type 1 in mint condition: www.ebay.com/itm/226221748460 type 1 in good working condition: www.ebay.com/itm/326183853541

About 4 years ago I watched this video to decide which Helios to buy. From your recommendation, I got a Belomo made 44-2 in very good condition on ebay for £55. A couple of years later I used it to make my first short film, which went on to win a six awards at some small film festivals. Two years later I am working on my 3rd and 4th short film and still use the Helios as one of my go to lenses, along with a set of Canon FD SSC's! Thanks for your advice, it was extremely valuable!

Excellent walk-thru - lots of facts and examples, simply explained and well worth a watch, for anyone interested in the commonest Helios lenses. I have one of these and although it's nowhere near as unusual or interesting as the earlier Helios lenses, it's better than not having a Helios at all !

Thank you for your effort in clarifying the various modifications. It seems I have a copy of the last type (8) from 1988 (31 years ago). Even though it is rated lowest in quality compared to the earlier modifications, it is still decent build quality and capable of taking good photographs. I challenge the lens manufacturers of today to build something inexpensive and durable enough to last and still be usable in 2050 (31 years from now).

Initially confused but for "modification" take it as "model" , "type", "version". or "example". A very in depth spec review of this popular lens. Thank you.

Man, You make insane and so productive work for all looking for reliable buying tips, thanks !

Thank you for walking through these lens variants. Very helpful.

Thank you so much for taking the time to produce this video. I greatly appreciate your efforts ✌

Great review! Initially I was confused by Belomo but I learned it's the same as MMZ (Minskiy Mechanichesckiy Zavod imeni S.I. Vavilova), founded in 1957 in 1971 became Belomo. I have type 5 (Belomo) and type 8 (Valdai) I confirm your assessment about the buil quality, still optical quality is good in both my lenses, zero chromatic aberration!

Very nice, my grandpa gave me his Zebra type from 72. I knew it felt special but 2%, that's another level :D

Excellent info! The 44-2 is one of those lenses that was so taken for granted back in its day and it's quirks not always appreciated. Now we have greater choice, those quirks are an asset. I have a KMZ version with white stop lettering, green DOF and yellow distance lettering. The serial number puzzles me though, it starts with 01. Pretty sure it came on a Zenit-E and was second-hand when I got it back in the 80's

Excellent stuff, thanks so much! I am going to go through all 15 of my Helios 44's now. ...I wish there was a video showing the difference between the 44m and all those other different versions too.

This is an amazing review, and an amazing channel. Thank you. I have subscribed and am looking forward to your new videos! Hope you can also have real-world tests per lens!

Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge! 🙏

Thank you for the excellent video, it has been very helpful. Recently they gave me this lens and according to your video my lens corresponds to type 5, however the serial number is 74. It even comes with the guarantee sheet and instructions stamped with date of the year 1974. Thanks to your video I am going to buy an adapter and try to give this lens a new life. Thanks

Thanks for putting together this video, I couldn't find this much information anywhere else. Great job!

Exceptional review. Very helpful for helping choose the correct version. Photos at end are also very good. Thank-you.

Thank you very much, great video which brings some light into the wide variety of 44 lenses. I personally prefer Type 6, just because of the more modern look of the body. They fit modern camera bodies very good.

Thank you so much for this video, it really helps when searching for hours and hours.

Thanks for the video. I bought a KMZ & Valdai 44-2 and my Valdai version is better than my KMZ. The KMZ version has a loose focus ring, aperture ring & the aperture lock, while the Valdai is solid and only has minimal play in the rear element.

Amazing video, thanks for sharing!

There really are al lot of different versions ! My version is a Zebra With the BeLOMO Logo and 0017241 Serial number. Thanks for the video, and also huge thanks for your other Helios 44 Lubrication guide, with that video I could easily restore mine !

I recently purchased a photosniper camera and it comes with a Helios 44-2 lens, awesome video, and thank you for some history on my Helios lens

Wow, amazing video, thank you so much for the clear explanations and visuals !

You are such an expert on vintage analog lenses, I appreciate all of your videos so much. I learned already so much. These videos are so great! Thank you very much! Such an amazing job!

Superb introduction. Thanks !

EXCELLENT video! You are right, there are many Valdai ones on ebay. I see a Belomo ordinary one, I am about to buy! It says "Helios" in english, I think it looks cooler in cyrillic but that is the least of my priority haha. Thank you!

Thank you so much for this.

Thanks for doing this!

Thank you very much for your excellent video - I made notes the first time I watched it, and so I looked carefully online for the one I wanted - my type 5 Belomo lens arrived in the post today, from the Ukraine! I really appreciate your help

Thank you for this. I will finally adapt my fathers type 6. All my childhood photos were taken with it and zenit et. He taught me basics of photography on it.

Apparently I have 89' kmz and my father's 76' mmz (BelOMO v5), was pretty interesting to compare to other models as well. Build quality it indeed superb and everything is working like a clockwork.

A lot of work was put into this video! Subbed!

Extremely helpful! Thanks for making this video!

