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chassis
19-Feb-2017, 08:31
What is the current state of the art for lens cleaning? I still have a decades-old envelope of Kodak lens cleaning paper and a bottle of Kodak lens cleaner fluid, of similar vintage.

With the advent of microfiber cloths, what is the best way today to clean expensive glass?

Two23
19-Feb-2017, 09:19
Not sure it's "state of art," but what I do depends on what's on the lens. If it's just fingerprints, the best thing I've found is a microfiber cleaning cloth. I first will run it over the glass very lightly with no real pressure, to knock off any tiny bits of grit. I then use light pressure, wiping away from lens center. Same for water/snow. The most serious problem I usually encounter is dried grit from waterfall spray. I usually have a polarizer on when shooting waterfalls, and simply run the filter under the water in a sink or water fountain. If it's on the lens, I take great care that the grit does not scratch. I lightly brush with a soft brush, then using wet (not dripping) lens tissue will begin to dampen the crud, and start removing it by simply pulling the tissue across the lens (no pressure.) I alternate with wet and dry tissue until the grit is gone, and finish up with a microfiber cloth and very light pressure.


Kent in SD

Bob Salomon
19-Feb-2017, 09:28
Get a good microfiber cloth, a good air blower and a quality bottle of lens fluid.
Then throw out that lens tissue, it will cause micro scratches on a lens due to its silica content.

Peter De Smidt
19-Feb-2017, 09:34
Disposable Zeiss wipes, or similar, are also good. What you don't ever want to do is to drag particles across the glass. So, blow off dust first and use a clean cloth. I agree with Bob. Throw out the lens cleaning tissue.

Alan Gales
19-Feb-2017, 10:14
I owned five 35mm Zeiss lenses for many years. I had bought all five brand new. When I sold them the glass and lens coatings on all five looked like new. I even had one of the Ebay buyers contact me to find out how I cleaned my lenses.

The key is not to clean them. I kept UV filters on all lenses and mostly cleaned those instead. I did remove the UV filters to use other filters but when I got home I would wipe the lens barrels off with a clean cloth. I would then remove the filters and gently clean the glass with a blower brush. I only used lens tissue and lens cleaner when I absolutely had to.

Some will tell you not to put glass filters in front of your lens because it will slightly degrade the image. I never could find a difference.

Today, I no longer use lens tissue and use micro fiber cloths and lens cleaning solution like the other fellows who posted above. Keep your micro fiber cloths clean.

I may be a bit anal when it comes to lenses but when I sold my 35mm lenses on Ebay I received top dollar for them, not to mention the many years of using excellent glass.

Ted R
19-Feb-2017, 10:17
I agree about removing dust first. Isopropyl alcohol is a good mild solvent for cleaning and is probably the main constituent of "lens cleaning fluids" it is inexpensive and available at pharmacies. I use it with a clean cotton bud, which is not reused.

Wayne
19-Feb-2017, 11:33
We can send people to the moon so why can't we make a lens coating (or even a glass) that is tougher than wet tissue and dust?:confused:

locutus
19-Feb-2017, 11:39
I have used a lenspen to keep my lenses clean, worked well for me thus far.

Corran
19-Feb-2017, 11:43
Eclipse cleaning solution and Pec Pads.
This is what I use for cleaning digital camera sensors. Works great and is perfect for lenses or anything delicate really. I think the fluid is methanol. The Pec Pads are lint-free and non-abrasive.

locutus
19-Feb-2017, 12:52
I have used a lenspen to keep my lenses clean, worked well for me thus far.

Sal Santamaura
19-Feb-2017, 13:18
I owned five 35mm Zeiss lenses for many years. I had bought all five brand new. When I sold them the glass and lens coatings on all five looked like new. I even had one of the Ebay buyers contact me to find out how I cleaned my lenses.

The key is not to clean them. I kept UV filters on all lenses and mostly cleaned those instead. I did remove the UV filters to use other filters but when I got home I would wipe the lens barrels off with a clean cloth. I would then remove the filters and gently clean the glass with a blower brush. I only used lens tissue and lens cleaner when I absolutely had to.

Some will tell you not to put glass filters in front of your lens because it will slightly degrade the image. I never could find a difference.

Today, I no longer use lens tissue and use micro fiber cloths and lens cleaning solution like the other fellows who posted above. Keep your micro fiber cloths clean.

I may be a bit anal when it comes to lenses but when I sold my 35mm lenses on Ebay I received top dollar for them, not to mention the many years of using excellent glass.Exactly. A high-quality UV filter (B+W or Heliopan) on every lens.

