Cleaning Lenses - What's best?

SEPkent

SEPkent

Suspended / Banned
Messages
1,167
Name
Jon
Edit My Images
Yes
:help: General information and personal choice I guess. What's the general use for cleaning the lens glass? Blow the dust off and ???? :help:
:bonk::bonk::bonk::bonk:
 
Microfibre cloth and some heavy breathing.
 
Nobody's mentioned a Giottos Rocket Blower yet. That should always be the first thing you use, vigorously. You need to eliminate all particles of dust/grit on the lens so that you don't inadvertently grind them into the surface later.

For removing grease, waterspots, fingerprints etc, we've probably used most products on the market. We've now settled on Kimtech Precision Wipes. They're single-use tissue things, 21x11cm, and they come in boxes of 280 for about £3. They're so effective, 99% of the time we don't need any sort of cleaning fluid - breathing on the lens is all that's needed. Plus, being single-use, there's no possibility of transferring dust/grit to the lens as there would be with, say, a microfibre cloth.
 
I use the giottos blower, then breath on it and buff with microfibre cloth, then blower again (if required).
 
One more for the blower then lens pen. Those pens are great for polariser filters too, where anything else seemed to just smear.

Graham
 
I use one of the micro cloths that is used for cleaning glasses - borrowed from the wife :D
 
StewartR said:
Nobody's mentioned a Giottos Rocket Blower yet. That should always be the first thing you use, vigorously. You need to eliminate all particles of dust/grit on the lens so that you don't inadvertently grind them into the surface later.

For removing grease, waterspots, fingerprints etc, we've probably used most products on the market. We've now settled on Kimtech Precision Wipes. They're single-use tissue things, 21x11cm, and they come in boxes of 280 for about £3. They're so effective, 99% of the time we don't need any sort of cleaning fluid - breathing on the lens is all that's needed. Plus, being single-use, there's no possibility of transferring dust/grit to the lens as there would be with, say, a microfibre cloth.
Click to expand...

Excellent post Stewart :) The point about not grinding dirt in to the surface is a good one. I think that a lot of cleaning (of lenses and sensors) does more harm than good!
 
Cig Papers didnt work for me.
I just left marks and streaks on the lens.
I use a glasses cloth does the job with some heavy breathing...
 
Diffrent one....
haha

Uses a lens pen first or a rocket blower depends what i get to first or what I have on me....
 
In the field, blower brush (not the rocket - that's reserved for the sensor) followed by the brush end of a lenspen followed by t'other end of the lens pen. For a better clean at home, blow, brush then lens tissues and cleaning fluid. If that doesn't shift the gunk, I use some stuff that you paint onto the lens then peel off when it's dry (? Opticlean? Can't find it to check!!!).
 
Any recommendation on what type of lens pens. THe Hama ones seem ok, but has had a few negative reviews on amazon.
 
Yv said:
Oooeerrrr, which lenses have corners then? I want one :D :whistling:
Click to expand...

That would be the right angled lens :bonk:

I widened the topic to include sensors - I think I must have been reading about sensor cleaning and got confused. I think there is a lens pen for sensors, but again I would have to ask about the corners with a round pen.

Graham
 
blue max said:
That would be the right angled lens :bonk:

I widened the topic to include sensors - I think I must have been reading about sensor cleaning and got confused. I think there is a lens pen for sensors, but again I would have to ask about the corners with a round pen.

Graham
Click to expand...

I think the sensorklear lenspens have triangular heads.
 
I use the same wipes as I use for my specs on my lenses, never had a problem so far. They're basically just alcahol swaps. Make sure there's no loose grit then give them a wipe over. The fluid evaporates quickly so no smears etc.
 
Another vote for the rocket blower! Blast the bits away, then clean with an optical cloth thingy if there are still marks/hairs etc! But as said before, make sure there's no grit before rubbing the glass!
 
When I'm out walking I'll regularly wipe my lenses over with a microfibre cloth. When I make a scheduled stop ( i.e. once I'm in the pub :D ) I subscribe to the Rocket Blower / LensPen combination . . . .
 
Never used anything but my tee shirt on my lens, under close inspection the glass is in mint condition.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top