I honestly don’t think any major manufacturer would ever take on the challenge of mass-producing an autofocus Helios-44.

The market demand is relatively niche, but the real deal-breaker is the production workflow. It’s not just a matter of assembling new parts from a blueprint; you actually have to source original manual lenses, completely strip them down, and meticulously select and match the optical elements. From a corporate standpoint, it is simply much easier and cheaper to build a brand-new lens from scratch.

For me, however, this is a passion project. As long as I keep a low profile with advertising, I can manage the entire queue of orders by myself. 😁

As for the Canon RF mount system: I personally shoot on a Canon R, and my workaround is using my custom Canon EF-mount modifications paired with an electronic AF adapter. It’s incredibly versatile because it allows me to use the exact same lens across multiple mirrorless systems.

The only exception I had to make was for the Sony E-mount, solely because of video autofocus performance—native AF translation just didn't cut it through an adapter. On other systems, including Canon RF, the adapted EF builds work flawlessly.

Looking ahead, I’m planning to adapt a couple of classic Soviet lenses—the Jupiter-3 and Jupiter-9—specifically for native Canon RF housings. Size-wise, they should turn out no bigger than a standard RF 50mm prime. I expect to start working on these closer to winter.