Need a good lens cleaner

Dogdots

I checked on past posts for lens cleaner since mine isn't any good and Eclipse is mentioned.

I was wondering if there is any other brand that is good to.

I can order Eclipse from Adorama, but BH doesn't ship it.

gus

It will be fine. I do mine in a set order ...rocket blower to remove bolders...puffer with a brush on the end first to remove smaller grit that may be there that i cant see & then i put eclipse onto a paper tissue (photographic tissue that is) & clean them.

Never had an issue & eclipse has worked perfectly for me. Sometimes if they are filthy i repeat the eclipse/tissue bit over a few times.

On my elcheapo kit lens i have only ever used my shirt & after 4 years i still can see a mark on it but i would NOT do that with my L lenses though.

PS..i moved your post to Accessories where its more suited.

Dogdots

gus wrote:

It will be fine. I do mine in a set order ...rocket blower to remove bolders...puffer with a brush on the end first to remove smaller grit that may be there that i cant see & then i put eclipse onto a paper tissue (photographic tissue that is) & clean them.

Never had an issue & eclipse has worked perfectly for me. Sometimes if they are filthy i repeat the eclipse/tissue bit over a few times.

On my elcheapo kit lens i have only ever used my shirt & after 4 years i still can see a mark on it but i would NOT do that with my L lenses though.

PS..i moved your post to Accessories where its more suited.

Thanks for the move

Puffer with brush...I don't remember seeing that before

gus

Dogdots wrote:

Thanks for the move

Puffer with brush...I don't remember seeing that before

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1156130/2/istockphoto_1156130_lens_brush.jpg

Art Scott

I have been using ZEISS Lens wipes for a very long time....pre-moistened tissue, very soft and works like a charm........speaking now in a very loooow whisper......I have even used them to clean the sensor once or twice......
I really them.....mu last purchase was from Sams Club and I got 1K for $9.99....just saw them at wall world for 2.97 did not catch the box quanity tho.

Dogdots

gus wrote:

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1156130/2/istockphoto_1156130_lens_brush.jpg

That looks different.

It's a two in one kind of thing. I'm gonna have to check that out....thanks

Dogdots

Art Scott wrote:

I have been using ZEISS Lens wipes for a very long time....pre-moistened tissue, very soft and works like a charm........speaking now in a very loooow whisper......I have even used them to clean the sensor once or twice......
I really them.....mu last purchase was from Sams Club and I got 1K for $9.99....just saw them at wall world for 2.97 did not catch the box quanity tho.

Oh no....you really used it on your sensor...I whispered it

Never saw those. Something that works and doesn't streak is what I'm looking for.

Sams Club or Wallyworld have them...I've never seen them in the stores here. I'm going to have to check them again.

Art Scott

Dogdots wrote:

Oh no....you really used it on your sensor...I whispered it

Never saw those. Something that works and doesn't streak is what I'm looking for.

Sams Club or Wallyworld have them...I've never seen them in the stores here. I'm going to have to check them again.

No I have never had any streaks.....yes I used them on sensor, of course it is just the cover filter and not the real sensor......not since I got my copperhill kit:D
At Wally world they were setting on shelves right outside of the eye glass dispensary......

Dogdots

Art Scott wrote:

No I have never had any streaks.....yes I used them on sensor, of course it is just the cover filter and not the real sensor......not since I got my copperhill kit:D
At Wally world they were setting on shelves right outside of the eye glass dispensary......

I will be looking for them in Wally

DJT

I went to Wally looking for cleaner and found nothing. I asked and our store didn't carry any lens cleaner. So I purchased something that was around 9.99 at best buy. Looks like a pen with mircofiber round tips you stick on. Squirt some stuff, rub lightly with the pen thing and go over again with another microfiber cloth. No streaks. I also have a brush from a cleaner I purchase back in 2003 that I use first. Very very soft.

tangent. Was at Church and our new Pastor needed his photo taken. We were walking to the area to take the shot and a kid walked by and thought I was going to take a photo of him, he palmed my lens leaving a big smudge. Told the pastor I needed to wipe the lens, so he pulled out his un-used hankey for me. Think he was a little pissed when I declined and went back down to my camera bag and took my time cleaning my lens. But at the price a lens.... I'd rather have my Pastor mad at me than my wife for spending mo money.

Dogdots

DJT wrote:

I went to Wally looking for cleaner and found nothing. I asked and our store didn't carry any lens cleaner. So I purchased something that was around 9.99 at best buy. Looks like a pen with mircofiber round tips you stick on. Squirt some stuff, rub lightly with the pen thing and go over again with another microfiber cloth. No streaks. I also have a brush from a cleaner I purchase back in 2003 that I use first. Very very soft.

tangent. Was at Church and our new Pastor needed his photo taken. We were walking to the area to take the shot and a kid walked by and thought I was going to take a photo of him, he palmed my lens leaving a big smudge. Told the pastor I needed to wipe the lens, so he pulled out his un-used hankey for me. Think he was a little pissed when I declined and went back down to my camera bag and took my time cleaning my lens. But at the price a lens.... I'd rather have my Pastor mad at me than my wife for spending mo money.

