Helios Reverse Front Element - Dreamy Helios 44-2 Portraits

[@Noealz]

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[@Phantommxr]

Noe... please correct me or delete this if I am mistaken,,, I thought you worked with Mattieu and he did this with a reversed lens in the .. 3 Vintage Lenses that Create CRAZY BOKEH - 🎄Christmas Special... turned out pretty Kool! He mentioned the Mir and it had a reversed front element but he also used different lenses I believe( I don't remember the Helios being in it---- I should rewatch it to be sure but commenting fast, heading out to work !!) ANy pointers on the difference between the different approaches would be helpful other than you are using a longer lens with a bit more shallow DOF then the 37mm he uses...do you think that is the key in protraits??? thanks and if you have the time a quick tutorial or just a video of you reversing a Mir or 44-2 would be helpful just to see the tools and or the effort in removing the ring would get me started on doing some of my lenses -----Thanks again Noe... Loving the channel so far!!

[@Noealz]

Sure thing, actually I wanted to make a video about the tools I use when cleaning lenses and playing around with them. The difference between using the MIR and the 58mm is that with his lens you have to get way closer to your subject, but I want to include more of the background and also I haven't seen a video with the Helios 44-2 reversed so I wanted to be the first one to do it since he already had done the MIr :3

[@runnerone5358]

Wow so great i have one that lens You inspire me

[@Noealz]

im super happy to hear that!

[@seantewillis]

Great video. Since you have to stop down, would shooting in daylight help getting a good focal point?

[@Noealz]

Just need to increase shutter speed - works just as normal : )

[@SteveMellorPhotography]

It’s a really great lens, I’ve used one of these before on the original BMPCC, actually. You can get some really great shots with it. It’s a great idea using this lens for portraiture but you have to want that particular style, so I wouldn’t suggest using it for a regular street shoot. It’s much better if you have a particular shot you want at the end of a shoot. I did find putting it on a tripod helped an awful lot.

[@Noealz]

Yeah it isn't very easy to use. Much easier to use with the reversed front element. I do like it for street though, in fact I liked it so much that I wanted to get the Biotar 58mm 2.0 but actually I didn't see so many differences between them.

[@SteveMellorPhotography]

Noealz - Rain Photography Ah, now that’s something I’ve not tried. Whether it would handle better, I’m not sure?

[@carriagel8773]

very soft

[@Noealz]

So much

[@Creative7inc]

Art comes in the form of new things! got to test it out and see if it's something to keep going with or just drop back on! great stuff Noe

[@Noealz]

I am sure someone out there would be interested in this : )

[@Creative7inc]

@@Noealz Definitely!

[@messylaura]

carl ziess 35mm flektogon works well with the front element flipped,

[@Noealz]

I wish I had that one :/

[@mikeharris4226]

I shoot mostly fashion in LA but flowers are still one of my favorite personal projects. It would be cool to see what flowers there are over there.

[@Noealz]

Will do! they have some really pretty ones over here : )

[@christinasworld7894]

Would love to see your flower photos with the lens reversed. thanks

[@Noealz]

Will do at some point :)

[@MarcoAries]

It sure is a unique look! I actually flipped one of the inner elements while cleaning my Helios, but all it did was, well, not focus at all 😅I'll have to try and hack some lenses, maybe even put something inside of them...

[@Noealz]

That is what makes older vintage lenses fun : )

[@PaulDeanWells]

Pretty cool! Now I have to try that with my Helios 44-2! Great video!

[@Noealz]

It's pretty fun to mess around!

[@boozelala]

You cant do it with all the 44-2's though, I would check what gen. you got and look it up. some have a pretty small thread which does not allow the locking ring to fit with the lens flipped.

[@trials6]

The Helios 44-2 with the serial numbers on the side it can't be done on at all with any of them..the others the majority can, of course for some reason there's the odd one that can't either.

[@Noealz]

right :(

[@samsen3965]

Well, this was a few years back and if you haven't lost your interest, what is your long-time view of flipping the front lens element? btw, I'm glad you didn't butcher any Topcor here! (Thought the process appears relatively harmless and readily, reversible.

[@Noealz]

I think it was pretty fun to do, maybe not something to do seriously but for fun yes :)

[@JayJay-hg5vp]

Would really be interested in seeing your flower photography :)

[@Noealz]

I just might : ) Once spring hits cuz it's winter now

[@calinguga]

this looks great, i honestly got tired of looking at pictures of flowers while researching this mod

[@Noealz]

haha yeah thats all there is lol

[@LifetimeTravelmates]

nice effect. not my favourite, but interesting!

