Helios 44-2: I Finally Figured Out the Swirl

Everyone knows the Helios 44-2 for one thing: that famous swirling bokeh. But actually getting it to swirl? That turned out to be a little more complicated than I expected. In this episode of Shelf to Mount, I take my Helios 44-2 58mm f/2 to a classic car show to see what this legendary Soviet lens can actually do. We look at sharpness, close-up performance, bokeh, colour, chromatic aberration, flare, video performance and, of course, that famous Helios swirl. After struggling to get the effect I wanted at the car show, I went home and started experimenting — and eventually figured out the conditions that make the Helios really come alive. My copy is a Valdai-made Helios 44-2, probably dating from around 1969. 🔎 Want to identify who made your Helios? I put together a guide to the different Helios factories, logos and manufacturers here: https://www.bruphoto.co.za/how-to-ide... CHAPTERS 00:00 Shelf to Mount 00:17 The Helios 44-2 00:39 A very short Helios history 01:27 Specs & construction 01:50 The strange aperture ring 02:28 The famous Helios bokeh 03:03 Real-world photo tests 04:49 The Bentley & Brenizer Method 05:56 Chasing the Helios swirl 06:46 I finally figured it out 06:50 How to make the Helios swirl 08:15 The OTHER side of Helios bokeh 08:53 Flare, colour & contrast 09:34 Stopping the Helios down 10:45 Using the Helios for video 13:03 What is it actually like to use? 13:29 Is the Helios 44-2 worth it? 14:00 Does it earn a place in my collection? 15:15 Who is the Helios 44-2 for? What do you think of the Helios? Do you like the wild swirling bokeh, or do you prefer something cleaner and smoother? #Helios442 #VintageLenses #Photography -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🔔 Subscribe for more photography-related videos! 💖 Support the Channel Get a unique design on a variety of products: https://www.teepublic.com/user/brustore 📚 Read the article version of this video and more: https://www.bruphoto.co.za/ 🎬 Get the film look! Get 10% off Dehancer (excluding the iOS App) with my affiliate code: BRUDEHANCE10 Shop Dehancer here: https://www.dehancer.com/