First vintage lens (helious44) unable to use on EOS 5D Mark III due to lens firmware update

[Dnaiel-james-87]

Hi i recently bought a 5d mkiii and the first lens i have purchades is a helious 44 58mm f2 in very good condition but I am currently unable to use it because the camera just sticks on a yellow wanring when turned on that lens firmware update is required. I have updated the camera firmware ans this made no difference at all.  I am using a metal m44 threat to canon eos adapter witht he connection pad on it. 

any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you 

[ebiggs1]

Canon does not update it's FW to work with off brand lenses.

[ebiggs1]

BTW, that lens is mediocre at best and IMHO, is not worthy any expense to be able to use it on a high quality camera like the 5D Mk IV. However, with the proper adapter. M42, it should work in fully manual, M, mode.

[RobertTheFat]

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@Dnaiel-james-87 wrote:

Hi i recently bought a 5d mkiii and the first lens i have purchades is a helious 44 58mm f2 in very good condition but I am currently unable to use it because the camera just sticks on a yellow wanring when turned on that lens firmware update is required. I have updated the camera firmware ans this made no difference at all.  I am using a metal m44 threat to canon eos adapter witht he connection pad on it. 

any help would be much appreciated.

Thank you 

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Some Canon cameras can update lens firmware, The 5D3 is not one of them, although the 5D4 is. But it's very unlikely that any Canon camera would be able to update the firmware of a non-Canon lens. So you'd probably have to send the lens back to the manufacturer for update. Given what Ernie Biggs (one of this forum's genuine lens experts) has just said about that model, it's hard to see how an update, even if available, would be worth the effort.

[MikeSowsun]

The Helios-44 use M42 threaded mount.  The adapter you have is a M42 to Canon EF adapter. 

There is no firmware, and no elctronics in the lens. There is a problem with your M42 to EF adapter, not the lens. You have an adapter with a AF confirm chip.  Something in the AF confirm chip on the adapter is causing the error. You could try taping over the contacts, or removing the AF chip, and I am sure your lens will work. 

The other option is to buy another AF confirm M42 to EF adapter, or buy one without an AF confirm chip and electrical contacts. 

[MikeSowsun]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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Some Canon cameras can update lens firmware, The 5D3 is not one of them, although the 5D4 is. ....................

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Not true....

The 1D X, 5D Mark III, and 650D/T4i were the first cameras to have the ability to update lens firmware. The lens firmware menu will only appear if both the camera and lens have the lens firmware upgrade capability.

[ebiggs1]

"However, with the proper adapter. M42, it should work in fully manual, M, mode."

I should have made this more clear, you don;t have the proper adapter.  A used ef 50mm f1.8, certainly a new one, is a better lens and idea that the one you are trying make work.

Although the lens is made on the design of Carl Zeiss it is of low quality. They made millions of them. I had one on a Praktica. I think I might still have it. Made in East Germany during the wall days.

[MisterMacdudal]

Ok so way late here but hopefully if anyone else has this issue this will help. I just bought a Helios 44-3 with an included adapter ring and ran into the same issue. 

The adapter ring is a smart adapter, and can allow you to update things like aperture on the raw file info, and can assist with the focus indicator. You can download the firmware for that specific adapter ring, and it will increase functionality. 

Downside is you need the info for that specific ring, which the Ukrainian company I bought from didn't supply. So you can either A. Beg for the info from your seller to get the right firmware. B. Buy a new smart adapter and follow their info for firmware installation C. Buy a "dumb" adapter with no chip D. Put a small piece of clear tape over the chip connectors so your camera doesn't recognize the smart components.

Just so I could get out and shoot with the new lens I chose D. while I waited for the seller to get back to me about the adapter firmware. Side note, for the money the Helios 44-3 (or 44-2) is not mediocre if you're looking for a cheap way to make your shots have a natural vintage look with a dreamy glow and creamy spiral bokeh. 

[ebiggs1]

In 6 years and not further responses I doubt seriously anybody else has tried to or even wanted to do this.

[MisterMacdudal]

The Helios 44 series is seeing a resurgence due to its use in movies like Dune and The Batman, and if you search it on YouTube you'll see dozens of shorts and videos talking about it. If you search it on eBay you'll see tons of listings selling it specifically with the ef mount (though most have the cine anamorphic Bokeh /lens flare mod). 

Regardless my answer wasn't for you, it was for anyone else who might encounter the same issue I had. Old thread or not, I just wanted to help someone who ran into a problem, and when I searched for solutions, this thread was one of the top suggestions.