Best Method for Cleaning SLR Mirror?

[snegron7]

I have read lots of warning and strong recommendations to not touch the mirror of an SLR ever. However, I have a couple of mirrors that nead cleaning beyond simply using an air blower.

What safe cleaning method do recommend?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Using extra large rocket blower.

 

[snegron7]

Using extra large rocket blower.

I tried that, it doesn't work. There is a film of grime over the mirror.

 

[Mackinaw]

Years back, in the film days, the camera manufacturers would send technicians to camera stores for a "camera day," which would often include quick cleanings. I watched both Nikon and Canon techs clean mirrors with lens cleaner on a few sheets of lens tissue wrapped around a popsicle stick thing.

Jim B.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Find yourself some foam tipped swabs. Use IPA of the highest percentage you can find (99%) and tread lightly.
The swabs won't leave any debris from the foam the way Q-tips shed stuff.
It can't be any harder than cleaning a mirrorless sensor. Might take a few tries to figure out just how much IPA to soak the swab tip with so it doesn't leave a bunch on the mirror to evaporate. It's not rocket science but common sense goes a long ways when doing it.
Good luck!

 

[ptpdprinter]

You might want to consider using a digital sensor cleaning swap and solution.

 

[snegron7]

Years back, in the film days, the camera manufacturers would send technicians to camera stores for a "camera day," which would often include quick cleanings. I watched both Nikon and Canon techs clean mirrors with lens cleaner on a few sheets of lens tissue wrapped around a popsicle stick thing.

Jim B.

Sounds almost like a modern day sensor cleaning swab! I'm wondering if I can use an actual sensor cleaning swab to clean the mirror?

 

[JeffS7444]

Not for the rank novice or technically challenged, but I've adapted a cleaning process which is used for telescope mirrors: Remove mirror from camera (easy on Zenit. Alpa, some Rollei TLR, etc). While holding the mirror under a stream of fresh water from the tap, wet your fingers with a bit of dish soap, then lightly scrub surface of mirror with those wet fingers. Always make sure that there's a film of soapy water between your fingers and the mirror's surface. When it looks good, rinse, and gently dab away any remaining droplets of water while minimizing contact with the mirror's surface as much as possible. I've achieved pristine, streak-free results in this manner.

I've also had success cleaning mirrors in situ via other methods, but I'd be very, very careful about tissue wrapped around a stick: That may be fine in the hands of a trained technician, but even then, it's super-easy to overestimate the amount of pressure you can safely apply

 

[JeffS7444]

Sounds almost like a modern day sensor cleaning swab! I'm wondering if I can use an actual sensor cleaning swab to clean the mirror?

I wouldn't advise it: Sensor glass is relatively hard compared to a front-surfaced mirror.

 

[Kai-san]

Remember that the surface of an SLR mirror is not glass, it's silver.

 

[shawn]

Probably not easily done on a 35mm camera but on my Bronica S2A the mirror is held in place with a pivoting frame. I had the mirror out to replace the foam behind it. The mirror was pretty dirty. I put it in an ultrasonic cleaner with distilled water and a little photoflo. Then rinsed it with distilled water and patted it dry. Worked great.

Before you try anything physical on the mirror I'd check to see if the mirror has anything really odd about it. I'm totally drawing a blank on the camera models but I know at least one model used a mirror with lots of tiny holes in it to pass light through for a meter. Anything sort of q-tip or sensor cleaning pad could clog that up and make a mess.

If you have a typical front side mirror I'd probably try cleaning it with plastic tweezers. Hold a strip of lens cleaning paper (or microfiber) that was moistened with lens cleaning solution and drag that across the mirror. That way it is really just the weight of the paper and the surface tension on the mirror.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I tried that, it doesn't work. There is a film of grime over the mirror.

Get cheap sensor cleaning swabs. Get Kimwipes® Low-Lint Wipers (Low-lint softness safely cleans lenses, glass surfaces, electronics and lab equipment with no residue) and 90% or more alcohol.
Take off material from swab. Wrap it with Kimwipes one. Apply alcohol. Swipe the mirror to one direction without pressing.
Watch alcohol evaporating. Repeat until it is clean. Might still need Rocket blower (large) to keep dust off before, during and after procedure.

 

[Mackinaw]

Remember that the surface of an SLR mirror is not glass, it's silver.

I've read that today's mirrors are coated with a protective layer than can tolerate a light cleaning.

Jim B.

 

[Darthfeeble]

I used lens cleaner and lens paper wadded up and had no issues. Wet the lens paper wad and just be careful. I have an angled tweezer that I used to hold the wad and was very careful not to use any pressure. Make sure there is plenty paper between the tweezer and the mirror.

 

[MarkWalberg]

... I'm totally drawing a blank on the camera models but I know at least one model used a mirror with lots of tiny holes in it to pass light through for a meter.......

Nikon F3 has "Through the Mirror Metering". There are about 50,000 holes in the mirror through which the meter reads.

Info about F3 including mirror holes

-Mark Walberg

 

[Retro-Grouch]

I've used sensor swabs from Visibledust with perfect results, and no scratching. My first time was with a Hasselblad mirror, and I was scared stiff.

 

[p.giannakis]

The reason for the "be careful with it" warning is because SLR mirrors are coated on the top of the glass rather than on the bottom (which would introduce focusing errors). But in my experience, any SLR mirror made after the 80s is strong enough to survive a cleaning session with a cotton bud dipped in IPA. Blow some air with a rocket blower as Ko.Fe. suggested.

I have cleaned this way the mirror of my Minolta SR-1 and Pentax Spotmatic with no issues. Just avoid putting pressure.

 

[snegron7]

One of the cameras I need to clean the mirror on is a Nikon F. I'm probably going to practice on an old Nikon EM of mine first.

 

[PRJ]

It is not that big of a deal. I've never scratched a mirror cleaning it. Just tread lightly. I use alcohol and a Qtip. A sensor cleaner would be better probably. I like to roll the Qtip across with the Qtip going against the direction of travel the first swipe so any dust is removed rather than wiped across the mirror.

The one thing though no one has mentioned, and you absolutely have to avoid, is touching the focusing screen. You can easily scratch that or put a spot on it. That you have to be careful about especially when you are cleaning the far side of the mirror which is close to the screen.

 

[Dogman]

The one thing though no one has mentioned, and you absolutely have to avoid, is touching the focusing screen. You can easily scratch that or put a spot on it. That you have to be careful about especially when you are cleaning the far side of the mirror which is close to the screen.

Agreed. I know from experience. Q-tips are not as soft as I thought.