Helios 44-2 58mm f/2: Vintage Swirly Bokeh Machine

All it took was one video. Was minding my own business perusing the youtubes and this is what I learned:

• Swirly bokeh
• Sharp on center
• Cheap Inexpensive since roughly a bazillion were made
• Built in Russia, purchased from the Ukraine
• M42 screw mount works the treat with Pentax K
  • Provided you get the original Pentax adapter and not an after market one.
• Swirly bokeh

After perusing flickr I was completely sold. Well it arrived late last week and I finally got to take some shots over the last couple of days. What I learned so far:

• This is a fine compliment to the Takumar 50mm  f/1.4. The Helios is the fun counterpart to the Takumar’s functional.
• Very sharp on center wide open.
• A beautiful thing to behold. Yet another lens with heft and density suitable for a throwing weapon.

Here are some samples of the results below along with this link to a flickr gallery.