Proper lens cleaning technique

Hertz van Rental · Jan 27, 2006

Actually a well-washed cotton (NOT synthetic) T-shirt is the best thing for cleaning lenses - if you have to.
Compressed air and a soft brush for loosening any stubborn dust is best. Use a natural fibre brush like squirrel or sable.
If you are sensible and take care with your equipment it will last. I have cameras that I have had for over 30 years and were used professionally that are still in near mint condition.

Iron Flatline · Jan 27, 2006

I like the little shmatte that comes in a case for new sunglasses or reading glasses.

Dust is pretty irrelevant anyway, it usually shouldn't affect a typical image. If you're doing long exposures, or shooting with a high ISO, you're going to get some smudging that looks like digital noise.

Believe me, the guys shooting in Iraq or other combat zones aren't obsessive about Dust on the lens either. In the body is a whole different song though.

DocFrankenstein · Jan 27, 2006

Iron Flatline said:
Believe me, the guys shooting in Iraq or other combat zones aren't obsessive about Dust on the lens either. In the body is a whole different song though.

I'm sure flying shrapnel around puts the values of camera gear in perspective. :thumbup:

bobaab · Jan 27, 2006

how about that special cloth you wipe glasses with? im sure that would be a pretty good thing to get the dust off too..

i also hear that, if you can, use a vaccum. compressed air will lodge dust into the corners of the lense, best thing is to suck it up than to press air into the corners (not that you are wanting to). I think I read this in Popular Photography magazine a year or so back.

Big Mike · Jan 27, 2006

bobaab said:
how about that special cloth you wipe glasses with? im sure that would be a pretty good thing to get the dust off too..

The problem is that those cloths can get dirty...and then all you are doing is grinding that dirt around on the glass. I don't know how well they would stand up to washing...but a cotton t-shirt is pretty simple and straight forward.

JTHphoto · Jan 27, 2006

so, i should stop using hydrochloric acid and 80 grit sandpaper to clean my gear?

JTHphoto · Jan 27, 2006

Big Mike said:
The problem is that those cloths can get dirty...and then all you are doing is grinding that dirt around on the glass. I don't know how well they would stand up to washing...but a cotton t-shirt is pretty simple and straight forward.

those little microfiber cloths i use can be sent through the wash, they are probably cleaner than my t-shirts when i'm out hiking and 4x4'n... but my t-shirt has been used plenty of times too...

PachelbelsCanon350D · Jan 28, 2006

JTHphoto said:
so, i should stop using hydrochloric acid and 80 grit sandpaper to clean my gear?

:lmao: That might be smart....and I'll stop jamming my step-up rings into my lenses and ruining the threads :lmao:

Oh wait.....I actually did that. Nuts.

bobaab · Jan 29, 2006

Big Mike said:
The problem is that those cloths can get dirty...and then all you are doing is grinding that dirt around on the glass. I don't know how well they would stand up to washing...but a cotton t-shirt is pretty simple and straight forward.

but isn't the t-shirt you are wearing more prone to dust, dirt, whatever is around you etc??

Hertz van Rental · Jan 29, 2006

bobaab said:
but isn't the t-shirt you are wearing more prone to dust, dirt, whatever is around you etc??

I don't know about you, but I put a clean one on every day.
The problem with small cloths/lens tissues is that if you use them to clean something like a fingerprint off a lens surface, as soon as you do the first wipe the fibres get saturated with oil and grease (fingerprints are usually made by the oils that your skin produces) and all you do after that is smear the oil around. The size of the wipe doesn't allow you to find too many clean areas.
Glasses cloths are particularly bad because most people don't bother to wash them - and a lot of them are made from synthetic materials that have very low absorbency - and you can put more crap on to a lens with one than you take off.
Cotton is highly absorbent (that's why you use it for toweling) and a t-shirt gives you a choice of a very large area.
I spent several years working as an assistant to some of the UK's top Ad Photographers. A good proportion of my working day went on cleaning cameras and lenses - first thing and last thing every day and often on the fly under all kinds of conditions. Some of the lenses cost over £3,000 and if I didn't get it right I could damage one - or ruin a £20,000 shoot. Believe me, I know about cleaning lenses.

duelinthedeep · Jan 29, 2006

so basically, using a(clean)cotton t-shirt should clean the lens?

wow...i thought i had to find some secret potion from a wizard and then wipe the lens with some angel wing feathers.

PachelbelsCanon350D · Jan 29, 2006

LOL....angel wing feathers work best of course, but sometimes it's hard to catch those flying buggers. :lol:

Sometimes....I confess....if there is just one annoying little crumb sitting on my lens looking at me, I will make sure my lips are really dry and then Poof! it off with a little burst of air. I've heard that is a NO-NO in case you spit a little :lol:

Hertz van Rental · Jan 29, 2006

PachelbelsCanon350D said:
LOL....angel wing feathers work best of course, but sometimes it's hard to catch those flying buggers.

f4.5 @ 1/500th is usually sufficient.

duelinthedeep · Jan 30, 2006

no matter what it is, Hertz has been there done that.

Jen · Jan 30, 2006

I know that it has been said that there is no such thing as a dumb question, but I am pretty sure I have heard lots of them in my life. With that said, I am going to ask one. Compressed air - this is the same can of air I use to clean my computer keyboard? I am always so afraid of messing up when I clean my camera or lens that most of the time I just don't bother. My photographs are starting to look like Markc's though...