swirly bokeh – IJM Photography

The Sunday morning sun was shining, and I was in need of some fresh air after a fun-filled birthday celebration with friends. Armed with my trusty Canon 6D Mark II, I decided to push my photography boundaries by attaching the Helios 44-2 58mm f/2.0 lens to my camera.

Stepping into the realm of portrait lens territory with a 58mm focal length, I knew I was taking a bold move, especially for street photography in Nantes. The Helios 44-2 is a Russian lens from the Soviet era, boasting a sturdy M42 screw mount. To use it on my modern DSLR, I needed an adapter, and the manual focusing without focus peaking presented a challenge for my not-so-great eyes. Thankfully, I discovered the trick of using the flippy-outy screen and zooming in, which helped me achieve some surprisingly sharp images.

While the build quality of this lens might be described as slightly solid (as proven by a regrettable incident where it fell from my dining room table and chipped a tile), it can undoubtedly withstand everyday use.

However, let’s talk about the true highlight of the Helios 44-2—the bokeh it produces. If you’re a fan of creamy bokeh goodness with a touch of artistic swirl, this lens will not disappoint. As you browse through the photos taken with it, keep an eye out for the captivating bokeh effect that enhances the overall visual appeal of the images. For those with an affinity for bokeh, the Helios 44-2 delivers in spades.

In conclusion, pairing my Canon DSLR with the Helios 44-2 58mm lens was a delightful adventure. While it demanded some manual effort in terms of focusing, the resulting images made it all worthwhile. If you’re up for experimenting with a vintage lens, the Helios 44-2 might be just the ticket for adding a touch of nostalgia and artistic flair to your photography. Just remember to handle it with care, unlike my unfortunate dining table incident, and you’ll be rewarded with stunning bokeh and a unique photography experience. Happy shooting!

As you might know from reading the rest of this blog, I love using my Canon 6D Mark II with vintage glass. This Helios M44-2 is a bokeh beast for my inner bokeh whore… I love depth of field and this lens allows me to really express myself. Not only do I get the bokeh but due to a design falut in this lens, you get a “swiry bokeh.”

When I saw photos with this swirly bokeh for the first time I was blown away. I wanted that so boadly and when I first got this lens onto my camera I loved it. I’ve been getting acquainted with this lens and am beginning to get find what I can do with it.

Of course it has limits, the major one being that I can’t focus to infinity but i’m ok with that. I can get around it by using zone focusing. I can be around 6 to 10 metres away from my subject and have a small aperture. Above that the mirror with smack into the lens and my camera with start throwing a wobbler! And we don’t want that , do we!

So this bokeh, what is it then?

In photography, bokeh is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image produced by a lens. Bokeh has been defined as “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light”.
Wikipedia