Lens Cleaning

baker89

Hello everyone, I've been lurking for a while and have decided to sign up to ask a Q.

I was wondering, what do you find the best method to clean your lenses? I'm worried about scratching them or damaging the coatings.

This also includes the little viewfinder glass.

Hope to make many more posts!

ian408

Lens brush or rocket blower more often than not. Lens tissue and cleaner occassionally.

Scott_Quier

Generally speaking and in order of operation:

• Rocket blower or similar to blow the dust off, then
• Lens brush or similar to sweep it away, then
• Time for liquid cleaner:
  • Get a clean, lint-free, lens tissue - not a kleenex or similar
  • Place one drop of lens cleaner fluid on the tissue - not on the lens
  • With gentle pressure, starting in the middle of the lens element, rub/wipe the lens element in a spiraling action from the center to the outer edge.
  • If necessary, get another clean lens tissue and, using the same action, dry the fluid from the lens element.

The coatings on most modern lenses, so I've been told, are quite hard. With appropriate care and the above procedure, you are unlikely to scratch the lens element. The idea is to remove as much of the grit from the lens with as little contact with the lens as possible.

EDIT: Another thought - In most situations, a little dust on the lens (or removing that little bit of dust) will have no adverse impact on the quality of the image.

Qarik

hmmm..I have just been breathing on them and wiping on them with microfiber cloth!

VE6AB

Many years ago, when I first discovered photography, I spent most of my time cleaning the front lens elements instead of shooting photos. Today, I am out in the field with my gear alot, and my lens get pretty ucky at times. I shoot through rain, snow, dust storms, and anything else that gets in my way. My glass has to get pretty gungy before resorting to cleaning it. At that point, I blow it clean with a Rocket blower, slight swipe with a camel hair brush, and then use a Microfibre cloth on it. Its a rare day that this does not do the trick. My camera sensors are another matter, as I can be quite cavalier about replacing the rear covers on my lens that reside on my truck seat or droped into my TT whip-it-out, when on the street or in the field, waiting for their next turn at bat. My sensor cleaning consists of a VisibleDust Arctic Butterfly that handles most dust issues and a lens pen for the really stuck stuff.

swintonphoto

Microfiber cloth.

baker89

Thanks guys!

I've probably been a bit too paranoid by the sounds of it!

I will post some of my photos soon! It's good to have such an experienced and helpful community.

Art Scott

as someone mentioned above....I am of the school of hot breath and microfibre cloth with Scott's spiral cleaning motion from center out.......I also have use a Nikon (brand ) lens pen and at times Zeiss pre-moistened lens cloths.................for sensor......Copper Hill all the way..................

Joves

The coatings on the glass elements are actually quite resilent. The newer Magnesium Florides are much harder than in the early days. I personally like to use Nikons Clear filters for keeping the dust off. I would rather clean the filter than the lens any day. I live in Az and if I cleaned the dust off all the time Id be cleaning all the time.