Really worried about my lens coating!

[thomas610]

I was cleaning my new and first camera today (Olympus 35 RC) with a microfibre cloth until I realised that a couple of minutes before the cloth had been sitting on a surface that I had recently cleaned with Mr Muscle. I'm really paranoid and am trying to find out how to tell if the lens coating is damaged but I can't find anything. I also don't have access to any film for the next couple of days so is there anything I can do before then to stop me worrying like crazy? I'm a complete novice so sorry if this is a stupid question

 

[jaomul]

I'd doubt if your microfiber was just lying on it and not soaked in it that there'll be any issues

 

[dxqcanada2]

Does the lens look clean, no hazy marks or scratches ?
You can also set the shutter speed to bulb, open up to f/2.8 ... open the back, then trip the shutter and look through.

 

[john.margetts]

Lens coating is tough stuff. I collect old cameras and occasionally a 'new' camera will be incredibly dirty and I have been known to use brass cleaner on the lens to get the crud off - without damaging the coating. I'm not suggesting you should use brass cleaner - I only use it as a last resort - I mention to illustrate how tough that coating is. Short of using emery cloth, you are not going to damage it.

 

[thomas610]

Does the lens look clean, no hazy marks or scratches ?
You can also set the shutter speed to bulb, open up to f/2.8 ... open the back, then trip the shutter and look through.

It looks OK but it is night time over here so I have been looking under artificial light. It seems to be a uniform colour throughout and doesnt seem to have any hazy marks. Do you think i'm ok?

 

[thomas610]

Lens coating is tough stuff. I collect old cameras and occasionally a 'new' camera will be incredibly dirty and I have been known to use brass cleaner on the lens to get the crud off - without damaging the coating. I'm not suggesting you should use brass cleaner - I only use it as a last resort - I mention to illustrate how tough that coating is. Short of using emery cloth, you are not going to damage it.

Thanks so much, this has put my mind at rest. This is my first ever camera so I have been worrying like crazy

 

[Designer]

Thanks so much, this has put my mind at rest. This is my first ever camera so I have been worrying like crazy

Anti-reflective coatings can be rubbed thin over time, so don't use micro-fiber cloths. Also don't use any solvent other than pure water. I doubt if you've done any damage with that first cleaning, so relax. Save your anxiety for when you drop the camera or lens or both together.

Yes, all new camera owners worry over minor stuff, so you're not alone. The worst that will happen to your lens by rubbing the coating off is that you'll start to get more lens flare in your shots. You can minimize that by not shooting toward a source of light. So relax.

Anyway, if you want to learn how to clean your lenses, watch these videos:





And R E L A X !

 

[thomas610]

Thanks so much, this has put my mind at rest. This is my first ever camera so I have been worrying like crazy

Anti-reflective coatings can be rubbed thin over time, so don't use micro-fiber cloths. Also don't use any solvent other than pure water. I doubt if you've done any damage with that first cleaning, so relax. Save your anxiety for when you drop the camera or lens or both together.

Yes, all new camera owners worry over minor stuff, so you're not alone. The worst that will happen to your lens by rubbing the coating off is that you'll start to get more lens flare in your shots. You can minimize that by not shooting toward a source of light. So relax.


And R E L A X !

Thanks, would you give the same answer if i told you that i'd been cleaning the lens too much? Only since i got it so two days but i have been wiping a lot not knowing the risks! if i don't do it from now on and use a uv filter instead should i be ok?

 

[Designer]

Thanks, would you give the same answer if i told you that i'd been cleaning the lens too much? Only since i got it so two days but i have been wiping a lot not knowing the risks! if i don't do it from now on and use a uv filter instead should i be ok?

I suspect this will come as a surprise to you, but light surface dirt on the front of the lens such as dust and fingerprints will not show up in your photographs. The reason is because nothing on the front will be in focus, so you won't see even a ghost of a fuzzy anything in your photos. The main effect of stuff on the front element is loss of contrast and/or flare. Also, dirt left on for a period of time will begin to pit the coating and glass surface, but that is like months, not days. Cleaning your lenses is not difficult, and as long as you do it properly, you won't hurt them.

Foreign objects on the rear element is a little more sensitive to leaving artifacts on your images, but the rear elements are usually well out of the way of fingerprints and dust motes. Every time you prepare to mount a lens, always check the rear element. A good practice to make a habit is to care for your camera and lenses by keeping your fingers and dust off the lenses in the first place. Handle them properly and store them properly. Avoid airborne dust, and be extra careful when changing lenses.

 

[Designer]

if i ... use a uv filter instead should i be ok?

Is the filter you plan to use as good as the lens? Using inferior add-on filters will probably degrade your images faster than fingerprints. If you feel that you need to use a clear filter on the front, make sure you get a good one, otherwise it's like using drugstore glasses instead of getting prescription glasses.

FYI: I don't have a UV filter on any of my lenses. I would put one on if I were going to take photos in certain harmful conditions.