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Thread: Lens Cleaning

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Posts
    1

    Lens Cleaning

    hi all. i think this has been asked before, but could not find the thread in the archives. how do you go about cleaning your lenses and filters? what lens cleaning solution is the safest for multicoated lenses and filters? i heard ROR is BAD. thanks for the help.

    dave

  2. #2
    tim atherton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 1998
    Posts
    3,697

    Lens Cleaning

    The best bar none is Clearsight

    http://www.clearsightusa.com/csb.html http://www.clearsightusa.com

    Does what ROR claims to do but doesn't leave you trying to clean up the ROR residue...! I alsways seem to end up giving away my spare bottles people like it so much...
    You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn

    www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog

  3. #3

    Lens Cleaning

    The best way to handle your lenses is not to get them dirty in the first place. However, if you have to clean an optical surface here is a safe way to proceed:

    Get an envelope of Kodak (or similar) lens tissue. Take out 4 sheets of tissue. Tear them in half. Take half of the tissue and fold it together such that the torn ends are in one end. Apply a drop of lens cleaner to this end. Gently clean the lens in a small circular motion. (After blowing off dust from the lens!!!) Immediately, before the lens dries take the other half of the torn dry lens tissue. Dry the lens gently using a circular motion.

    The lens should be spotless now.

  4. #4
    Old School Wayne
    Join Date
    Dec 1999
    Posts
    1,255

    Lens Cleaning

    I do similar to what Per says, except that I lightly *drag* the tissue across the lens in one direction without applying any pressure, and I do this once only. Then I use a fresh wad and repeat until the entire surface is cleaned. This helps ensure that any grit you pick up doesnt cause scratching.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    377

    Lens Cleaning

    I used to use the method that Per uses. Now I just use Formula MC and a microfiber cloth. Works at least as well, and I don't run around tearing up tissues anymore. As far as ROR being bad, I never had any problems with it, MC is just better. Whatever you do stay away from Kodak lens cleaner - it smears like crazy on multicoated filters.

  6. #6

    Lens Cleaning

    I'm going to cast a vote for the LensPen. Just about everything else I've tried (microfiber cloths, lens tissue, etc) has been unsatisfactory due to smears and *gulp* scratches and the dreaded "cleaning marks".

    Use the built-in brush to remove loose particles, and then genltly swirl the pad end around on the lens to remove fingerprints, etc.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jan 2001
    Posts
    150

    Lens Cleaning

    My goodness, clean water on a soft real cotton ball or very soft cotton cloth works just fine if dust has been blown off first and only very gentle pressure applied. Chemicals are not really needed most of the time in my experience. . . .

    Scott

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Oct 2000
    Posts
    214

    Lens Cleaning

    While we`re on the subject, does anyone know what the lens manufacturers{Rodenstock, Zeiss etc...} use to clean lenses? Bob, are you out there?

  9. #9

    Lens Cleaning

    Have steered clear of the tissues and the cleaning liquids because of the human error factor and how costly lenses are. I got a suggestion for a cleaning polymer that does not require rubbing and after simple liquid application it dries and gently pulls off and takes all of the smudges and debris with it. It is called Opti-Clean. While it is not cheap, it works like a champ. They have a web site I believe at opticlean.com Good Luck

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Loganville , GA
    Posts
    14,408

    Lens Cleaning

    The factories use alcohol. And carefully. They use a white micro fiber cloth with no hem so they can see if there is dirt on the cloth and so there is no hem which could scratch.

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