Cleaning LF Lenses?

[colotonphoto]

What techniques and approaches do you all use to clean fingerprints, rain drops, and other stuff from fragile LF glass? I have been building my collection of LF glass across the past couple of years, and I want to make sure i treat them properly. Gone are the days when I could just wipe my UV Filter that rests over my Nikkor 35mm lenses with a t-shirt... Thanks in advance for your advice.

[cyrus]

This is what I tell my friends:

First, don't clean unless absolutely necessary. Far more damage is done to lenses by unecessarily and inept cleaning than by dirt on the lens. In fact there is no requirement for lenses to be perfectly clean. Certo6 used to have a picture of a photo he took with a giant dead bug between his lens elements - and the photo was fine. Also, lens glass isn't ALL THAT fragile. If you touch it, you don't destroy it.

Second, if you do clean, use the right stuff. Non-abrasive tissue with real lens cleaner fluid.

Third, use a soft brush and canned air (not blowing with your mouth) to blow off the larger chunks of dirt that can scratch the lens.

Fourth, then moisten some clean tissue with lens cleaner, and gently stroke the lens with it, dragging it over the surfac0e of the lens. Repeat a couple of times with new tissue.

Fifth, use dry tissue to dry the lens but don't vigorously rub the lens with the tissue.

Sixth, use a clear filter to protect the lens.

[BrianShaw]

I do cyrus's first through fifth, but not the sixth. For third I like a "squeezy blower" rather than canned air. I also use a clean T-shirt on occasion and have never seen a new scratch because of it. Scratching could happen, of course...

[E. von Hoegh]

It's better to keep your lens clean, than to keep cleaning your lens. I keep a cap and or a filter on if I think the lens is likely to collect dirt/debris.

I use a brush or blast of air to get anything loose off, then Kodak tissue with a bit of isopropyl to remove any greasy/sticky stuff.
Just remember, never apply pressure to the glass.

[DrTang]

whatever happened to those radioactive brushes ?


they seemed to work pretty good

[lenser]

For years, I've been very pleased with the lens pens, including the removal of a huge area (like two big postage stamps and she was ready to abandon the lens) of some kind of deposit on a friend's digital lens that would not come off with tissues and cleaners, but which disappeared immediately with the felt pad of the lens pen. I did fog that lens first by breathing on it.....something I usually avoid, but it needed a bit of moisture other than a traditional cleaner.

ALWAYS, use the brush to first remove any lint or dust. Then go on to the pad if needed.

As Cyrus says, don't do anything other than brush off the dust, unless it is absolutely needed.

[lenser]

DrTang,

Staticmasters? Those had a fairly open plutonium insert and they may well have been banned.

[Steve Hamley]

Polonium. It's not the same.

Cheers, Steve

[E. von Hoegh]

I think there was one containing americium as well.

[colotonphoto]

Thank you all. I really appreciate the guidance. I will make sure I avoid any smudges, blower first, then careful application with lens cleaning solution and a lens tissue. Much appreciated.