…eserved love on social networks! Example of how LUX-GEAR looks on my Helios 44-2 Rules, Terms & Condition for the Giveaway: To manage the whole giveaway I’m using a rafflecopter.com to help me track all the entries and pick a winner. Entering is very simple, all you need to do is complete 1 of 10 steps below. To qualify for 1 entry you only need to complete 1 step, but completing more steps will give you more entries, hence give you higher chance… Continue Reading
…ghtly de-saturated look, found on other Russian primes like MIR-20, MIR-1, Helios 44, Jupiter-9, Tiar-11, etc, therefore it’s goes nicely as part of a Russian M42 Set. The setup I used to shoot the video above Optical Performance: My version of this lens has a very simple coating, so even the very nice, integrated lens hood does very little to improve the contrast and vibrancy, but this is probably the lens that you’d choose for this kind of look,… Continue Reading
…ost vintage primes, like the excellent Canon FD 50mm F1.4 or magical Helios 44-2. Considering its price, I expected more from it. I generally found that F1.2 50mm primes are not worth their price against the F1.4 alternatives because performance at F1.2 is usually very average and by F2/2.8 many times cheaper F1.4 primes perform pretty much the same. Saying that, there are many people who will still choose this lens over a slower alternative if th… Continue Reading
…uld with some other projection lenses. I found that something like a Helios 44-2 58mm represents a perfect focal length on Super35 sensor camera. I also tried using a Canon FD 50mm F1.4 (video above) but I had to crop the image a bit to get rid of vignetting, therefore 50mm is not a good choice unless you are planning to crop a little bit anyway to get a more natural aspect ratio. For better overall sharpness and a more even exposure across the fr… Continue Reading
…s not bad. I personally love Russian lenses. This Lomo reminds me of Helios 44-2 which is my favorite vintage lens. I would say if you can stretch to this prize tag, there is probably nothing better that this one out there at a similar price point. If I had money I would seriously consider this for my FS100, because I really love the look this lens produces. So much character and great range too. A great DP and fellow fan of vintage lenses, Timur… Continue Reading
…etup was to use a set of Russian taking lenses including MIR-1 37mm, Helios 44-2 58mm & Jupiter-9 85mm, but the filter thread sizes mean that I couldn’t mount them on my Redstan anamorphic clamp and will have to buy a step up ring to try this setup. For now I had to use something that would work right away, so my setup consisted of Proskar-16 mounted onto Canon FD 50mm F1.4, which is an obvious choice and the second being the widest lens I could f… Continue Reading
…ng the Olympus which I use on daily basis. I also absolutely love my Helios 44-2 58mm lens. There are so many other great 50mm lenses that I’m yet to discover. The video above was shot completely on Yashica Yashinon DS 50mm f/1.4 lens, which is yet another amazing value for money 50mm f/1.4 lens. I don’t have this one yet, but thanks to a fellow filmmaker, Ryd Cook we can see how this lens performs in real life conditions. I think the image is ver… Continue Reading
…r other direct light; the flares are absolutely beautiful and remind me my Helios 58mm lens, although Helios flares even more. Ricoh flares are more subtle and more usable in wide variety of projects. The bokeh this lens produces is also very pleasant, great lens for the shallow depth of field shots. At f/2 is quite a fast lens capable of delivering very cinematic looking images and will also be quite a nice choice for low light shooting. Overall,… Continue Reading
…inon on one corporate shoot and it actually performed very well along side Helios 135mm, which in my previous test looked much punchier, so I think the colours and contrast would have been much better in better lighting conditions. I think both Chinon and Optimax are worth the money you would pay for them. They are 10 times cheaper than any modern equivalent, but certainly not 10 times worse. I still have at least another 4-5 200mm lenses to test… Continue Reading
…lywood fare, with a dreamy, ethereal feel that puts any given indie film’s Helios or Petzval shots to shame. Look at those flares! The characteristic Canon rainbow flares feature heavily in Army of the Dead (Image copyright: Netflix) It is demanding to watch, in its own way – the bokeh and flaring sometimes putting a strain on the eyes and the mind as you try to focus from scene to scene. Focus, after all, is a tool in the filmmaker’s arsenal, a v… Continue Reading
