Cleaning Loupes and Lenses

[David Solow]

Hi All,

What do you use to clean you loupes and lenses? I did a search on this site but was unable to find a thread addressing this.

I have a Rodenstock 6x Aspheric (really big glass) and a Schneider 10x loupe? I use the largest Giotto Rocket blower, but sometimes there are a couple of pieces of dust that won't come off. Do you then wipe with an anti-static cloth or just a regular soft cloth or lens cleaning fluid? I have the same question concerning my lenses. Do you clean the lens on the back different then the one in the front? So far, all I have used is the blower. I am really careful with my equipment, and, at least with the lenses, so far the blower has done the trick. However, the loupes are starting to get just a little dirty. Before their performance is affected, I want to make sure they're clean.

I appreciate your sharing your experience with me,

David

[John Kasaian]

I use one of those blowers with a soft brush. If I'm out in the sticks and it's really bad, I'll use vodka and gentley with my flannel shirt. The 240 G Claron always wears a glass filter, so that one's not a big concern.

[John Schneider]

In the big picture, those "rocket" blowers are rather weak. I have a blower nozzle attached to a regulator (at the intermediate stage) on a scuba tank, so it sees about 120 psi. I use that on stubborn dust, and regulate the force the lens sees by how far away I keep the nozzle (usually a foot or so). Note that I wouldn't do this with just any air source (such as shop air), but breathing air has strict limits on particulates and is very dry.

[Ari]

The usual: sandpaper, fine grit :)

Soft lens cloth and condensation of my own breath most of the time; a fine brush for particles stuck to the lens, and lens cleaning solution for stubborn stuff.

[E. von Hoegh]

The usual: sandpaper, fine grit :)

Soft lens cloth and condensation of my own breath most of the time; a fine brush for particles stuck to the lens, and lens cleaning solution for stubborn stuff.

Fluoric acid.

[Joseph Dickerson]

I love Clear Sight...it's non-alcoholic and does a great job.

You can order it off the web and it used to be available from B&H.

The "inventor/alchemist" is a great guy, and a Brooks grad to boot. Used to be the AV department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Tell him I sent you. ;)

JD

[goamules]

Asked and answered often, keyword "cleaning" and one click finds:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=83493
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=80507
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=65438

....I stopped there.

[domaz]

ROR and a microfiber cloth. Don't use cheap or off-brand lens cleaners they all leave smears and streaks.

[David Solow]

Thanks, everyone. I realized I had neglected to click on "Relevancy" instead of the default, "Last Posting Date". I assume everything that applies to lenses also pertains to loupes.

I am very careful with my lenses, but I don't put filters on them for protection. A teacher of mine drilled it into us thirty years ago not to do this (although I know there are many who disagree), so if I get dirt on the lens, it's on the lens, not a filter.

Basically, from all of your help and reading the three posts that Garrett shared, one should keep his lens clean, so cleaning becomes unnecessary. If it should get dirty:

Use a blower of some sort (different types are suggested from one's own breath to the scuba tank) to remove debris.
if needed, remove carefully with a brush
if still neeeded, remove carefully with a clean cloth (old t-shirt, microfiber cloth)
if still needed, wipe carefully with a cloth or tissue dampened with a liquid (distilled water, lens cleaning solution, vodka, etc.), taking great care not to apply any pressure.

If I'm not understanding this correctly, please let me know.

Thanks again,
David