Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Modifying Russian lens for Nikon (Industar 50-2)

Yesterday I finally got M42 mount ring adapter for Nikon
the first lens I tried to put on the camera was the Helios 44-2, after I attached it on the camera I found that it have infinity focus problem so I have to modify the lens so it can go to infinity.



so today I took other old Russian lens that I own
the lens is Industar 50-2, standard 50mm f/3.5, probably on of the cheapest lens that been produced during the soviet time
you can get it from eBay for 20$
it came as a kit lens on Zenit-E
A by FX-1988
originally this lens designed for rangefinder cameras like Zorki or Kiev during the 50's
during it evolution it have been modify for Russian SLR film cameras.
B by FX-1988
so as I expected the moment I put this lens on my Nikon i found that it couldn't go to infinity, so as the Helios 44-2, the Industar 50-2 should went through some modification so it could go to infinity.

this time I found, or maybe this the problem, I couldn't find any information about how to modify this lens for DSLR.
so I went on trial and error. as the Helios 44-2 I guess that I should extend the rear lens
so the first step is taking the rear lens out
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use screwdriver or some other hard material that can rotate the ring
when you pulling all your pressure on the screwdriver try to aim your force to the outer of the ring so if the screwdriver accidentally run away it wont scratch the lens
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after releasing the ring take out the rear lens
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now you have an access for the aperture system.
I noticed that a regular rubber wouldn't work here because the space between the lens and the bottom is big
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I found much thicker rubber and place it on the bottom, the same Idea as the modification of the Helios 44
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I put all the parts back and check the lens ,but the modification didn't work, it still couldn't go to infinity
I decide to create a ring that came before the rear lens and will extend it.
the hardest part was to find a good material that would be thick enough and easy to work
the first material was cork

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but the cork been to soft and when I tried to screw the lens back it simply sink inside the cork
the next material was an artistically dens carbord, 4mm thick.
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and this time it worked, the cardboard extend the rear lens
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I put it on my camera and that how it look
now it can go to infinity focuses
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 I didn't have time to check the lens and to write a review but I took some photo that compare diffident aperture situations
the first is the wide open aperture at f/3.5
F2 by FX-1988
it didn't look good here and when you crop to 100% you find another problem
the flares is very strong, I really don't know why I checking this lens.
probably because I always reads that old lens are sometimes better then today's lenses.
but if you want to use old equipment to get retro effect I think it be much cheaper to buy vaseline and rub your lend with it.
that what you get for 20$?
100% crop f/3.5
100-f2 by FX-1988
I went to f/8 and the whole image star improving F8 by FX-1988
f/8 100% crop
100-f8 by FX-1988
the last stop was at f/16
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100-f16 by FX-1988
the focused assist of the D7100 had some problems to tell me if i focused or not, but i believe that this photo been focus
for somehow it works better on f/8 than  f/16
I was pretty impressed for it capability on f/8 and it low price
it not a fast lens, I don't believe you gonna use f/3.5 for any photo, only to the low retro effect.
it good for outdoor in good light condition, and remember you get for what you pay for. I didn't have much time to check it, this post was more about how to modify your lens than reviewing it

I believe that it can be interesting to test this lens with standard nikkor lens like the kit 18-105

tank you for riding
If you have something to say or add or even to suggest you welcome

Monday, September 1, 2014

Tutorial: Photoshoped Tilt Shift

well, I will write a quick tutorial about tilt shift effect and how you make it in photoshop

first for this how don't know what is tilt shift:
"Tilt–shift photography is the use of camera movements on small- and medium-format cameras, and sometimes specifically refers to the use of tilt for selective focus, often for simulating a miniature scene. Sometimes the term is used when the large depth of field is simulated with digital post-processing; the name may derive from the tilt–shift lens normally required when the effect is produced optically." (taken from Wikipedia)

you can find many photos that was taken using this technique
it gives you the ability to play with the focus and to brake some optical laws of physics, It a lot of fun, it give another point of view on the space we living in but as you read in wiki or you know, you need an expensive lens for this kind of photos
but you can use photoshop to get the same effect and without buying an expensive equipment

