Cleaning Lenses & Filters...???

[LeicaVirgin1]

Dear Tom-

Once again my Leica/Leitz sickness gets me!

Q?: In what way do you recommend cleaning lenses & filters?

In the Leica Advanced Photo School book... The author recommends using cotton gloves, (like you would when handling negatives) & a new/clean MICRO-FIBER cloth with BREATH CONDENSATION, (after you blow minor dust & grit away of course). If that combo. does not work the author recommends using a quality lens/photographic optic cleaning solution like Schneider, or ZEISS.

This process he recommends the same process for optical glass filters.

Your thoughts? Your advise?

Thank you in advance!


Cheers,

LV1
DM Brown

 

[Tom A]

I use the freebie micro fiber cloths that various camera makers give you. Works fine - breathe on the lens, lightly wipe it clean (NEVER rub it - if there is a stubborn spot - get some lens cleaning fluid for it). If you really need to get dirt off, first brush off any loose specks - then wrap a piece of lens cleaning tissue around a Q-tip which has a bit of lens cleaning fluid on it (just enough to moisten the tissue) and use this for the more stubborn spots. NEVER pour lens cleaning fluid on to the lens - it is a fair chance that some of it will migrate inside the lens! Use the same procedure for filters and the rangefinder windows. To clean the outside of the body, just use a soft bristle tooth brush and if there are stubborn spots - the same trick with the Q-tip and some lens cleaning fluid. This is also a case where "less is more" - dont try to take off the grime in one massive "soak" - but do it in increments. On the other hand, with bodies - if i can read the serial number and/or the distance scale/f-stops without any problem - it is clean enough.

 

[Al Kaplan]

Cleaning lenses all the time is the road to disaster! It's amazing just how dirty a lens has to get before it'll be noticeable in your photos. Follow Tom's cleaning instructions if you really need to clean it.

 

[Sparrow]

Cleaning lenses all the time is the road to disaster! It's amazing just how dirty a lens has to get before it'll be noticeable in your photos. Follow Tom's cleaning instructions if you really need to clean it.

I clean mine once a year weather they need it or not!

 

[BillBingham2]

I was told by a great Leica guy (Jim L) years ago,

Keep them (lens and cameras) clean, don't keep cleaning them.

B2 (;->

 

[BobPS]

I keep uv filters on on all my lenses, so I seldom clean the lenses. When I do, I only use a blower to blow the dust off the surface.

The filter though require cleaning every now and then. To clean the filters I also use a blower and a fiber cloth. When the filter is really dirty I simply wash it in running water with dish soap, gently wipe it and leave it to dry completely it before putting it back on the lens.

Bob

 

[Fraser]

most of my lenses (all my work ones) have had a filter on them from new that never really comes off I just clean the filter when it needs it with whatever I have to hand corner of t-shirt etc.

 

[MikeL]

No touchy-no feely until fingerprints. You'd need serious dust to make a difference.

 

[Paddy C]

I've been using lenspens for years now. Just to brush any excessive dust of the surface.

Keep a filter on and you should never have to get near your glass.

 

[tenderobject]

how about oil in lens blades? wuld it be possible to clean or would it be ok if just leave it like that? does this affects images? sorry to ask stupid question. 🙂

 

[Tom A]

Oil on the blades can lead to two things. The oil can spread and "coat" the lens elements facing the aperture blades. This will cause problems with flare, light transmission etc.
The more serious problem is that the oil can make the blades "stick" together and when you go to change aperture the blades can bend, jam or simply came off the pins holding them in place.
It is usually not that big a deal having the blades cleaned and adjusted. If you use a graphite type of lube - it usually last longer too.

 

[tenderobject]

Oil on the blades can lead to two things. The oil can spread and "coat" the lens elements facing the aperture blades. This will cause problems with flare, light transmission etc.
The more serious problem is that the oil can make the blades "stick" together and when you go to change aperture the blades can bend, jam or simply came off the pins holding them in place.
It is usually not that big a deal having the blades cleaned and adjusted. If you use a graphite type of lube - it usually last longer too.

thanks a lot tom.. not sure if i would send my nikkor s 1.4 to local repairman again. actualy i sent it with my s2 for CLA before but looks like they only clean the outer glass and put some lighter fluid for smooth aperture ring. argh.. anyone good doing CLA on old lenses? 🙂

thanks again tom!

 

[rpj]

Ted Grant's method

Ted Grant's method

I am surprised that no one (especially a Canadian) has referred to Ted Grant's infamous recommendation: take some of those old white Jockey Y fronts your wife has told you are a disaster and should be thrown out and cut them into small pieces. Not the rayon or felt ones; the COTTON ones. Since they have been laundered many many times and worn smooth by numerous wiggling of the rear on chairs and saddles, Ted concludes that they are truly the softest, smoothest cotton cloths known to humans. Thus they are the perfect lens cleaning cloth.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Slight tangent

Slight tangent

As filters have cropped up here with obviously many who favour their regular use can I ask about the Voigtlander SC range of lenses?

How do you maintain the SC "look" when using a filter, not necessarily UV as the B/W users may want a yellow etc, when all the filters I see listed are MC ?
I presume if you go far enough back SC or even uncoated filters were made and crop up S/H but sizes ?
I think Tom prefers a lens hood as protection but could he talk to the powers that be at CV and ask for a range of SC or uncoated filters to match ? Do we need them?
(How many question marks can you get in one post? )🙂

 

[Tom A]

I dont think the use of a K2 yellow, or an orange/red filter will make much difference to the SC coating signature. By the time you add a contrast filter to a lens - the "color" of the filter over-rides the lens coatings. At least that is my suspicion - though I have no "scientific" data to back it up.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Thanks Tom. Kind of difficult to test really when you think how you might so I will run with your suspicion. The MC/SC difference can be subtle anyway as you have pointed out previously and being blessed with only a 40mm SC I am spared from testing.