Free-Lensing Test Shoot with the Helios 58mm: A Beautiful Mess
I recently did a test shoot with April at Taitua Arboretum, using an old Russian lens, the Helios 58mm f/2. Half the shoot the camera was mounted on my camera with an adaptor, and then for the second half, it was mounted in a rather unorthodox way… hand-held, so not mounted at all haha.
This was a free-lensing experiment, where I hand-held the lens in front of my Sony A7IV’s sensor rather than attaching it to the camera body. The goal? To see how far I could push this setup to create something raw, unpredictable, and magical.
Why Free-Lensing?
Free-lensing introduces light leaks, tilt-shift-like effects, and beautifully erratic focus falloff, all things that are nearly impossible to replicate digitally. It’s chaotic and forces you to surrender control, which is strangely liberating. For portraits especially, it can create a dreamlike mood that’s both nostalgic and surreal.
The Setup
- Camera: Sony A7IV
- Lens: Helios 44-2 58mm f/2 (vintage Soviet glass)
- Mount: None, the lens was hand-held in front of the sensor
- Lighting: Natural light
Challenges
This technique is not for the faint of heart, there are a lot of failed focus shots. Here’s what made it difficult:
- Focus is a guessing game. You can’t rely on autofocus (obviously), and even manual focus is tricky when your lens is floating in front of the mount.
- Light leaks are unpredictable. Sometimes they add magic; sometimes they just blow out part of your subject’s face or the scene.
- Sensor dust becomes a real issue. Exposing the sensor like this invites every airborne speck to make its way into your camera.
- Your hands are full. Literally. One hand for the camera, one for the lens, and no way to adjust anything else without stopping.
The Results
Despite the challenges, the results were worth it. The images have a softness and texture that feels more like a memory than a photo. There’s a natural vignette and swirling bokeh signature to the Helios lens that really comes alive when it’s unmounted. Some of the images look like stills from a 1970s arthouse film, flawed in the best way.
Final Thoughts
Free-lensing isn’t something I’d use for most client shoot, but as a creative exercise, it was incredibly refreshing. It reminded me why I fell in love with photography in the first place, for the imperfections, the surprises, and the moments that feel less like documentation and more like emotion on film.
You can see the photos from the shoot below:
