A nip of Vodka as an accessory?

Bandit959

Hey Folks;
I was just talking to another photographer who doesn't carry any lense cleaning supplies with him when he shhots. Instead, he carries a nip of vodka. He states the cheaper the better because it's all about the alchol content.

He informed me that he uses it to get any stray finger prints off of his lense. It's small and goes a long way. :huh

I've never heard of that before, butit kind of makes sense. So I was curious if anyone else does the same. :dunno

pathfinder

Distilled water with about 5 or 10% alcohol makes an excellent lens cleaner. I use it on my glasses routinely.:): Not sure what else might be in vodka. Zeiss even sells swabs soaked with alcohol as lens cleaners. The Methyl alcohol used to clean digital sensors will also work of course.

But the best thing is not to be overly compulsive about cleaning lenses. I blow the dust off with a rocket blower or a lens brush and just stop there unless there is a real greasy smudge or a fingerprint.

It is far better to not have to clean a lens in the first place. Always use the lens hood to protect the lens also.

ziggy53

I always use actual lens cleaner, as it is formulated not to leave a residue. Some products, not designed for this use, have "extra" ingredients, and can leave stuff behind.

When in doubt, I try the "mirror" test, which is to wipe the cleaning liquid on a plain, back-surface, mirror. If you don't see a problem there, you probably won't see a problem on your lens. (The mirror doubles the visible effect, making it more apparent. Not my idea, but good enough to adopt for a standard.)

ziggy53

Richard

I hope I'm not the only one who thought that it was meant for the photographer, not the camera.

Cheers,

Bodley

Bandit959 wrote:

Hey Folks;
I was just talking to another photographer who doesn't carry any lense cleaning supplies with him when he shhots. Instead, he carries a nip of vodka. He states the cheaper the better because it's all about the alchol content.

He informed me that he uses it to get any stray finger prints off of his lense. It's small and goes a long way.

I've never heard of that before, butit kind of makes sense. So I was curious if anyone else does the same.

You've got it wrong - you mix the vodka with OJ. Nip internally as needed. Doesn't clean a lens but soon enough you won't care if it's dirty. (Somebody had to make the obvious comment)

Richard

Bodley wrote:

You've got it wrong - you mix the vodka with OJ. Nip internally as needed. Doesn't clean a lens but soon enough you won't care if it's dirty. (Somebody had to make the obvious comment)

Thanks, Greg. I feel better now.

Bandit959

.... I'll have to try the OJ cleaner next time. ;-)

I always keep lense cleaner in my bag just in case in need to clean a lens along with a lense pen.

I wasn't sure if I should have taken his tip seriously or not. Maybe he kept the nip in his bag WAS to mix with OJ

Marz

I don't drink and my husband brought home some duty free russian vodka on one of his overseas trips. It sat their untouched until I found a good use for it....cleaning my mouse and keyboard! Did a fantastic job! Wouldn't use it on my camera or lenses but I can recommend it for those old fashioned ball mouses!!

Cheers Marz