Cleaning Lenses And Camera Optics

[smoke665]

Ok, here's a question that doesn't involve taking a picture, but can sure affect the outcome. With all the new modern coatings, what do you use for routine cleaning of lenses and mirrors???? In the old days I had lens paper and a cleaning solution, now I'm not sure what to use?????

 

[table1349]

First: a Rocket Blower. If that takes care of it DONE!
If not, the next step is: Soft lens brush think lens pen. If that takes care of it DONE!
If it is still not clean then: Zeiss Pre-Moistened Lens Cleaning Wipes
If that still doesn’t do the trick, get your gear looked at professionally.

 

[weepete]

For lenses I just have several microfibre cloths, the same kind people use for spectacles, and a bit of breath. I also have a lens pen but it's not as good for greasy stuff than a couple of clean microfibre cloths. Though I've also been known to use the bottom of my t-shirt in a pinch.

For sensors I use a rocketblower or if dust is a bit more stubborn a gel pen to lift it off.

 

[astroNikon]

First: a Rocket Blower. If that takes care of it DONE!
If not, the next step is: Soft lens brush think lens pen. If that takes care of it DONE!
If it is still not clean then: Zeiss Pre-Moistened Lens Cleaning Wipes
If that still doesn’t do the trick, get your gear looked at professionally.

I was told to never use a Lens Pen. If there's any particles there the pen can use it to scratch the coating.

 

[table1349]

I don't use the pen end. Just the brush end. Got it for free so no need to spend money on a brush.

 

[SCraig]

Lenses: Rocket blower, Lens Pen (brush end only), microfiber cloth, alcohol and water. I stop after the step that gets things the way I want them, and there has to be a lot of crap on the lens before I mess with it.

Sensor: Rocket Blower, wet cleaning with Photographic Solutions swabs and Eclipse. But there has to be a lot of crap on my sensor before I mess with it.

 

[Derrel]

Soft brush. Good, clean microfiber cloth.

 

[smoke665]

If it is still not clean then: Zeiss Pre-Moistened Lens Cleaning Wipes

I used these a few years ago on my glasses. It seemed that after awhile it caused some problems, at least the optometrist claimed that was the reason. I've gotten conflicting reports since then on the compatibility with today's coatings.

I have a little puffer, soft lens brush, and a stack of microfiber cloth. That takes care of most of it except that rare occasion that you accidentally touch a lens. Then the oil from the skin is hard to get off without some type of cleaner.

 

[Derrel]

Smoke665, I thought you might appreciate this: the absolute best microfiber cloth I have ever found is a Pentax branded one that I bought years ago from a small brick and mortar photography store and studio in my old hometown! it is of the thin, silk-like texture, as opposed to the thicker, suede-like type of microfiber cloth. it's about 8 x 8 inches, light gray, and simply fantastic at lifting oils/fingerprints from lens surfaces. I have tried other types of microfiber cloth, but the old Pentax one has served me very well.

I have had good success washing this cloth using lemon Dawn dishwashing soap, and rinsing it thoroughly, about ten rinses in total, then squeezing out the final of multiple rinses, and hanging the cloth to dry inside a cabinet, where the cloth is placed on top of a drinking glass. I use only warm water to do the washing and rinsing of the microfiber cloth.

Unfortunately, I've been unable to find these Pentax microfiber cloths in stock at any of several online photo dealers. B&H listed them as no longer available.

 

[smoke665]

@Derrel I had some years ago, as well as a few remaining packs of Kodak lens tissues. Those work decent, but my supply is just about exhausted and I don't find them listed anywhere. Zeiss makes very similar cloth (Wally World). I have one for my glasses, that needs to be cleaned. Think I'll try your technique on it.

 

[cgw]

"routine cleaning of lenses and mirrors"

That's a truly scary proposition. The trick, of course, is to keep 'em clean. OCD-like scrubbing(the term "routine" here is troubling) is usually a recipe for cleaning marks(scratches). Mirror "cleaning" is best avoided altogether.

Either a blower and/or a super soft brush keeps my lenses clean. On often-used lenses I do attach hi-quality clear filters that I clean rather than a front element. I use thin micro-fibre cloths and Costco eye glass cleaner for baked-on crud.That's my beauty regimen.

Just keep in mind that a lens has to be truly dirty to have any effect on your images. Mirrors are best left dusty since they have NO impact on your photos and cleaning will damage their fragile surfaces.

 

[Derrel]

The first camera mirror I cleaned, I ruined.

The last camera mirror I cleaned, I ruined.

There has only been one camera mirror that I have ever cleaned. And I ruined it. I think I mentioned that, right?

 

[smoke665]

@cgw I hear you, "routine" was probably the wrong choice of words. Maybe "occasional", "mandatory", "oh crap moments", might have been a better choice OCD should be included in my middle name but there are still those "oh crap" moments that occur - usually something touching the front element. I used to keep UV haze filters on them so no big deal, but after having a couple go bad with age (internal discoloration), just never got around to replacing them.

 

[Trever1t]

I use the inside of my t shirt.

Honestly though I use to tweak on that stuff. Now I blow some air on it, up it and be done. Lens paper and a Nikon cleaning pen if I must.

 

[KmH]

Blower, & a natural bristle brush.
If that doesn't suffice then I add a huff of breath to moisten the surface and use a disposable lens tissue.
If still not clean I spritz a little Nikon Lens cleaner solution on a lens tissue.

I have a 4 oz bottle of Nikon lens cleaner solution that's probably 25 years old and still 3/4 full.

I've gently brushed many a SLR/DSLR main mirror with no trouble.

Microfiber cloths get nowhere near any of my optics.
Like a lens pen (brush end excluded) microfiber cloths can hold hard, sharp dust particles (even after washing) that will scratch the lens coatings.