Review of Saturn monocle lens by Victor Zharikov
Andrey Kovtun at5 min readModern photography is often associated with fast cameras and sharp lenses that strive to eliminate all possible optical aberrations. But there is another approach, and that is Pictorialism. This genre, like impressionism in painting, focuses on conveying emotions and impressions. I first became acquainted with pictorialism during a course at the School of Creativity in Anna Maslova's photo club. It was there that I realized how important it is to convey a state of mind through photography.
I have been the owner of Victor Zharikov's wonderful Saturn monocular for the second month now. I ordered it because I lacked a monocle lens with a wide angle. I already have 50mm and 56mm art lenses, but wanted something more versatile for shooting.
Monocle lenses and achromats are soft-focus lenses with fairly pronounced optical aberrations. As programmers say, it's not a bug, it's a feature. A monocle is a lens consisting of a single positive lens, and it has its characteristic optical flaws: chromatic aberrations, spherical aberrations, and distortion. But it's these flaws that turn into a feature, creating airy, luminous and expressionistic pictures.
By the way, most monocle lenses are created from old Soviet lenses, which makes them quite affordable. However, it should be noted that working with them requires some habit. At the beginning, I found it difficult to adjust the focus — the maximum sharpness and maximum contrast did not coincide at the same time. But with time I got the hang of it and started to enjoy the process.
This lens is ideal for capturing impressionistic landscapes and portraits, especially in bright light. Light areas of the photo begin to glow, creating a magical effect that cannot be reproduced in post-processing.
Viktor Zharikov, a well-known Tambov master and one of the founders of the project “Magicians of Light Painting”, made for me a Saturn monocle lens with a focal length of 35 mm. I have two more lenses of this master, but they are not named. Each of them has its own characteristic picture. The “Saturn” has a pronounced picture with wraparound edges that resemble the rings of Saturn.
The lens was 3D printed using the aperture from a soviet Helios 44 lens. The travel of the focus ring is very smooth and the lens from Leica adds even more quality. It's compact and lightweight — it almost feels light in my bag, so I always take it with me on shoots. My name is engraved on the lens — a special detail from the craftsman that makes it truly personal.
In addition, the Saturn has been aligned for full frame for Canon EOS mirrorless cameras and uses an M42 screw mount. For it, I also ordered a small discreet adapter from Ali Express to use it with the RF mount.
In conclusion, the Saturn monocle lens is a great tool for those who want to try something new in photography. Its unique characteristics and ability to create atmospheric images make it a valuable addition to any photographer's arsenal. If you're looking for a way to add artistry to your shots and experiment with images, this lens is definitely worth a look.
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