Hi Folks! Welcome to my youtube channel RetroFotoHouse.
Today I want to share with you my knowledge about nice and very well known lens-helios
44m-4. This is further development of helios 44 series- it came after helios 44-2 and helios 44m.
To understand previous lenses, please watch my exhaustive reviews
about helios 44-2 and helios 44m, links can be easely found in the video description.
So what is helios 44m-4? Basically it was a kit lens for russian zenith 11, zenith 12 series of
SLR cameras, cameras with automatic diaphragm step down mode. In few words-this is re-designed
towards simplification and costs cutting version of helios 44m. In this new lens soviet designers
decided to remove side a/m switch, resulting in inability to work with older cameras without pin
pusher, such as Zenit E. But mechanically lens became much more simple. To more simplicity
also contributed a 6 blades iris instead of 8 in helios 44m. Focusing mechanism internally was also
re-designed using less brass alloy, it resulted in considerable weight loss. With weight of 240 grams
Helios 44m-4 is 48 grams lighter than helios 44m. Some improvements were made to inernal focusing
structure as well. Minimal focusing distance was brought to 0.5m instead of 0.55m in previous
verion Also It resulted in very good focus ring move-without any backlashes and free plays..
When using helios 44m, sometimes you can encounter a free play on focus ring,
like in the copy I’m holding actually in my hands. All the rest remained the same-optical schema,
optical resolution power, aperture stops, mount, filter thread.
So as I said earlier, I had a chance to gather in my hands all versions of helios 44m-4
that were in productionin the soviet union from beginning of 80thies
to the beginning of 90thies. There are also 2 versions of helios 44m-4 that were produced in
the late 90thies in Russia, but they are quite rare and I don’t have them in my
review, in my hands, but you can check the pictures right now to see how they look like. So
let’s start one by one. The earliest one is Type1. It was in production from the beginning of
80thies. You can see the serial number shows 1982. So the main difference
of this lens is that it has A/M switch as helios 44m has. This is quite rare version. So you can
put aperture manually or with a pusher pin. So this is a main difference from all other versions.
KMZ plant, writings in cyrilic. All the rest is the same-m42 mount, pusher pin,
aperture scales from 2 to 16, focusing from 0.5m to infinity.
Here how it looks like helios 44m-4 type1.
Those versions are KMZ made, and bottom line is Valdai made.
So type2 also KMZ made, in Cyrillic writings, no A/M switch. This is because of cost cutting aim.
The aim was to make lens simpler in production. So aperture works only with a pusher pin.
If it is released, it doesn’t work. So if you use such lens,
either you should have an adapter wich holds the pin,
or please watch my youtube video, here you have the link how to block this pin in very easy way.
This is type2. It was in production also more or less in the same time. Just serial number you see,
they started to produce it in 1982 and later they decided to get rid of A/M switch. Type2.
Type3 KMZ made, a bit later production, from 1987.
The main difference between Type2 and Type3-the markings in latin, because it was made for export
with Zenit 11 Zenit 12 SLR cameras. All the rest is the same. Type3.
Type4, further development of helios 44m4, as you may see, this is multi-coated version.It
was in production, starting I guess from 1989 till the collapse of soviet union.
Clearly visible multicoated optics as you may see here.
Writing is latin, are made in latin letters. This is type4.
So from type1 to type4 this is KMZ made helios 44m-4. Now we will pass to Valdai made lenses.
They started production in 1986 I guess, This one is a bit
later was in production, so as you may see, this is called type5, Valdai sign,
latin writings, single coated optics, all the rest is the same. Type 6.
Just everyting is the same, only font is different and later production,
form 1988 I guess. Coating is the same, all the same except the font.
Type 6. And Type7-Valdai made, multicoated version of helios 44m-4.
All the rest is the same. Production 1990. Latin writings.
So that’s it. To resume one more time-four
versions were made in KMZ plant, type 1 with switch,
Cyrillic writings, type2, without switch, Cyrillic writings, type3 latin writings, without switch,
type 4, multicoated version, without switch, latin writings. And 3 versions made in Valdai plant:
type5 latin writings, Type6, just the’ve changed the font and Type7 multicoated
version of Valdai made helios 44m-4. Now let’s pass to second part of my review where I will
show the results, the outcome of every of this lens in real life shooting conditions
using my sony A7 mirrorless camera. Please keep watching retrofotohouse channel.
So, to summarize my review, I can say that all 7 versions of helios 44m-4 show the same build
quality and merely the same optical performance. Just type 1 features a/m switch for more
control over aperture and type 4 shows better performance in difficult shooting conditions.
So if you have a choice, i would suggest to take a closer look at type 1
and type 4 lens. But again, all lenses are pretty good, and differences are minor.
This is retrofotohouse, we are working for you, for your satisfaction, if you are looking for
tested and serviced vintage lenses, please visit my ebay store. Thank you for your attention. Good
bye!