Helios 44M, 44M-4, 44M-7
Two Helios 44M 2.0/58mm, arrived with the Zenit EM and TTL
Equiped with a diaphragm-coupling, to use on the bodies after the Zenit EM. With a selector to manually close the diaphragm.
Two Helios 44M-4 2.0/58mm, given by customers with the Zenit 11 and 12xp.
There are no 44M-2 or 3. The M4 looks like the M, but the barrel is totally different, the diaphragm-coupling mechanism is much more simple, thus costless in manufacturing. No auto / manual selector.
Side-by-side, the 44M and the 44M-4, the barrels are alike, but in fact totally different.
MC Helios 44M-4 2.0/58mm, arrived with the Zenit 122.
The "MC" version.
MC Helios 44M-5 2.0/58mm, bought by Christophe via eBay.fr in october 2010(20€).
Logically, version 5 should have replaced the 4, then 6, then 7... This lens dates from 1997, while the 6 below was made in 1991, and the 7 in 1994!Parallel to this in K-mount there were only version "4".
This one has new style rings, rather successful. But there are also ones with the usual look.
MC Helios 44M-6 2.0/58mm, bought by Christophe in october 2010 with a Zenit 122.
Until "5", the Helios 44M have an equivalent optical quality, with clear progress for "MC" versions. The "6" are a little better, the "7" even more. Perhaps this was done with an increase in manufacturing cost, justifying the rarity of these versions?
MC Helios 44M-7 2.0/58mm, bought for 19,90€ + 10,00€ sending fees on eBay on november 9th, 2007.
bought this lens to fit on my Zenit 130 (this lens wears the logo from the "Valdaï" factory, it doesn't seem anachronistic to set it on a Belomo body, as it is the way most of the Zenit 130 I've seen on Internet are shown).
Externally identical to the 44M-4 version.