Cleaning lens and filters - UGH!

divamum

I have a blower-brush. I have a microfiber cloth. I have some lens fluid.

No matter what I do, I can't get the lens and filter sparkling clean - there's always smears!!!

Suggestions?

Wil Davis

Residual Oil Remover (ROR); about the only thing I've ever found which will restore a lens surface to "out of the box" clean; I bought half a dozen 2 oz bottles some 15 years ago from a place in NYC, gave some to friends, and used some. I don't know if it's still available, but I have a bottle of the stuff remaining, and with a microfibre cloth, I've yet to find anything better.

- Wil

PS: I've just found their web-site ( http://www.ror.net/ )

divamum

Wil Davis wrote:

Residual Oil Remover (ROR); about the only thing I've ever found which will restore a lens surface to "out of the box" clean; I bought half a dozen 2 oz bottles some 15 years ago from a place in NYC, gave some to friends, and used some. I don't know if it's still available, but I have a bottle of the stuff remaining, and with a microfibre cloth, I've yet to find anything better.

- Wil

PS: I've just found their web-site ( http://www.ror.net/ )

Thanks! B&H appear to carry it. I'm going to try to find it locally to avoid shipping, but sounds like it's worth getting some one way or another!

ARKreations

I have the best luck with a LensPen - never streaks or smears and no residue...

divamum

Ooo... thanks for reminding me - I saw these posted a while back. Does anybody know local sources for getting them... do Ritz or similar camera stores usually carry them?

ARKreations

divamum wrote:

Ooo... thanks for reminding me - I saw these posted a while back. Does anybody know local sources for getting them... do Ritz or similar camera stores usually carry them?

They seem to be standard items in the shops near me. I got my last one at Ritz.

kdog

Have you tried lens cleaning paper? When I was in the Domincan Republic recently, I tried cleaning my lenses with a microfiber lens cleaning cloth (Canon brand, no less). It just smeared what looked like an oily residue around the lens. I had some lens paper in the same Canon lens cleaning kit and sure enough, it cleaned the lens sparkling clean. I'm wondering if those lens cleaning cloths are impregnated with something that leaves a residue. At any rate it was very humid there, and it's clear the paper worked much better in that environment.

-joel

Wil Davis

I've only used the general purpose micro-fibre cloths, which are CLEAN (i.e. freshly laundered). Before these came on the market I'd use a clean handkerchief; the older the better, since the older ones have less lint.

I understand what you say about the "branded" cloths having some ingredient which might leave smears and I've steered clear of paper products as it's my experience they can leave very fine scratches on the lens surface used over a long period.

- Wil

Manfr3d

I have a cleaning liquid (spray type) from B&W that evaporates after a minute or so. Works wonders.

pyry

divamum wrote:

I have a blower-brush. I have a microfiber cloth. I have some lens fluid.

No matter what I do, I can't get the lens and filter sparkling clean - there's always smears!!!

Suggestions?

I use a microfiber cloth to take worst smears and crud off. Lenses tend to
cope with dirt (in the front) well enough anyway.

Have a look at this

Art Scott

most people do not rezlize it but most any cloth that has been laundered has fabric softner on it......we are so accustomed to putting it with ot clothes that we just toss our micro fibre cloths in with it.......hence we get a "streaky" surface when use them after washing them.......

I have a camel hair brush, lens pen and severa packets of ZEISS lens tissue for he cleaning of my lenses........very old white tee-- shirts work well also.

Llywellyn

pyry wrote:

Have a look at this

That was wince-inducing. :twitch

amg2833

pyry wrote:

Have a look at this

I submitted this to StumbleUpon!

divamum

WooHOO on the Lenspen! Got one locally and it worked, it worked! What a great tool. Next time I order from B&H I'll add some of the ror as well, but for now Ye Olde Lenspen is a great fix!

Thanks for the guidance (as always)

PS Link above =

Scott_Quier

pyry wrote:

Have a look at this

Here's another one that's been floating around the net for a while. I just thought I would include it here for those that haven't see it before.

pyry

Scott_Quier wrote:

Here's another one that's been floating around the net for a while. I just thought I would include it here for those that haven't see it before.

Thanks for the link, that one's created a neat pattern

Reminds me of a friend who bought a couple of plain glass filters and scratched them to get some funky flares at live band shoots

Wil Davis

pyry wrote:

…Reminds me of a friend who bought a couple of plain glass filters and scratched them to get some funky flares at live band shoots

I've used a UV filter smeared with petroleum jelly on the outer edge to get a soft focus effect for portraits…

- Wil

pyry

Wil Davis wrote:

I've used a UV filter smeared with petroleum jelly on the outer edge to get a soft focus effect for portraits…

- Wil

I've just breathed on it, but I hear plastic wrap works as well as well as jelly.

Wil Davis

pyry wrote:

I've just breathed on it, but I hear plastic wrap works as well as well as jelly.

Yes, but plastic wrap will cover the whole area; with the Vaseline™ the idea is to leave a clear spot in the centre of the filter…

- Wil

Art Scott

pyry wrote:

I've just breathed on it, but I hear plastic wrap works as well as well as jelly.

the idea as stated above to leave a clear center...but not necessarily a perfect round spot.....I have seen very cool designs by photogs that prep several clear filters or colored filters also with varying designs for a clear photo to pop thru...............but you also have to keep them cool to keep the Vaseline from running everywhere....................

ziggy53

Since the title of this thread is about "cleaning" lenses and filters, I would mention that using Vaseline on a filter is awfully hard to clean off and it tends to get on other things as well.

KY jelly can also be used, although it dries out so you need to apply it when you need it. You can also mix corn starch and water (or glycerin). Some hair conditioners are also good to use. All of these will wash off under plain water or with a mild dish detergent.

Wil Davis

ziggy53 wrote:

…snip
would mention that using Vaseline on a filter is awfully hard to clean off and it tends to get on other things as well
…snip

Point taken, Ziggy; but getting back to the original topic, ROR has no problem dealing with Vaseline™ .

Back in the 1970s I had a UV filter which I sacrificed to the Vaseline™ treatment for that "soft focus" look (well, it was a damned sight cheaper than the 85mm f2.8 Rokkor Varisoft Lens)

- Wil