keeping lenses clean...without lens caps.

msbarnes

msbarnes

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I don't use lens caps and prefer to keep my cameras "assembled". What I mean is that I don't like loose pieces and I do not want to search for my bodies/lens/hoods/filters whenever I want to shoot. I carry/use my cameras as often as possible and don't want these small petty things to inhibit my daily life.


35mm cameras/lenses,

I usually leave a lens with the uv filter and hood attached onto all of my bodies. If it is a lens that I do not use much then I just store it front-element side down with the hood and uv filter attached. I don't use a filter on my Kodak Retina because it is always protected.

120 cameras,

I don't use uv filters with my Rolleiflex's because I use them less often, I expect more from the glass, and I don't trust non-mrc filters. With these cameras I leave them with the hood attached. I only have Rollei's btw but I would use an MRC filter on any most other 120 cameras if possible.

About B+W MRC filters. Are they fairly scratch resistant? I'm very cautious when cleaning front elements (I hardly clean them) but I clean my UV filters once in a while. I never carry cleaning solutions/clothes on me so I just use my shirt and breathe sometimes. Is that death to my filters?

Anything seriously wrong with what I am doing? Aside from the controversial UV filter debate?
 
I do exactly like you (filters + hood everywhere, no caps, also on my Hassi) and it has served me well so far.

Sometimes I do carry lens caps separately, and use them to avoid burning holes in shutters.

B+W filters are quite scratch resistant and easy to clean, which is the main reason why I use them.
 
Keep the caps on pretty well every camera I have,but then if you have them around your neck as I do when motorcycling I figure it's a wise practice.
Quite like the coated M+W and Hoya filters for their advertised scratch resistance.
Regards,Peter
 
msbarnes said:
About B+W MRC filters. Are they fairly scratch resistant? I'm very cautious when cleaning front elements (I hardly clean them) but I clean my UV filters once in a while. I never carry cleaning solutions/clothes on me so I just use my shirt and breathe sometimes. Is that death to my filters?

Anything seriously wrong with what I am doing? Aside from the controversial UV filter debate?
Click to expand...

To protect your investment in your filters (and MRC filters ARE expensive, although certainly less expensive than replacing a front element) you should always wet clean them, and do it fairly regularly. Then, when you're in the field, if you need to wipe one there will be less grit to grind into the coating. B+W MRC filters are the best I've ever seen, but they still get gritty and unless you're floating the grit off properly, you're grinding it into and scratching the MRC. It might take a very long time to realize any problems from what you're doing, but eventually you'll still sand through the multi-coating.
 
Remember that it takes a fair bit of gunk on the lens or filter before it actually affects image quality. At worst, in tricky lighting you could add some veiling flare, but for the most part - we tend to worry too much about a bit of dust on the filter.

Lens hood, but no caps, and no filter (with modern multi-coated lenses). I'll sometimes add an MRC filter with a non-coated, or older single coated lens.
 
I have always been a fan of blower brushes and lens cleaning tissue. I used to be very anxious about keeping my lens surfaces clean. I still am, but I do tend to like to keep lenses protected by filters.

EDIT: I do like to keep lens caps on for protection of my lenses. I still struggle not to use lens caps for photography. :p
 
Alright, let's clear a few things up:

1. You don't need a lens cap (*unless #5).
2. Filters are great for protecting from salt-air and salt-water. Otherwise they're another glass surface (not in the original design of the lens) that *will* ghost strong highlights at night. Other than that they shouldn't affect much.
3. Extremely unlikely one is going to scratch the coating or glass of a filter with typical cleaning cloths. These don't need wet cleaning nor is a scratch even going to do much.
4. The only thing needed to clean a lens is a single PEC pad and either 99% isopropanol or light petroleum distillate (I prefer the latter: naphtha, coleman white gas, etc.). Everything else is water + alcohol and your $$$. The last thing you want involved is water - so find the "hard" stuff from a chemical supplier and thank your wallet.
5. Keep cameras out of the kitchen or anywhere else particulate oil from cooking is in the air - or see #4 on why you'll need a petroleum distillate.
6. Scratches, dust, etc. on the front element do nothing.
 
I may be missing something, but I don't get how a lens cap is a big deal. I do use filters - skylight/UV most of the time, and orange for general B/W. If there is going to be any damage, I'd rather it were to a filter I can replace than to the coating or front element of an expensive lens.

