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Rob
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 11:08 am: | 
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I recently picked up a 44/M lens. The lens is functional, but the helicoid is in serious need of a good cleaning and regreasing. How do I get at the helicoid? |
Winfried
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 02:46 pm: |
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The Helios 44/M is NOT a macro lens. Sometimes it is offered with an '1:2' designator but this does not refer to 1/2 real size on the film - this is the designator for the lens power. In english speaking countries you would write it as 'f/2'. Minimum focussing distance is 0.8m or so.
I have a Helios 44/M-4 lens which I got dirt cheap in close-to-mint condition, but the helicoid was stiff, too. On my version of this lens (which probably is not too different from yours) I could easily remove 4 screws around the lens mount and lift the rear part of the lens. The auto-aperture mechanism was rather straightforward to disassemble, too (I don't remember the details). When you disassemble the lens so far you get sufficient access to the helicoid to regrease it - at least it worked on mine.
There have been various threads in the past concerning the right grease for helicoids, check the archives for keywords like grease, lubricant, helicoid, regreasing etc. |
Winfried
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 12:06 am: |
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A minor correction: the Helios-44M focusses down to 0.5m, but this is not exceptional and does not make it a macro lens.
I haven't used mine (still have to fix the Voigtlaender VSL1 it is supposed to work with) but I have heard from others that it is a very nice performer - and if you get one for USD 7 including shipment like I did you can't be wrong. |
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