IronGlass have added the Soviet-era Helios 40-2 85mm T1.6 to their rehoused MKII line. This lens offers all the unique characteristics of vintage Helios glass with a quality, cinema-ready body in EF/PL mount. Let’s take a closer look at this lens and IronGlass’s impressive rehousing and modifications. Vintage Helios 40-2 85mm T1.6. Image source: IronGlass The Helios 40-2 85mm f1.5 that IronGlass uses as the ‘donor’ lens has a long, interesting history. It was designed around the Zeiss Biotar lens formula and originally released in the USSR in the 1950s. The vintage lens was produced in an M42 mount, and a technical version (the Cyclop 85mm 1.5) was also created for night vision optics. Since then, the Helios 40-2 85mm f1.5 has become a favorite for photographers looking for a unique look and feel. It isn’t known for its sharpness, contrast, or even its performance but it is loved for its character, and charming bokeh. The “swirly bokeh” it produces is actually the result of how the lenses were originally designed. Some might think of this as a design fault, but more of a happy accident than a mistake. Image Credit: Katya Shinya | Zenit The cool swirly bokeh and more artistic images it produces have given it a great reputation as a portrait lens. It’s popularity in recent years has even led to the Helios 40-2 85mm 1.5 to be put back into production in Russia with modern DSLR mounts. Zenit Helios 40-2 85mm f1.5. Image source: IronGlass IronGlass...
Published By: CineD - Tuesday, 24 January, 2023