How to clean the darn dirty filter?

[fijinzall]

Hi,
I was just trying to clean a digital polarizer, but somehow am having a rough time. Someone, please, what's the best way to clean the surface? What kind of fluid? I used some fluid I got from the photo store, and that doesn't work either.

I couldn't find any previous thread.

Thanks.
Mark

 

[jowensphoto]

It's more about the cloth you use to clean it. You can get those at the camera store, or swing by your local optometrist and see if they have any free samples.

 

[CAP]

Micro Fiber Cloths work good.

 

[keyseddie]

Spit and the bottom of your tee shirt.

 

[robbins.photo]

Spit and the bottom of your tee shirt.

Ridiculous. Everybody knows you should use the top of your tshirt. lol

Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk

 

[SCraig]

If a Rocket Blower or micro-fiber cloth won't do it alone I use a 50/50 mix of distilled water and isopropyl alcohol.

 

[TCampbell]

As was pointed out already -- the solution is much less important than the cloth. You could use ordinary water if you want... but the cloth needs to be a good lint-free fabric cleaning cloth. I have some micro-fiber mini towels and I also have some silk cloth squares and they both work equally well.

Dust is going to fall on the lens the moment you finish cleaning it -- don't obsess about that. Dust won't show up in the image unless the camera it is direct sun (sunlight shining on the glass) -- in which case use a lens hood or otherwise shield the lens from direct sunlight and you're fine.

It's not technically possible for a camera to focus on any object directly on the glass. I once cut a 3M Post-It note down to a small square (perhaps just a couple of millimeters across) and "stuck" it to the end of my lens to simulate a big piece of dirt just to prove that the camera really can't see it. A camera can't focus on anything directly on the surface of the glass. A piece of dust on the lens can catch sunlight and create a bit of a dust-flare -- but only if the sun can shine directly on it.

 

[AlanKlein]

Tim's right about the front element of the lens. But dirt on the back element will show up on the sensor or film. Don't forget to check it when changing lenses and clean as required.

 

[KmH]

Cloth can hold dirt particles that then scratch your lens.
On that basis - IMO, micro fiber cloth is the absolute worst thing you can use.

I highly recommend using disposable lens tissues, after using a blower and brush to remove any particles that could scratch the filter

A huff of breath leaves enough moisture that is usually sufficient to remove anything from the filter than is not oily.
Fingerprints are oily so you would want to spritz a lens tissue with lens cleaning solution and then gently wiping the filter.

Nikon Lens Cleaner liquid Spray (1oz/30ml)

Tiffen Lens Cleaning Paper Tissue Pack Of 50 Sheets

Uvex Lens Cleaning Tissues - 500

 

[Lawrence968]

Try micro fibre cloth.