Did I scratch my lens coating?

[NedM]

So today I bought a Canon 50mm 1.4 and I somehow managed to get a fingerprint on the lens.

I first used a blower to get rid of any excess dust or anything that might scratch it whilst I cleaned it.

Then I grabbed some lint-free tissue cleaners specifically designed for cleaning lens and I used one drop of Canon's cleaning solution and cleaned the lens that way. (Used one drop of solution onto the tissues then proceeded to clean)

Well, now it seems like it cleaned out the finger print but it left circular smudges that I can see it when I look from the side view. I tried to take a photo to show but the picture doesn't come out clear.

Did I mess up the coating or anything of that sort? How can I clean my lens properly without leaving any smudges? Or am I being paranoid and the smudges shouldn't affect my images?

 

[NedM]

Updated edit*

 

[KmH]

It just excess dried up lens cleaner, but that wouldn't make your photos noticeably not clear.
Get another tissue.
Use a huff of breath to moisten the front lens element.
Gently wipe the lens again. Repeat if necessary using a fresh tissue each time.

What brand is the cleaning tissue?

 

[NedM]

It just excess dried up lens cleaner, but that wouldn't make your photos noticeably not clear.
Get another tissue.
Use a huff of breath to moisten the front lens element.
Gently wipe the lens again. Repeat if necessary using a fresh tissue each time.

What brand is the cleaning tissue?

Okay, so I tried what you said and it cleared up some of circular smudges but they are still some circular smudges from cleaning when I used my breath.

Under an LED light, you can see the circular smudges at an angle.

Why is this still happening?

I am using Lens Cleaning Tissue Paper by K&F

 

[NedM]

Should I just leave my lens alone? I feel like I have been cleaning it too much and I dont want to scratch any special coatings or something along those lines.

I took some test shots, and they were sharp and very clear, so I am not sure if the slight circular smudges are affecting my images.

 

[Stradawhovious]

Should I just leave my lens alone? I feel like I have been cleaning it too much and I dont want to scratch any special coatings or something along those lines.

I took some test shots, and they were sharp and very clear, so I am not sure if the slight circular smudges are affecting my images.

#1 Pics.

#2 if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

#3, scratches will be devoid of color, smudges will still have the "oil on water" appearence assuming your lens has a physical coating. I have a lens with several tiny scratches in the front element and it does nothing to the IQ.

 

[NedM]

Should I just leave my lens alone? I feel like I have been cleaning it too much and I dont want to scratch any special coatings or something along those lines.

I took some test shots, and they were sharp and very clear, so I am not sure if the slight circular smudges are affecting my images.

#1 Pics.

#2 if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

#3, scratches will be devoid of color, smudges will still have the "oil on water" appearence assuming your lens has a physical coating. I have a lens with several tiny scratches in the front element and it does nothing to the IQ.

And in all instances, you're probably right. If it isn't broken, there's probably nothing wrong with it. I guess I'm just those type of people that like my lenses to be really clean of practically anything.. but I did take some test shots and I saw nothing out of the ordinary. The focusing was tack sharp in manual and in auto. The images were clean of any smudges or milkiness. I suppose I might be overthinking this a bit..


Although with all of my excessive cleaning and whatnot, is there a chance that I might damaged any special coatings? I'm not even sure if my lens (50mm 1.4 Canon) has any. And if I did damage any special coatings, what are the affects it may have o my image quality, if any?

 

[Derrel]

You are most likely smearing around a bit of finger oil and excess cleaning solution.

If you want to be able to clean a lens efficiently, and GET JUNK OFF THE LENS easily, reliably, and with little effort and almost no pressure, step into the early 21st century, and get a quality microfiber cleaning cloth, and keep it in a closed, clean, new Zip-Lock bag when not in use. I know there are paranoid worry-warts that always talk about microfiber cloths picking up grit and scratching a lens. So far, 13 years later and 50+ lenses cleaned, front and rear maybe 10 times each...not a SINGLE scratch with four different microfiber cloths for this guy.

Seriously: I used Kodak Lens Cleaning Tissue for a couple decades. It does not handle grease or oil smudges anywhere near as well as a microfiber cloth. The microfiber lens cleaning cloth is the new lens cleaning tool of choice for wiping. When cleaning any fine lens, FIRST OFF, you still must use a blower or brush to remove sand/grit/detrius from the lens front and any filter threads or anti-reflection grooves that the maker has put on the front of the lens out at the edges, so, the idea of getting "grit" from a microfiber cloth is, at best, a specious argument. The "grit" has already been blown away, or brushed away. Again--if you are having trouble removing evaporated or smeared oils or smudges, you need a better tool, a better medium, for the wiping part of the lens-cleaning process; many lens tissues simply PUSH crap around and around and around. As you have found!!!

