Have I *!@!!* my filters up?

[Lol999]

Hi all, got to cleaning my gear last night after a couple of days shooting when I managed to get fingerprints on my filters. I get out the cleaning kit someone bought me a while ago and squirt the cleaning solution on and gently wipe in a circular motion with the cleaning cloth. When I look through the filters I can see small cracks or crazing in a circular direction on the filters. Upon examining the cleaning fluid I see it is an alcohol free one for LCD screens, but no mention of lenses etc :blushing: I've checked the filters today and the marks are still there. Qusetion is have I fubared my filters such that they need replacing?

Cheers, Lol

 

[ksmattfish]

What brand and type of filters? I don't think cracking would be caused by the cleaning fluid.

 

[Alex_B]

Hm,, I never heard of someone using anysort of such a cleaning fluid on filters or lenses.

However, a clean cloth and a cleaning fluid for whatever purpose should not produce scratches or cracks. I see two possibilities:

1. there was some sand or other sort of "mineral dust" in the cloth or on the lens which caused the scratches.

2. as this solution was non-alcoholic it just leaves residual traces on the filter. Those could be wiped away with a proper solution. LCD-cleaning liquids ofte leave such traves even on LCDs. that is why I hate them even for cleaning LCDs

I hope your case is number 2 ... then they only need a gentle cleaning with the proper thing ...

 

[Torus34]

Might be residue.

To check, get some lens tissue. Using your breath, 'fog' the filter surface and rub with the lens tissue. Then re-check for streaks.

 

[Lol999]

folks it looks like residue from the cleaning cloth! I tried gently wiping the filters with a clean part of the cloth and the marks remain. Give a gentle fog with the breath, clean suitable cloth and they all disappear! That was a close one!:mrgreen:

Cheers folks, Lol

 

[ksmattfish]

Give a gentle fog with the breath, clean suitable cloth

That's how I clean all of my lenses and filters. I've tried a number of lens cleaning fluids, and they all were a case of the cure being worse than the affliction. They always left residue that was troublesome to completely remove. My favorite cleaning cloth is white cotton darkroom gloves. I buy them cheap in bags of a dozen pairs, and stick a glove in every camera bag. When I think they might be getting dirty, I toss them out, or use them elsewhere in my home.

 

[Torus34]

"All's well that ends well."