This one was pretty special. The Helios 44M-4 is the lens that I owe my childhood memories to. It’s the lens my parents used to shoot birthday parties, vacations, and school activities. It’s also the lens that made me love photography.
Unfortunately, it’s been sitting around for ages, and like a lot of old Helios 44M-4 copies, it developed a problem: oily aperture blades. On a number of occasions, the lens wouldn’t open up or stop down, not that big of a problem when I was using it with a mirrorless camera. Paired with a film camera though, like the Zenit 11 I inherited, the results were all over the place. Something had to be done, so here’s how I fixed the Helios 44M-4’s aperture blades myself, no repair shop needed.
Fixing the Helios 44M-4
There are many YouTube videos of guys taking this lens apart. This is one of them, and it helped a lot. These are the tools I used:
- Small flat screwdriver. Get the iFixit kit and you’ll have everything you need for taking things apart;
- Lens spanner wrench. It makes the whole process so much easier;
- Tweezers;
- Lighter fluid;
- Q-tips.
If the video seems overwhelming, know that you don’t have to take everything apart. Watch the video a couple of times, then take it slow. First, disassemble the lens over the iFixit tool tray so you don’t lose any screws or ball bearings. There are 7 of them in total: one on the piece the aperture ring sits on, and 6 in the aperture blades mechanism. Lose one of these and you’re stuck, so keep the tray close.
Then, place the aperture blades in a bowl, pour some lighter fluid over them, and let them sit for a few minutes. Clean each piece with a Q-tip and put it aside to dry.
Finally, put everything back together. You might need to also watch a video of the same guy assembling the lens. I’ll admit I had to jump between the two videos a few times to get the Helios 44M-4 in one piece.
The result
And there you have it: a working Helios 44M-4, with clean aperture blades and the same swirliness the 58mm f/2 lens is known for.
The Helios 44M-4 is back on the Zenit 11 where it belongs, aperture blades snapping shut like new. If yours has the same oily-blade issue, don’t be put off by the teardown, it looks worse in the video than it is in your hands. Worst case, you’re out an afternoon and some lighter fluid.
