How to clean lens on Yashicas?

[terence]

I've been working on a few Yashicas (GSN, GTN and GS). The all have a common issue: the lens are a little dirty (typically with little specks of dust etc). This is true even of the inside lens.

What is the correct way of cleaning the lens? I've been using Q-tips/microfibre cloth and a little Cokin lens cleaner. But I think the result is OK only. Any suggestions?

I remember many years ago there was a type of lens cleaner which you paint on the lens and it will become a film deposited on the lens and you peel this film off and voila the lens is clean...... does it still exist?

 

[Rob]

For inside the lens, you will have to dismantle the lens to clean. For the outside
of the glass my local camera repair shop uses Denatured alcohol on a cotton
piece of cloth...so thats what I use.

 

[oftheherd]

First I hope you are using a blower and brush.

Many people recommend microfiber cloths. I bought one and tried it and wasn't impressed. It wasn't bad, I just didn't see any advantage over lens tissue. In fact, when I use lens tissue, I can just discard it and don't have to think about how to wash it.

My method is to fold a lens tissue many times and then tear it in half. Ruffling the ends together gives me a brush to dislodge anything a blower doesn't get if I have a blower. If not, I gently dislodge what needs to be, and blow with my breath with the camera held above the stream of my breath. I then use another tissue with breath fog to finish cleaning. I have in the past used rubbing alcohol, but that probably isn't something that should be done all the time.

Truthfully, as much as possible, I try to clean a filter, as I really like to keep those on a lens. That isn't possible all the time of course.

I realize not everyone likes to put filters on their lenses. That is their prerogative. I just like Ed Romney's advice to keep the lens clean, rather than to keep cleaning the lens.

Just my way.