Gotta go to Best Buy.....oh I don't like that store.

Your right...better to have the Pastor alittle ticked off at you then your wife Us wives can be brutal sometimes

Why did the kid do that...shame on him. I think he needs longer then an hour in Church.

pathfinder

I suspect any commercial lens cleaner for glasses can be used safely on a camera lens if used with care. DO not soak the lens, and do not scratch it with grit.

Use a lens brush first at all times. If a lens brush is sufficient, stop there. A micro fibre lens cloth is a form of lens brush in my opinion.

Use wet cleaning only for greasy smears that are better avoided than treated after the fact.

DO not use t-shirts or your tie.:D

Dogdots

pathfinder wrote:

I suspect any commercial lens cleaner for glasses can be used safely on a camera lens if used with care. DO not soak the lens, and do not scratch it with grit.

Use a lens brush first at all times. If a lens brush is sufficient, stop there. A micro fibre lens cloth is a form of lens brush in my opinion.

Use wet cleaning only for greasy smears that are better avoided than treated after the fact.

DO not use t-shirts or your tie.:D

If you have greasy smears on your lens....what type of liquid cleaner do you use?

darkdragon

Dogdots wrote:

If you have greasy smears on your lens....what type of liquid cleaner do you use?

For me, I don't use any liquid cleaners. I use a bulb blower/brush most of the time (same one that was linked earlier in this thread), for greasy finger prints I use the Nikon Lens Pen which is Magic as far as I can tell

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Lens-Pen-Cleaning-System/dp/B00006JN3G/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1216673932&sr=8-1

Dogdots

darkdragon wrote:

For me, I don't use any liquid cleaners. I use a bulb blower/brush most of the time (same one that was linked earlier in this thread), for greasy finger prints I use the Nikon Lens Pen which is Magic as far as I can tell

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Lens-Pen-Cleaning-System/dp/B00006JN3G/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1216673932&sr=8-1

Took another look at the pen. How do you clean the little thing on the end if it needs to be cleaned? Or don't you.

Art Scott

Dogdots wrote:

Took another look at the pen. How do you clean the little thing on the end if it needs to be cleaned? Or don't you.

the little thingy on the end is supposed to be cleaned when you slide it back into the pen or that is what I understood from the instructions that came with it........also any really good sporting goods store may have lens cleaners for binocs they sell.....I got my Nikon lens pen at Gander Mountain.....Sportsmans Warehouse (here) also sold them......but stock changes so rapidly in friggin retail stores anymore it just ain't funny......used to be if an item sold well it would be on a stores shelves for a few years anyway....not in todays world.....

darkdragon

Dogdots wrote:

Took another look at the pen. How do you clean the little thing on the end if it needs to be cleaned? Or don't you.

I think Art Scott is right - I haven't done any research. All I know is that it gives me a clean, scratchfree and smudgefree lens every time I pull it out to use it. I do make sure to get all the particles off first with the brush (at the other end) or the bulb/brush if I have it with me.

Like I said, I think it is magic.

Dogdots

I will check into some magic

Art...as for the wipes at Wally World....didn't get there today to check on those like I had hoped to. Went out for awhile to see the Baby Eagles

KED

pathfinder wrote:

I suspect any commercial lens cleaner for glasses can be used safely on a camera lens if used with care. DO not soak the lens, and do not scratch it with grit.

Use a lens brush first at all times. If a lens brush is sufficient, stop there. A micro fibre lens cloth is a form of lens brush in my opinion.

Use wet cleaning only for greasy smears that are better avoided than treated after the fact.

DO not use t-shirts or your tie.:D

Wanna know the WORST commercial lens cleaning kit? Sad to say, Canon's. It's probably the cheapest Canon accessory you can buy at around $6, but the liquid streaks and the lens cloth leaves so much lint and residue it's ridiculous. The little puffer/brush is OK I guess; at least the brush works nicely in combination with a Rocket Blower.

pathfinder

Dogdots wrote:

If you have greasy smears on your lens....what type of liquid cleaner do you use?

I am currently using some lens cleaner from an optical shop that I add about 10% by volume Isopropyl alcohol to. Works like a charm.

A lens pen works well, but I am always a bit concerned about it grinding a piece of grit into the lens surface, so I stick with a micro fibre cloth, and a little lens cleaning solution as a last resort.

I use the same solution on my 'glasses' which actually have plastic lenses and are a much softer surface ( eg easier to scratch ) than any coated glass optic in a lens.

Art Scott

We got all caught up with commerical prewetted and other types of retail lens cleaner and I should have my natural pagan BUDDHIST butt kicked for not suggesting to make your own.......a couple of table spoons of white distilled vinegar into a 1/4 cup of distilled water and you should have a perfectly good streak free.....the amount of vinegar could be a tad more or less......wink

I would still use a microfibre cloth to administer the solution and also to wipe it dry.....

Hot steamy breath works well also.......

Dogdots

Such good ideas. I never thought about what wasn't good. That is good to know about the Canon product.

I've been using hot steamy breath with alittle blowing first. You know...I don't think that sounds to good

Doesn't vinegar hurt the lens? It kills my weeds in my yard.