[@Noealz]

yeah - not exactly what I was hoping for but - still was interesting to try : ) Probably the last time I try it though LOL

[@LifetimeTravelmates]

@@Noealz 😂

[@simonekoffman]

Do you mind telling me how to reverse this lens please. I have it and have never been able to use it. Thank you

[@Noealz]

Oh I should make a video about this! : )

[@tomfitzgerald4760]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h362oIOBYtSebrM

[@JanneRanta]

Is it just my monitor but when you show the product shot of the lens I get huge scanlines on the background?

[@Noealz]

Oh I am using an LED box and I can't get the flicker out when I use it : /

[@alexshdvideo]

Thank you for sharing. I have I believe a Helios 44-M. Supposedly same optics but I do not believe so. It is same basic design, but heavier and longer. I believe it was made after the 44 and 44-1, 44-2. It seems that the Soviets had fixed some of the wired bokeh that I was looking for in the 44-M model. I have tried flipping the front element, but the results where detrimental and I have flipped the front element back correctly. The slightly softer less contrasty lens is nice compared to my newer Rokinon Cine DS lenses and certainly smaller and lighter. So it’s of value for the right project. So if someone is looking for a 44-2 for that effect and find the cheaper 44-M... yeah it’s similar, but it’s not the same thing... though for $60 US dollars it was a steal. I purchased a M42 to Nikon F mount adapter with optic to focus infinity and either use it on my Nikon DSLR or my JVC LS300 video camera with and without a speed booster. For that effect I was looking for I ended up getting a Lensbaby Twist 60 for $199 (on sale twice a year typically) and I like it a lot. I have interest in picking up the Zenit MC-Helios #40-2 85mm f/1.5 lens that is more of what I have in mind for portrait swirly vintage lens. Today Zenit ships new versions with mounts for Canon, Nikon etc already. Otherwise Lensbaby has Twist 60, Velvet and Burnside 35 lenses. Lomography is also to be looked at though they are often physically controlled more like vintage 1850-1900’s lenses that I have not used. They look wonderful but would be clunky and time consuming to work with. Dropping in shaped aperture plates from your key ring to change the exposure, but you can change the shape of your bokeh. Many of their lenses are also made by Zenit for Lomography. Basically I want them all. If you have any of those lenses I would love to see what your doing with them. Also a vote to share your flower work with your Zenit Helios. :)

[@Noealz]

Cool - I might do some Helios flower vids but they will have to wait until Spring because all the flowers are dead here sadly :/ Regarding the newer version of the Helios, everytime they update the lens they make them "better" or "more modern" - but all that means is that they increase the sharpness and the lenses end up losing their swirly bokeh :/ So that is why I got the older versions instead! Including the older version of the Helios 40-2. I also have a Jupiter 9 - the old silver ones with the blue coating : ) No lensbabies for me sadly ; /

[@albertoskytwins3527]

I didn't really like the effect in the pictures, too soft, the lighting and the composition were great though, tomorrow I'm getting a Helios 44M-4 (I hope is in a good condition, fingers crossed), would be great if you could do a video like that but without the lens reversed, with that lighting the results must be really great :)

[@Noealz]

I'll make a video without the reverse front element too : )

[@김코린-m3t]

굳 비데오~

[@Noealz]

Thank you very much!

[@JapanLovers]

Hate to talk about sharpness but it’s probably a little to soft for portraits. Love the composition though 👌🤙

[@Noealz]

I think so too :3 In this case sharpness talk is needed lol

[@NaviRetlav]

You will get way better results with MIR-1b with front lens inverted , and that lens is also very cheap.

[@Noealz]

I think so, I have that lens too : )

[@NaviRetlav]

@@Noealz I'm curious how the IR photos could look on that lens ?? Can you make a video about that ?

[@Noealz]

@@NaviRetlav I will make one : )

[@Albanez39]

Did you clean the fungus off your lens? Most of these lenses are badly infested. Take all the elements and immerse them for 20-30 minutes in a solution of 1/2 Ammonium chloride (can be found in supermarkets, get it unscented) and 1/2 Hydrogen Peroxide (pharmacy). Both are cheap and very effective against fungus.

[@Noealz]

Yes, all my lens are super clean : )

[@mjohnston8313]

Are you are 47 year old Mexican dude l? Very interesting dude.

[@Noealz]

35

[@Albanez39]

You look very Caucasian :P PS: Film in 24 or 25FPS and 1/50 Shutter speed. You'll have cinematic motion blur, and won't risk having flickering in your footage. Common light bulbs and panels have a refresh rate of 50 or 60hertz depending on region. If you use a shutter speed higher than 1/50, you'll get flickering (and you do). And don't forget the 180 rule. Shutter speed must be twice the frame rate (unless you want a specific dreamy or speedy effect).

[@Noealz]

Those are actually the settings I used for this video : )