cleaning a lens

[jano]

It rained yesterday here in sunny southern california while I was out trying to take some photos with my M2. Got rain all over the outside of the lens (easily wiped dry) and a little on the front lens. While examining the front, I noticed some grub that comes from shooting at the beach the last several times.

I've done a quick search on google for tips on cleaning lenses, but.. but.. none of the people with tips have these really nice, expensive rangefinder lenses (leitz, cz, etc). What I've done in the past with my cheaper digicam lenses:
- blow whatever grub I can off with canned air
- spray with lens cleaning solution father gave me (my dad's an ophthalmologist with two optical stores -- he carries this lens cleaning solution which is supposed to be safe for special lens coatings found on glasses, such as AR (anti reflective), tinting, etc)
- use microfiber cloth gently to clean; dab first, then slowly swirl, and spray one more solution between swirls
- Use a fresh microfibre then to dry.

Okay to use the above on my expensive lenses? In further reading the boards here, I know sometimes one can introduce "cleaning marks" on the glass. I'm trying to prevent this.

Thanks for your input.. perhaps I realy ought to consider a UV filter for situations such as beach and rain shooting 😛

jano

 

[peter_n]

I wish I could help, but someone who can will be along real soon I'm sure. If I have a problem like this (it's always with a used lens I've bought) I take it to a tech and have a professional clean it. It costs $10 in Arlington near where I live. I use a filter of some kind on every lens as a precaution. I'll get bashed by the filter police but I buy good quality filters and I haven't noticed any degredation in image quality.

 

[nikarlo]

- blow whatever grub I can off with canned air
- spray with lens cleaning solution father gave me (my dad's an ophthalmologist with two optical stores -- he carries this lens cleaning solution which is supposed to be safe for special lens coatings found on glasses, such as AR (anti reflective), tinting, etc)
- use microfiber cloth gently to clean; dab first, then slowly swirl, and spray one more solution between swirls
- Use a fresh microfibre then to dry.

I usually use the same procedure, but I think that the cleaning solution for glasses is not useful for expensive lens. Sometimes cleaning solution for glasses are antialo or antifog and I think that this chemical solution can damage lens coating. Demineralizated wather should be good. Or for dirty lens I use a bit of eclipse solution.
Regards!
Carlo.

 

[BrianShaw]

You're not going to listen to "dear old Dad"?

I've been cleaning the fine lenses on my cameras since 1982, or so, by myself and haven't scratched a lens/coating yet. First I blow the lens off with air to get off the dust or any grit... I use a hand-sqeeze air bulb rather than canned air. Mostly I've used Kodak cleaning tissue in the past with Kodak cleaning liquid. Lately I've been using microfiber cloth that I got from my optician. In fact, I've mostly been using microfiber and breath moisture, or for stubbon gunk like waterspots... microfiber and alcohol. The important thing is to NOT use abrasive tissues like facial tissue or old cloth, like an old hankie, that might be holding abrasive material in its fiber. MOST IMPORTANT is to avoid scrubbing and repetative wiping.

There is quite a bit of material on the web about how to clean a camera lens. You'll read all sorts of opinion, some of which tends to contradict. veryonehas both opinioins an ddifferent experiences, I suppose. To me, it is more important to learn what NOT to do than a single "formula" for how to do it. I agree with the general concensus that Windex-like window cleaners might not be a good option because of the ammonia and other chemistry that seemsm to be in it.

I've read several opinions that warn about eyeglass cleaner, claiming that they contain silicone or something else that will likely smear a photographic lens. It sure seems to work great on eyeglasses! Please ask your Dad or his optician about this and let us know.

 

[Poptart]

I've found that Brillo does a pretty thorough job for those tough-to-treat smudges.

 

[schaubild]

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4609