The Two 50mm Heliar Lenses: Any Tests Done?

The Two 50mm Heliar Lenses: Any Tests Done?

  • I choose the 50/2.0

    Votes: 86 62.8%

  • I choose the 50/3.5

    Votes: 51 37.2%
  • Total voters
    137
  • Poll closed .
Raid,
All joking aside, I'm interested in seeing the results. I've wanted one of the Heliar 2.0's, but never seem to have any money free when one comes onto the market.

--michael
 
Tom A said:
If our sunny and bright weather continues I will also attempt an in use test of the two lenses. I have a brick (20 rolls) of Fuji Minicopy II (6 iso - though I push it to 20) and also some "vintage" Tech Pan. That should give us some idea which one is the "best". Personally, I find the 50f3.5 tack sharp at f3.5 and the f2 a bit soft (not unsharp as such - slightly lower contrast maybe). Both are great lenses and can hold their own against anybody's offering's.
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You find the 50/2 soft at f/2 or at f/3.5? Just curious.

I have the 50/2, but I don't have a lot of experience with other RF 50s. I find mine to be very sharp by f/2.8, but a little soft any wider.

I just like the look of the images. I think it has just the right level of contrast and it handles flare very well.

However, I did just pick up a ZM 50 Planar. I plan to do a little comparison between them when I can find the time, but I think I already know what to expect.

This brings me to another point. I've read many glowing reviews about how the Planar performs with color. I happen to think the Heliar 50/2 does really well with color too. This was shot on Astia at f/2.8.

Paul

3790660718_414ae4fe50_o.jpg
 
Hey I just got my Bessa R3M collector camera with 50/2 Heliar in mint condition from ebay at a real good price. The kit looks so nice I got to take some camera porn of it this weekend.

In the meantime I am just running a couple of films through to try camera and lens, quite a few shots at f2. When I get them developed I shall post my results, no scientific test but hopefully show a feel of a lens I know little about

Nick
 
Nick,

Why is the R3M a collector camera?

edited: I just checked out the CameraQuest site! There are only 2500 such sets. Good for you.

Cheers,
 
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Indeed. I got a 'silver' one with silver lens. Boxed in mint condition for £335. Could not believe my luck. I wasn't looking for a collectors camera but just a Bessa to use. I used to have one (my first proper rangefinder, the R2) and I really liked it. But then I swapped it for an R3A which I never really got on with. I didn't like the fully automatic metering and preferred the manual metering of the R2 - which is more like metering on the M6 that I now like so much. So I sold the R3A

Recently I started looking for a Bessa again - really as a back up/alternative metered camera to go with my M6. Found the R3M by chance on ebay and did not believe I could pick up the camera (which looks like it has not been used) and a Helier lens, which looks real nice, for about the price I see R3As go for used.

The camera looks and feels very nice. It has a very bright 1:1 viewfinder and feels slightly more solid than my old R3A. I like the metering and the fact that the camera will work if the battery meter goes - my Dad just took his R3A to Italy and discovered that battery had gone so could not even use it until we found a shop). Afraid I like cameras to use more than look at (although I do enjoy looking at them) so it is going to get some good use and not stay in a box as a collector camera. But to make up I shal try and do some photos of it this weekend whilst it is still in pristine condition.
 
I find that the 50/2 Heliar has some slight fall-off in the corners wide open.

I think this is a part of the look/feel of shots at f2.0 that I like. Not sure why but I do.
 
My experience with the f:2 Heliar is the same as Paul's (photophorus). A little soft wide open, sharp when stopped down at least one stop. I also own the f:3.5 lens in Nikon-S mount which I use on my M's with an adapter. It is razor sharp at all apertures, and has been stated elsewhere, has no click-stops in its Nikon configuration. You can look at the performance of a lens like the 50/f:2 Heliar in one of two ways: either you have an f:2 lens that has an f:2 soft-focus option (sort of like a Canon 50/1.5 or an old Zeiss 50/1.5 or Nikon 50/1.4 wide open) and is reasonably sharp after that or you have a design that is really only an f:2.8 design, which happens to open wider. Since most of my 50mm lenses are dead-sharp by f:4, I view the F:3.5 Heliar as less of a triumph, although very impressive if its look is what you are after. If I had to choose one, I'd choose the f:2 lens, as I always prefer more options.

Ben Marks
 
One factor is the weight of these two lenses. The 3.5 Heliar is a much lighter lens when compared with the 2.0 Heliar.
My 50 2.0 of choice still is the Summicron [rigid]. It is sharp enough overall as the latest 50mm lens comparisons have shown [again].
So I now have the Heliar 3.5 as my choice here.
 
3854014959_331f5f971c.jpg

This is the Heliar 50mm f2.0 @ f2. This is with technical Pan film, rated at 80 asa and developed in Rodinal 1:200 for 120 min (stand development). I have to admit that the Heliar f2 - which everyone thinks is "soft" at f2 - actually works very well! The focus is on the computer screen in the lower right - you can read the fine print from Quick Lubes notes!!!! My old clunker needed oil and it takes about 10 minutes so I entertained myself by taking pictures from the driver's seat!
 
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3854805154_88a8138b53.jpg
. Again with Technical Pan - hence the excessive contrast - but mainly for sharpness anyway.
This is the Heliar 50f3.5 at about f11. It is in my book one of the best 50's made - in many ways it rivals the Summilux 50 Asph (still the best 50 I have ever used). It is also a "sunny" weather lens as the f3.5 can be a bit limiting. Small and compact too.
 
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Tom,

Your two images show that both Heliar lenses are excellent overall.
The Heliar 50/2 is not soft when used wide open. My lens comparison images showed sharpness at 2.0.
 
Raid. i think the Heliar f2 has slightly lower contrast wide-open - but resolution and "sharpness" is still there.
The 50f3.5 is still a stunning lens - tack sharp across the board and with higher contrast than the f2.
It will be interesting how the new "re-issues" perform too. I like the idea of a chrome 50f2 as it will look really good on a M2/M3 (as if looks has anything to do with performance!). I tried to get Mr Kobayashi to make the F2 a rigid lens, but he likes the collapsible look.
 
Tom A said:
Raid. i think the Heliar f2 has slightly lower contrast wide-open - but resolution and "sharpness" is still there.
The 50f3.5 is still a stunning lens - tack sharp across the board and with higher contrast than the f2.
It will be interesting how the new "re-issues" perform too. I like the idea of a chrome 50f2 as it will look really good on a M2/M3 (as if looks has anything to do with performance!). I tried to get Mr Kobayashi to make the F2 a rigid lens, but he likes the collapsible look.
Click to expand...


What else will be different in the re-issued lenses?

I use the [chrome] Heliar 3.5 on my chrome M3 while I use a borrowed black Heliar 2.0 on my black M6. It is a perfect match. I also do not like lenses to be collapsible except if it is a very old lens and it adds mystique to the lens. For usability in the fild a rigid lens is better for me.

Is the re-issued Heliar 3.5 identical to the last one made?
 
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raid, the finish is nickel plated with a slightly "pebbly" feel to it. I have to admit that they look really "sexy' in that vintage finish.
No optical changes to my knowledge - which suits me fine as they are both very good as it is.
 
Tom,
I will have to skip these Nickel finish version lenses. My Heliar 3.5 is the only one I want right now, but I am enjoying using the 2.0 version as a loaner lens. Both are really nice for portraits.
 
Sorry Raid... the webpage was not "aimed" at you... rather to show the lenses that Tom had referred to.

I find the finish quite striking... I am tempted to buy one as a summer (Dec) gift for myself.

Cheers...
Fergus
 
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