OK, so my Nettar and Minox don't have caps, as they are folders, and the G11 has an integrated one, but my Electro has a tethered cap - a system which works well, and I'm considering one for my SLR. A fraction of a second for the sake of keeping my gear for longer. Easy choice.
 
Personally I'm wary of filters unless I'm using them to enhance the image in some way, the exception being to protect against sea water. As I wear specs I'm very conscious that any gunk on the lenses degrades my vision and assume that this is the same for camera lenses, so I use a reputable lens cleaning fluid. I like to use lens hoods to minimise flare and they also offer adequate protection to the front element under normal circumstances.
 
Somehow I managed to put a very long scratch in a MRC filter. Ugh! Must have had a big grain of sand in my lens cloth. Now I shake out the lens cloth each time I use it, and blow into the UV filter before wiping it.
 
I use caps where I have them, and I've used a filter to protect a lens before, but generally I'm getting a little less precious about them, especially the cheaper ones. I don't have any really pricey lenses, so I worry less about them.
 
I use filters B&W (mrc) on all my lenses and use caps just for storage, when I'm
outside shooting I don't want to miss that shot!, and I haven't scratched one yet
so their pretty durable.


Range
 
Don't bother too much about lens protection one way or another - bare lenses aren't at quite that much of a risk. Just don't be obsessive and engage in preventive lens cleaning - that is more likely to cause damage than actual dirt or its removal. If it is not dirty, don't touch it!

Following that trivial rule, I have managed to make only one scratch in a lens in over thirty years, in spite of using just about every improvised cleaning method advised against in some photo book or blog (whether breathing on them, using paper towels or my shirt sleeve).

I have damaged my share of lenses (maybe a dozen or so) by dropping them. But when it comes to that, a filter is less protective than a lens hood!
 
clayne said:
Alright, let's clear a few things up:

1. You don't need a lens cap (*unless #5).
2. Filters are great for protecting from salt-air and salt-water. Otherwise they're another glass surface (not in the original design of the lens) that *will* ghost strong highlights at night. Other than that they shouldn't affect much.
3. Extremely unlikely one is going to scratch the coating or glass of a filter with typical cleaning cloths. These don't need wet cleaning nor is a scratch even going to do much.
4. The only thing needed to clean a lens is a single PEC pad and either 99% isopropanol or light petroleum distillate (I prefer the latter: naphtha, coleman white gas, etc.). Everything else is water + alcohol and your $$$. The last thing you want involved is water - so find the "hard" stuff from a chemical supplier and thank your wallet.
5. Keep cameras out of the kitchen or anywhere else particulate oil from cooking is in the air - or see #4 on why you'll need a petroleum distillate.
6. Scratches, dust, etc. on the front element do nothing.
Click to expand...

I have found over the years that when and how to protect/clean a lens is very much a personal belief/preference. My personal preference is to keep the lens covered with a filter, and the filter with a lens cap when I not about to take a photo.

I would personally never use naptha to clean the front surface of a lens, but if it's working for you, go ahead.

I was really curious about your point #6 though. I understand a lens front element can withstand a lot and it may not be that noticable, but why don't lens manufacturers put scratches and dust on the lens for us?

In fact, it seems they go to great lengths to prevent that and deliver a lens that has as few defects as possible. Just curious.
 
oftheherd said:
I was really curious about your point #6 though. I understand a lens front element can withstand a lot and it may not be that noticable, but why don't lens manufacturers put scratches and dust on the lens for us?
Click to expand...

It is too much of an effort. In fact, in thirty years and handling maybe 500 lenses, I have managed to scratch one (where I encountered that rare grain of diamond in the air) and chip another (by dropping it onto a gravel path), while entirely smashing another ten, and not damaging another 490. The chipped and scratched one both still work fine...
 
1) defects, spots, dust, and scratches on a fast lens' front element are visible in photos - you just have to know what to look for; they show in the OOF circles when shooting the lens at small apertures. If that matters to you is a different question.

2) personally, I'm very happy that the previous owners of my lenses used filters most of the time. :) So, if you keep your boxes for a possible future resale, you might want to use filters too.

Roland.
 
I don't think using and handling lens caps is difficult so I always keep the lenses covered with them. I use filters only for effect, not for protection (except in very windy and gritty or moist environments) because the glass is not as good as the lens. I always use a hood/shade, which also provides a bit of protection. I end up gently cleaning lenses maybe once or twice a year with a microfiber cloth (blown free of dust/grit with a Rocket-Air blower) and a good lens cleaner. I've had no problems with this approach.
 
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