Customer Showcase: Anton Browne and “The Miracle of the Monocle”

Updated September 2026

Photographer Anton Browne kindly shared a video explaining why he finds a monocle particularly useful when working with cameras in low-light environments.

In “The Miracle of the Monocle”, he talks through his own experience and shows how a monocle can be useful for brief close-up tasks without repeatedly putting on and removing a pair of reading glasses.

Why a Monocle Works for His Photography

Anton explains that when photographing in places such as jazz clubs, he may need to check camera settings quickly while still keeping his attention on what is happening around him.

For him, the advantage of a monocle is that it can be brought into use for a few moments and then dropped away again, rather than having to put on a pair of spectacles each time.

Useful for Short, Intermittent Tasks

The video also touches on other situations where a monocle can be convenient, such as checking menus, labels or other small print.

That is really where a monocle can make sense: not necessarily as a replacement for reading glasses, but as a compact option for occasional close work.

Watch “The Miracle of the Monocle”

Anton Browne explains how he uses a monocle when photographing in low-light environments, where he may need to check camera settings briefly without repeatedly putting on and removing reading glasses.

Anton’s video is a good example of a monocle being used as a practical tool rather than simply as a novelty or period accessory.

If you’d like to know more about the different styles available, see our practical guide to galleried and non-galleried monocles.