because you going to photoshop the effect not all the photos will fit for this (after all we cant really copy the physics of the lens)
but still you can copy this technique on some of your photos
and this  how you chose the photo.
* the photo should be deep (landscape, Cityscape etc.)
* the photo should be clean, without many objects that disturb the photo  (better to search for photo with horizontal objects and not vertical like skyscrapers)
* the focused area also should be clean of extra objects
* the photo need to be taken from above (so it look more like a miniature after the editing)
* the photo should have 3 parts,
    - the front that should be unfocused
    - the middle , the main object
    - the background that is also unfocused

for the editing I chose this photo Untitled by FX-1988

open the photo in photoshop
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select quick mask or press Q
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select gradient tool or press G
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chose reflected gradient or navigat using [  ]
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decrease the range of the gradient
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use the gradient to mark the focused area
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prees Q again to select the area
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go to fillter ->Blur -> Lens Blur
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play with the Radius to get the amount of blueness you want
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well, that done, now only final touches and that it
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and that the final result
Dsc 0089be by FX-1988


hope that this tutorial was useful for you
if you have something to say or advice (also spelling mistakes) you will be welcome

Modifying Russian lens for Nikon (Helios 44-2)

as most of you may know, in this days it not so hard and expensive to get an old Russian film camera like Zorki or Zenit
for example because my family and me originally came from USSR we have a lot of old Russian cameras at home
also many Russians immigrate to Israel and to the rest of the world during the 90's so it very easy to find second hand old camera.

so what good about old Russian cameras and lenses?
in my opinion the biggest advantage of russian cameras and lens is that most of them have been replicated from German cameras like Leica. also some of the lens have been replicated.
this cameras and lens have been mass produced and sold cheap for the masses.
it hard to compare the Russian optics to the German but some of this lenses are quite good.
it gives you good optical value for the money
like the first lens I gonna check, the Zenit-E's Helios 44-2 (also I have the Jupiter 8 that I gonna check it when I get the mount ring)
A by FX-1988

so about tow years ago I mange to get this camera
this is Zenit-E Moscow's 1980 Olympic edition, this camera is one of the most sold Russian SLR
and it came with the Helios 44-2
a Russian copy of a German lens it equals for 58mm on 35mm format
and it maximum aperture is f/2
on ebay the Helios 44-2 costs 40$  (the Carl Zeiss minimum cost 300$ ) and the M42 mount ring for Nikon cost 2-10$
so for ~50$ you can get this interesting lens B by FX-1988

so I order the M42 mount ring for nikon and it arrived today
Wp 20140901 002 by FX-1988

Wp 20140901 005 by FX-1988


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immediately I mount the lens on the ring and put it on my D7100 but as the expectation came the disappointment.
It could focous only for ~3m and not beyond, that means you couldn't put it on infinity

first I thought that there is a problem with the mount ring but after a close inspection I noticed that this is a standard of the mount, so if there is a problem, it came from the lens, in this point I have to say that before ordering the mount ring I check the internet for photos that have been taken with this lens on Nikon and it possible. so I went again on the internet and searched for lens modification for Nikon and I found this on youtube, there is no sound or description for this video but it been obvious for me what I have to do, to extend the rear segment of the lens so the image will be projected on the sensor.

So I decide to do the modification right away
on the rear segment there is a tow rings, you have to release the inner ring first
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now take carefully the rear lens
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cut a rubber , it length should be like circumference of the ring
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you can cut it into segments if you cant align it inside
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close the lens, (make sure it clean) now the first segment is extended
you see the rubber threw the lens but it not disturbing the image  4 by FX-1988

now hold the outer ring and rotate it in order to take out the rear part.
now you have the access to the aperture system, be careful not to touch the blades
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again, put a rubber to make more space between the parts, this will extend the rear lens
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after you finish ,assemble it back and now it should go to infinity

set on infinity (taken on f/2) as you can see, the focus now is way beyond 3m (the focus is on the car and the tree line is out of focus)
Im not sure about the sharpness of this lens because it manual and it been set on f/2, like the manual nikon 50 f/1.8 it very hard to get sharp photos on 1.8, I hope to post updates soon about the preference of this lens on other setups
Untitled by FX-1988

the contrast of the lens is very soft and the aperture blades are very rough, you can see it on the bokeh
Untitled by FX-1988
 on hard light condition
Untitled by FX-1988

I didn't have time to take more photos but for now I have a working Helios 44-2 on my Nikon
what you think about this lens?
which photos you want me to take and show you here if you're interested.