pick up my copy of Helios 40 from the post office. Wish me luck. Great review as usual
I hate that lens 95 percent of the, but those images I get out of that last 5 percent are my favorite ever taken. Hands down, which is pretty good for me. Oh, then the fact that is is so heavy I never bring it, reduces the shot count another 95 percent. I’ll never sell it even though I must really force myself to use it.
Another great place to use it is in the trees with dappled light and just enough light leaking in to cover the subject. Pure bliss. Oh, and flower photos. That lens is to heavy for the focus adapter in my use. Great for the 55 though.
I search for backgrounds I can focus with my feet, so nothing geometric or composition critical. Just the model.
Why is everybody talking about a helios 55? Closest is the helios 44, which is 58mm.
@@FrankyFeedler can you read? All I said was my adapter worked great for that lens…. Nothing more. Not a comparison to be found. And thank you for calling me Everybody. Xoxox
@@Qwiv “That lens is to heavy for the focus adapter in my use. Great for the 55 though.”
Multiple other comments mention Helios 55, which it is also called throughout the video. So yes, I can read, and listen. How about you?
hi, good review.
If you are interested in the optics of the USSR, then try telezenitar apo 135
use an extra long lens hood and you will get rid of most flaring! for that lens the hood would need to be as long as the actual lens. and old coffee can painted black taped onto a regular screw in hood would work.
Used a Helios 44m on my A1 today at the same time you uploaded this video LMAO. That’s so crazy.
Can anyone link me the arm he uses to mount his go pro to his camera?
i personally like all those flaws of the lens, but it is for sure important for buyers to know of them, since they do limit what you can do with it quite a bit, and many people do not like to deal with those flaws. me on the other hand, love them flawed looking pics :D
I fully embrace the strengths and weaknesses offered by many vintage lenses. I don't even own any autofocus lenses for my Fuji or Canon digital systems. But it's definitely not for everyone, and I wouldn't recommend it in general either
I might get flak for saying this but many modern lenses are boring, yes they are sharp, but they are so samey same. I think having a mix of modern and funky vintage lenses offer creative variety
waiting on my helios 44-2 from Ukraine rn! intrested to be more intentional w everything with a vintage manual focus lens like these
very very fantastic leenz!
Where is this location at 0:24?
I have the 55 but I barely use it. Sometimes I forget I own one!
It's interesting that a camera without a viewfinder will get lambasted yet many shoot and compose from studio, street and landscape, by the main screen.
Wait Sony E-Mount?! So glad you left Nikon! 😊
Don't the more recent versions of the lens have more modern coatings on them?
I would'nt use an slow TECHART AF adapter for it, I am much faster manually! I bought me for these kind of BOKEH images, the brand new TTArtisan 2,8/100mm "Bubble Lens" with excellent results!
Your observations are in point!, I had one in previous century and I did not like it at all. Low contrast low center sharpness background blur very nervous, Yes you get bubbles in certain situations and swirly out of focus world but you get bored quickly ... next step is to get zeiss planars with 3D look, not razor sharp but smoothy and creamy , refined, sphisticated imaging. helios is not a king in any way, was nightmare in analog, film times and was always overpriced.
Get the hood and it'll take care most of unwanted flare.
tair 135mm f 2.8 made in USSR- Try to use it. Very good.
For the size and weight (price maybe as well), I'd rather have the Mitakon 85mm F1.2, just a better overall experience and a very unique look as well.
On a serious note though, I'm not sure this lens is the king of swirl. I'd say it might be the Zeiss Biotar Jena 75mm f/1.5, or maybe even its less known about little brother the Zeiss Biotar Jena 50mm f/1.4. Both silver and both have suuuuuuuuper swirly bokeh under the right conditions. The 50mm version has all the same negatives you listed in the video from my own hands-on experience which is why I sold it. I haven't used the 75mm version unfortunately. The 50mm version would undoubtably be much less of a pain in the backside to use manually because of the shorter focal length. Both are super rare however and the 75mm version is crazy expensive. I still hang onto a Canon FL 55mm f/1.2 for when I want a 'different' look to my portraits, but again the centre is the only sharp place wide open which is extremely limiting.
Meyer Optik is making new Biotars with modern build quality and coatings. Both 55mm and soon a 75mm. I have heard good things about the 55 so far.
I use the Helios 55mm and I love the look.
Nice lense it does a great job
I would rather get the Laowa 45mm or 35mm f/0.95 first as it's priced at the same range right now in their official website.