"old-school" lens and filter coatings easily show smeared grease/oils/cleaning solution evaporation; new, high-tech coatings make it MUICH easier to wipe off such residue. Chance are that you just have smeared a mess around, and the coatings are fine. This is based on 35+ years of lens cleaning experience. You NEED A BETTER WIPING medium! Even a clean, 100% soft cotton T-shirt is better than some lens tissues. Lens tissue is not all that easy to use on "some" types of lens cleaning situations. Again- buy the best tool yet invented: a microfiber lens cleaning cloth.

 

[NedM]

You are most likely smearing around a bit of finger oil and excess cleaning solution.

If you want to be able to clean a lens efficiently, and GET JUNK OFF THE LENS easily, reliably, and with little effort and almost no pressure, step into the early 21st century, and get a quality microfiber cleaning cloth, and keep it in a closed, clean, new Zip-Lock bag when not in use. I know there are paranoid worry-warts that always talk about microfiber cloths picking up grit and scratching a lens. So far, 13 years later and 50+ lenses cleaned, front and rear maybe 10 times each...not a SINGLE scratch with four different microfiber cloths for this guy.

Seriously: I used Kodak Lens Cleaning Tissue for a couple decades. It does not handle grease or oil smudges anywhere near as well as a microfiber cloth. The microfiber lens cleaning cloth is the new lens cleaning tool of choice for wiping. When cleaning any fine lens, FIRST OFF, you still must use a blower or brush to remove sand/grit/detrius from the lens front and any filter threads or anti-reflection grooves that the maker has put on the front of the lens out at the edges, so, the idea of getting "grit" from a microfiber cloth is, at best, a specious argument. The "grit" has already been blown away, or brushed away. Again--if you are having trouble removing evaporated or smeared oils or smudges, you need a better tool, a better medium, for the wiping part of the lens-cleaning process; many lens tissues simply PUSH crap around and around and around. As you have found!!!

"old-school" lens and filter coatings easily show smeared grease/oils/cleaning solution evaporation; new, high-tech coatings make it MUICH easier to wipe off such residue. Chance are that you just have smeared a mess around, and the coatings are fine. This is based on 35+ years of lens cleaning experience. You NEED A BETTER WIPING medium! Even a clean, 100% soft cotton T-shirt is better than some lens tissues. Lens tissue is not all that easy to use on "some" types of lens cleaning situations. Again- buy the best tool yet invented: a microfiber lens cleaning cloth.

I have used a microfiber cleaning lens cloth before, and have had no problems with it. I just try to steer clear of using it since I've heard all the affects it has on your lens. Like the ones you mention, i.e. smearing grit around and scratching the lens.

But in my experience, you are right. Whenever I use a lens tissue, I do find myself just pushing stuff around rather than cleaning it.

When using a microfiber lens cleaning cloth, do I need to buy multiple? Is it a one-time use only type of cleaning? If not, how do I clean my microfiber cloth so dust/dirt/grime doesn't build up overtime?

 

[Vince.1551]

I just hate those lens tissues. They always leave tiny bits on the lens. Like Derrel said use s microfiber cloth. Also the same reason why I use lens filters. I like my front element looking pristine.


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[NedM]

I just hate those lens tissues. They always leave tiny bits on the lens. Like Derrel said use s microfiber cloth. Also the same reason why I use lens filters. I like my front element looking pristine.


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Would any microfiber cloth do?
What are some good brands?
Are they a one time use only?
Or is there a certain way to wash them to be able to reuse them?

 

[Derrel]

I wash microfiber cloths with liquid dish soap, Lemon Joy brand, and warm water. DO NOT USE really hot water on microfibers, and do NOT microwave them, ever!!! Wash with ample liquid soap, and then rinse thoroughly under running water, wash again, then rinse, and then rinse in a drinking glass with water that you let stand for 30 seconds, them dump, then repeat, do that about six times, wring out the cloth by hand, then place it on top of a drinking glass to dry inside of a closed cupboard.

Here is an article on how to clean a lens, with the advice to use a microfiber cloth coming from none other than Steve Heiner, the senior technical manager at Nikon, USA.

http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com...ens-the-right-way/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0.