$190 million Dune: Part Two used this $50 Russian camera lens

Helios 44-2 lens on a dark surface against a blurry woodland background
(Image credit: James Artaius)

Dune: Part Two boasts some of the most stunning visuals ever committed to celluloid. And among the lenses used to film this $190 million blockbuster was this $50 vintage bootleg lens, made in the Soviet Union in the 1960s. 

It's the Helios 44-2, a beloved bit of glass in the vintage lens community for its signature Petzval "swirly bokeh". Apparently this characteristic is loved by Dune: Part Two's cinematographer, Greig Fraser, too, as he selected a specially modified Helios as part of the eclectic lens outfit for the movie.

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James Artaius
Editor

James has 22 years experience as a journalist, serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them. He started working in the photography industry in 2014, product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus, as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal. An Olympus / OM System, Canon and Hasselblad shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and he loves instant cameras, too.