Thanks for the analisis of the fantastic Helios!

Great work! Thank you for the info!

Great video ! I learned a lot about the different models.

extremely useful, thanks!

great tutorial. Thanks a lot man !!

Une revue très complète et très détaillée .Good job very nice review.

Thanks for your guide. Digging out my old Helios 44-2 lenses from the drawer which I used back in the 1970s, reveals they both seem to be the type 1 KMZ version (from the logo). Although mine have some yellow lettering, not white, as yours do.

Thank you so much. I figured out that I've just bought a type 8 valdai modification of this lens. However, got it for $20 and still beats too many expensive lenses for the magical bokeh. Got a fotga M42-EOSM adaptor and using it on my recently bought Canon EOSM. I've got a 18-55 STM IS Canon kit zoom lens which is a lot more expensive than the Helios 44-2 prime. 44-2 is a 58mm prime and on an aps-c sensor on EOS M gives 92mm so I can use it for Portrait photography at a cheaper starting price since 80mm and above lenses used in Portrait Photography are expensive anyways and I get a dreamy bokeh as well with this.

Great video! Tnx man this helps a lot!

Excellent. Thank you!

top tip with the symbols, once you know its obvious. with the added tactile scence. one of my serial numbers starts with a 0 ? glad i have nearly got the full set. you should feel the build quality of the lens bundled with the km camera, 1999/2000. great video, thanks.

I have a Valdai rare 44-2 Helios. My helios have a little oil on the blades. Valdai rare 44-2 Helios have low contrast and have low colors it's good for a post processing color correction.

Thanks for making this video. Especially explaining about the different plants. I've been looking on ebay, now I know what to look for. Rather than "modification" I think "version" or "variation" would be a better word.

I remember I watched your video when I was thinking of buying one for myself. I used a few that I borrowed from my friends but they were Valdai & late BeLOMO versions. The vintage lens guy called me as he had only one piece in stock that just came in, I rushed to get it and I was lucky to get myself a pristine condition KMZ version!

Excellent review! Thanks a lot.

Very useful video, thank you!

Thanks for your video i got the one from 75 what a swirly bokeh beast and very sharp as well in the center

Thank you so much for sharing 🙏🏻🙏🏻👍🏻

Excellent video, really helpful, thank you.

I have one Helios 44-2 58mm Thank for your review

Very very helpful, thank you

Thank you very much for sharing 🙏🏻🙏🏻😊

Very helpful video. A similar one on the Helios 77m would be great if similar variants exist.

thanks a lot, I guess all are basically the same lens formula, as the image quality and swirly bokeh quality seems very identical. they only differ in the build quality and aesthetics.

Fantastic explanation of Helios 44-2.. I am also a customer. I purchased a Helios with purple flare modicication.

Impressive video!

Very interesting insights. Thanks for sharing these details. I understand now that I have two KMZ copies - but mine have green and yellow lettering. One has distance scale in feet the other in meters.

Thank you! Great info

You saved me from making a grave mitake!!! Thank you soooooo much for this!

Thanks for the extensive video - Very informative and really enjoyed learning more about this glass. Thanks!

I recently acquired the Valdai (Type 7 from your video). It is silver, and has very little wobble in the mount and no oil. I believe it has been modified, as it has 16 blade aperture (not 8, not 13). So far it has performed as expected. Mostly used for portrait and macro work. Excellent video.

Hello, I never comment on KZfaq and i just found this video and your account, as filmmaker well done, for you work and thank you for sharing it. I'm looking for working on vintage look and thank to you, I have downloaded your video to compare frame by frame each type of Helios. This will help me to find my next cinematic lens. I will look at your others videos and Ebay for found this, thank you for your work and hope you are safe with the war

Great Video, thank u so much!

Great vid!! Could you do one the different helios 58mm f2 lenses, comparing 44-2, 44-4, 44M etc etc

excellent review.

If I may give a few suggestions (for future videos): **It'd be great if you explained some less common mounts and how their adapters work.** For example, the Contax/Kiev mount for cine cameras...lenses that don't have a focusing helicoid (if I'm not mistaken) and the helicoid is built into the film camera (or adapter). **Perhaps explain the differences between the Mir-1 and Mir-1V (1B),** and which of them can be adapted; same for many other lenses that have various models depending on the mount. **You could make a video (or video series) talking about the history of Soviet lenses** and comparing them with their Zeiss counterparts. Talk about **glass coating** in Soviet lenses, and about the **radioactive Thorium lenses** people are so worried about...while they are harmless. **And obviously, we'd all appreciate more "mods" and "hacks"!** Either making lenses focus closer, or swapping elements to create more (or different) bokeh types (doughnut, bubble, swirly etc.); even building new DIY lenses from old elements and bodies. I suggest you check Mathieu Stern's Facebook group (Weird and Vintage Lenses Photographers), it's full of people that experiment with vintage lenses, disassemble them and mix them up. You could even promote your channel there!!! :D

Nice and very detailed video, thank you. so we can imagine that the 75 green and yellow is part of the 15% production witch is a good and recomended one like you said ? On the number 5 production the contrast is a lot less compaired to 1,2,3 those ones has very nice bokeh and contrast colors.

Thank you !

Great video ! :)

11:11 This may cause problems when used in Pentax cameras with adapter. I used abrasive paper to fix it:) Just use screwdriver to remove this ring and grind it a little bit:)

Great video. I think I have the #5 one, with the long green settings. I love it. I want to give one the same as a special gift to a young photographer friend in Iran. Can you ship to Iran? I have asked the question on Ebay on my husband's account but thought you might get this quicker here! Cheers.

I have two Helios 44-2 lenses, an MMZ with a serial of 83M, and a KMZ with a serial of 168K. The KMZ is by far much optically clearer with less haze and more contrast overall and sharpness than the MMZ, but the MMZ is still better than a Valdai which I'm very happy about

I have 1982 BeLOMO from Belarus, awesome.

A really fantastic resource for what is becoming a very popular vintage lens. Thank you!

-I believe I have type 5. But the aperture ring is stuck at f2. I feel I'd break the lens if I forced the ring. Any advice?- edit: I watched further and realized I had the type 8 Valdai with green markings. Guess I got ripped off. Thank you so much for this insightful video

Great video. What would you recommend for photography only? Thank you

Thank you so much

Thank you for all the info can you do 44m7 review as well? It is hard to know which lenses are real since there are many fakes being sold.

I’ve been looking for one of these to go on my Fuji X-T2. Thank you for a very informative video. Do you sell these lens? As I think I could buy with confidence.

I have been looking for this for a very long time! Thank you so much! Now I know I have the Helios 44-2 from Valdai (´77), Could you be so kind to answer me a question? What does the block on the rear means? Does that mean that If I buy an adapter I can´t use it or something?? Thanks again!

Thank you, this is great, valuable information

I got a Zenit Camera with a Helios 44m 6 new in it's original box. They were never used. I don't what to do with it. I have another helios which I use and a jupiter 37a. I love them.

Fantastic video. Were there any other KMZ versions of the 44-2? I have just picked up one from the KMZ plant with Green, Red and Orange writing from 1975 with the serial number on the front name band.

Thank you for sharing this video. Awesome information! I bought a black zenit E with a helios44-2 type 7, has little grass on the plates, and a little free play on the rear, but the quality of the images is excellent. I use on a full frame nikon dslr. Some problems to focusing but unscrewing a few turns the rear elements I can focus on until infinite. I would like to ask you, Do all 8 variants has coated lenses? Thank you!

It’s an amazing video, thank you it help me a lot because I’m thinking to buy this lens, the only question I’ve got is how can I realize that is a type 5 belomo, in almost everywhere I found this lens to buy it’s not specified, thanks again and sorry if it’s a dumb question

Thank you for another informative video! Is there any way to fix the wobble on the rear flange mount? My Helios suffers from this.....

a legit great vid

Thanks for the great review, and especially test photos. It looks like the bokeh is very similar on them. I could not see one with more swirl than the others. Is this correct? It is difficult to choose which model to get. Thanks

Really nice thank you!. I which one is the best one for video?

Thank you for such a useful video! I am currently torn between a Belomo Zebra 44-2 and a KMZ 1971 44-2 - both lenses are fully serviced, in great condition from a good seller and are very similarly priced. I'm looking to use either lens on my Fujifilm Mirrorless camera for still and video - which one do you reckon would be better? I'm just concerned about the freeplay on the KMZ version, the seller has confirmed it has a very small play of around 1/100th of a CM. Thanks you :)

Very informative video, even if I already knew some of this. I've had KMZ and Valdai versions and there's definitely a noticeable difference in build quality. The KMZ one I had was really nice.

I've a Valdai, which anyway works very well indeed. Is there a way to fix the rear block problem? Thanks for your work, extremely appreciated! Regards from Italy.

Hello, Retro Foto House, thanks so much for these tutorials and well-researched reviews of vintage glass. I have a Helios 44 - 2 58mm f2 lens m42 mount, the one you reviewed first. I don't see any screws on this particular lens. Is there any way you could help me declick this lens? I intend to use it on a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4k. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the video, very informative. I hope you can answer 2 questions I have: 1. Is there a difference between Type 1 KMZ and a KMZ Helios 44 Black M39 8 blades Serial Number N04XXXXX? 2. Between the KMZ Helios 44 M39 and the Helios 44-2 Type 5 Belomo which do you recomend? (I have M39 and M42 adapters so mount is no problem.)

Hello, I've seen quite a few of your videos but until today I haven't subscribed, I quite like the videos that I've seen so far. I told you, a while ago I tried to adapt a helios 44M 7 to nikon and I do not know what happened; the thing is that today I removed the conversion to nikon and when riding it does not fit the focus ring. Please you could make a video showing how the said ring fits and finishing the motage. Thanks a lot

Very nice review and great lenses. I actually have a zebra from '91. The only issue it's the stiff aperture ring. Do you know if and how is it possible to lubricate it? Spasibo.