Category Archives: Helios

HELIOS 40-2 85mm F1.5 Joins IronGlass’ MKII Set

HELIOS 40-2 85mm F1.5 Joins IronGlass’ MKII Set

The legendary Helios 40-2 85mm f/1.5 is joining IronGlass’ MKII rehousing lineup. While its little brother, the Helios 44-2 58mm f/2 get all the fame, the 40-2 is actually the true king of swirly bokeh, which makes it a perfect addition to the IronGlass’s Soviet MKII series. The Helios 40-2 has an interesting history, being… Continue Reading

My Anamorphic Lenses | Adapters | Solutions

My Anamorphic Lenses | Adapters | Solutions

Over the last few years I’ve been lucky enough to own and review quite a few anamorphic lenses and adapters. I’m often asked which one I would recommend, but everyone has different needs, so instead of pointing people at half a dozen different posts, I decided to put together a post that includes all the… Continue Reading

MY TOP 3 GO-TO “Vintage Lenses For Video”

MY TOP 3 GO-TO “Vintage Lenses For Video”

I’ve reviewed so many vintage lenses in the last few years, but which ones do I actually use on daily basis? The video above and info below should finally answer this question. My top 3 most used vintage lenses are: Helios 44-2 58mm F2 Canon FD 50mm F1.4 Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm F2.4 I… Continue Reading

Buying Bargain Lenses! Which? Where? When?

Buying Bargain Lenses! Which? Where? When?

Foreword: This post is aimed at people who are just getting into vintage lenses, but maybe even a seasoned vintage lens user will find some useful info here. When it comes to buying lenses, things can get pretty confusing, especially at the start. There are so many brands, models, types, focal lengths, etc and there… Continue Reading

Using M42 lenses on PL cameras | Comparability List

Using M42 lenses on PL cameras | Comparability List

  Once in awhile, I get asked about vintage lenses adaptable to PL mount cameras like Red Epic or Blackmagic URSA Mini (which can be bought with a native PL mount). Unfortunately, the options are limited to Arri Standard/Bayonet and LOMO OCT18 mount lenses with not much else to choose from, at least not without… Continue Reading

DSO “TRUMP” Rehoused Helios Lenses | REVIEW

DSO “TRUMP” Rehoused Helios Lenses | REVIEW

You might know how much I love the Helios 44-2, the cult Soviet 58mm F2.0 prime, but a very skilled lens technician, Richard Gale obviously took his love for this lens much further. His DSO FF58 modified Helios 44-2 lens is well known and used by many DOPs, who looking for that magical look you… Continue Reading

Comparing Helios 58mm F2 Lenses

Comparing Helios 58mm F2 Lenses

I originally created this post in 2012. Since then I’ve learned a lot about these lenses and Helios 44-2 has become my favorite lens, so I decided to revise it with more up to date info and additional test (second part of the post) Original Test (revised): A lot of people claim that the Helios… Continue Reading

SANKOR 16F Anamorphic Lens REVIEW

SANKOR 16F Anamorphic Lens REVIEW

I’ve very excited to finally share this post with you guys. Some time ago I came across an Instagram user SAMAMORPHIC, who produces some of the most beautiful, atmospheric and dreamy anamorphic content. Eventually we got taking and I found out that Sam uses a Sankor 16F (an anamorphic lens that is new to me)… Continue Reading