I have various vintage lenses, and the Helios 44 never impressed me. That said, don't give up on the idea of vintage, they are fantastic and beautiful you just have to find the right combo
"If I could be honest with you..." - Manny, why can't you be honest with us!? :p
Minolta 58 1.2 is MUCH stunning and versatile lens then this Helios. Or 58 1.4 - with which the differences are minimal
Nice post, perfectly timed since today I got my Helios 44-2 (58mn) in (with fungus though 😭)
Sucks but should be fine if there isn't an insane amount. Just make sure it ded
Bro that thumbnail 😂
You are using a low contrast lens at full aperture - without a lens hood? No wonder you have uncontrollable flare. I work with a Jupiter 9 (similar spec but with better graduation with bokeh) and I use a massively deep lens hood.
If I could be honest with you too: I'm also bored of lens reviews. I would love to see more "grab a model, grab a camera and lens, grab a light and modifier, get out and shoot" again. But I do understand that you get more views with gear reviews.
Personally I like the swirly bokeh on the Helios 55mm better
I bought the new one Nikon f mount for 250$ 🙂 it’s black
Bought one. Used it for a while. Kept it for a year. Sold it last week! It's too limiting, a one-trick pony.
I haven't heard of a helios 55 f2.
The (real) legendary Biotar 75mm 1.5 is one step up from the Helios.
Yep definitely a step up in price.
Shorty talks about how modern lenses lack character and are clinically sharp, then proceeds to complain about character and the lack of said precise clinical sharpness.
wasned the legendery one 55/2?
лучшее стекло
Life is not easy. Sometimes lens shade helps.
Who said it is easy to focus with them?
Looking for an ultimate portrait lens? Why don't you try the lens that painted the most famous photography portrait in the history, "Afgan girl", meaning Nikkor 105mm f2.5?
In Russia it's cost about 200$
dude discovered vintage lenses... what will be when he'll discover vintage canon fd, zeiss or vintage leica...
No offence but you are the last person on earth who should review a vintage lens
Thank you, Arbiter of Lens Reviews, for your service. What would we do without you here to inform us who is and isn't allowed to review what lenses?
😂😂😂😂
@@raze3297 I mean, Manny is talking about a lack of sharpness along the edges yet doesn't seem to know that sharpness on these vintage lenses improves drastically across the frame when stopped down. It's a pretty basic thing to know that you don't have to shoot with the aperture wide open (which he seems to use quite a bit) and that especially with older lenses you have to pick when to do so.
When someone uploads a video they are open to criticism, and there are some real issues with this review. No need to provide him with attorney assistance.
Exactly. As a videographer I am attracted to these things he describes as imperfections. The combination with my 44-2 rocks. There are very few lenses with such great characteristics, and certainly no modern ones. But to each his own.
“No offense,” then proceeds to offend hahah😂😂😂😂
Et morte... il est comment ton smile!
Where is your wedding ring homie?👀
For me, I would purchase it just as a collector's item. I wouldn't use it.
500$????
Here in Russia it costs 150-200$
mf to af adaptor????/since whennn was that a thing??? lol wtf im gonna go check it out
Helios 44 is a 58mm
Vintage lenses and film cameras are ideal for photographers to hide their low skills behind the nostalgia of vintage gear, non-idealities, and aberrations. Forcing yourself to shoot with a sharp 24-105 or 35-150 and stopped down to f/5.6 for a year will really improve your photography. Since there's no impressive bokeh, you will need to really set your composition right, seek the perfect facial expressions, dramatic lighting, etc.
I have been wasting time with vintage lenses and film for years. Deeply regretted it.
Thats why canon gives you f7.1/8/11 apertures ? :))
@@planetfun85 Nobody wants those
Sony make great cameras and lens with top notch autofocus etc but when you want character and a film look straight out of your JPEG’s then Fuji cameras just carnt be beat !!! A few decades ago photographers were producing images like works of art using cameras which had worse autofocus than the Fuji xpro1 😅 and today these photographers call them selves pro struggle to get a proper image using the latest Fuji xt5 and blame the gear instead of their own inability to produce brilliant work!!
AF still sucks for sports photography.
@@bngr_bngr yes true the photographer sucks in his skill to use his gear
@@Snapit551 if you are shooting at 10+ fps then the AF technology of the camera is critical.
Why do these beautiful girls get these crazy tattoos?
You paid 500 :DDD
Amazing lens, bad photos.
First 👑. Bow down to me peasants!
Look! A peasant that can't spell peasant. 🤣
@@Clodrock 👀