These factors help bring out swirls IMO, as long as one adds quite a lot of contrast to 44-2 images. Secondly, coatings, contrast and resolution, The 44M-4 in particular has more advanced coatings and this reduces the resolution dreamy-ness and reduces light flares/issues seen on 44-2 images.
This can accentuate the feeling of the image swirling around a sharper center object. Not so apparent from your charts to me, but the Helios 44-2 tends to be softer at the edges. So what other variables are at play, over and above the evidence shown on your charts? Leaving aside sample variation, I suppose there are three main ones.įirstly, corner to corner sharpness.
I also have these three lenses, and I have to say my experience over the years is that my 44-2 images definitely look more swirly than the 44M and the 44M-4. Very interesting results and an excellent way of showing how/why the Helios swirls. See below one of the f/2 test shots cropped to APS-C dimensions: On an APS-C "crop sensor" camera, the effect will be less noticeable, as those borders and corners have been cropped away. The swirl effect increases in severity as we move further from the frame centre, and is most pronounced at the borders and corners of the frame. Whilst earlier and later examples (individual copies, even) of these same models may perform slightly differently, I conclude that the 44-2, 44M and 44M-4 have near-enough equal potential to provide the swirly background effect in the correct circumstances.Īs I mentioned previously, these tests were performed with a Sony A7 MkII "full-frame" camera. Looking at these results, I'd suggest that all three Helios-44 variants (specifically, my copies of them) display the effect to a very similar extent so close, in fact, that I couldn't say which is which if shown the test shots in random order. Then, with each lens fitted to the camera in turn, I set the focus distance to 0.7m (thus throwing the test image's white dots out of focus) and took photos at f/2 (wide open), f/2.8 and f/4.įor all three lenses, the effect is most pronounced with the aperture wide open, significantly diminished by f/2.8, and almost completely gone by f/4 - hence, I only show below the shots taken at f/2 and f/2.8: I set up a tripod approximately 1.3m from the TV, and mounted my Sony A7 MkII on it. To compare the three Helios lenses, I first produced a test image of white dots on a black background, and displayed this on a 42-inch LCD television.
#HELIOS 44 2 BOKEH FULL#
The classic example is a portrait, with the subject in the centre and framed by a background of well-lit trees in full leaf (the leaves providing those many small points of detail).
The effect manifests most commonly when the background contains many small points of individual detail (especially specular highlights) that are sufficiently distant from the focal point to be somewhat out-of-focus, yet close enough that they retain some definition of form. In this post, I show the results of some informal testing with these three lenses to conclude which, if any, produces the most pronounced swirl effect. Many different versions of the same basic design were produced, and there's a repeating topic of discussion across photography forums debating which version produces the most pronounced "swirl".Īmongst my collection of former Soviet Union lenses, I have several Helios-44 models - the 44-2, 44M and and 44M-4.
#HELIOS 44 2 BOKEH SERIES#
The Helios-44 2/58 series of lenses is particularly well-known for this effect. Although this is due to weaknesses in the optical design, some photographers find the effect appealing, and most find it at least curious. When used in certain way and with an appropriate background, some lenses produce what is often referred to as "swirly bokeh" (or words to that effect).
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