Serge S
19-Feb-2017, 13:26
We can send people to the moon so why can't we make a lens coating (or even a glass) that is tougher than wet tissue and dust?:confused:

An old timer told me of an occasion when a Nikon rep ground out a cigar stub on the front optic of a lens to demonstrate the durability of their coatings. He told me the lens looked fine:)
I use an old pair of soft cotton underwear that I keep in my camera bag (Ted Grant tip), in the event I need to clean a lens which I almost never bother with. I believe in letting good enough alone (trying for perfection usually gets me into trouble), just use a blower...:)

Jac@stafford.net
19-Feb-2017, 13:46
We can send people to the moon so why can't we make a lens coating (or even a glass) that is tougher than wet tissue and dust?:confused:

We can, and we have. Late lenses have an amazingly durable coating - harder than steel for their micro-thinness.

For me, cleaning depends upon the vintage/age of the lens. I prize some early German lenses which have (had) coating so fragile that a few mild cleanings would wipe the coating right off. For the few that have survived I blow and dust ever so lightly with a micro-fibre cloth, but only if the dust is significant. A little dust on the first surface is no big deal. Believe me.

I do not use solvents because in my old-age I have had lenses in which the solvent migrated to below the lenses edge. Not a good thing.

AuditorOne
19-Feb-2017, 13:57
1. Blow on it.

if that don't cut the crud

2. lick it (no fine grit particles on my tongue)

finally

3. dry it with a fine cotton shirt tail.

as a preventative

4. a filter

5. lens cap

of course all of this careful work is only done if I even notice that that the lens is dirty in the first place.

One of my dear wife's favorite sayings is..."your glasses are as filthy as the lens on your camera. I am amazed you can see to photograph anything!"

:D

Two23
19-Feb-2017, 14:03
I never use "protection" filters ever since one broke and scratched the hell out of my lens. Lens would have been undamaged if I had simply used the lens cap. Same thing happened to one of my friends--dropped a Nikon lens, filter broke, broken glass badly scratched the lens. I use lens caps and lens hoods for protection. I've never had a lens damaged from not having a filter on, but have had one badly damaged because there was a filter on.


Kent in SD

John Layton
19-Feb-2017, 14:11
Step 1 - jet of air from blower bulb
Step 2 - Tear off piece of Kodak lens tissue, and use gently as brush.
Step 3 - jet of air, again, to blow off any particles loosened by the above step
Step 4 - Another piece of tissue, dampened with my favorite, Formula MC cleaner, very gently dragged/wiped on lens surface, from center outwards, with final swipe around outer lens circumference.
Step 5 - With fresh tissue...gently dry and polish lightly
Step 6 - Breathe on lens
Step 7 - Final Polish...as always, in circular motion from center to edge of lens.

Now...how's that for a case of OCD?

John Layton
19-Feb-2017, 14:14
ps...for some reason, I've always had the best luck with Kodak lens tissue. Something to do with the weave and finish I think.

Also...formula MC was originally developed to deal with the early multi coatings, which tended to be a bit fragile. All coatings have toughened up considerably over the years though, so this formula may be overkill these days.

Peter De Smidt
19-Feb-2017, 14:42
Don't use Kodak lens tissue gently as a brush. It was only meant to be used wet. Using it dry will abrade the lens. Don't blow on the lens. You don't want high microbe moisture on the lens. Blow off dust with a bulb blower. If there's any stubborn bits left, use a very soft brush to gently whisk off what's left. I use an electrostatic digital sensor cleaning brush if I'm at home. In any case, a bit of dust is unlikely to harm pictures. Bad cleaning practices will eventually.

cowanw
19-Feb-2017, 15:12
Get a good microfiber cloth, a good air blower and a quality bottle of lens fluid.
Then throw out that lens tissue, it will cause micro scratches on a lens due to its silica content.
That got me worried because I have been using a box of Ross optical tissue for 40 years. but apparently that stuff and Agar scientific tissue is made of linen tissue, free of minerals and vegetable filler. Don't know about Kodak tissue.

seezee
19-Feb-2017, 16:34
An old timer told me of an occasion when a Nikon rep ground out a cigar stub on the front optic of a lens to demonstrate the durability of their coatings. He told me the lens looked fine:)
I use an old pair of soft cotton underwear that I keep in my camera bag (Ted Grant tip), in the event I need to clean a lens which I almost never bother with. I believe in letting good enough alone (trying for perfection usually gets me into trouble), just use a blower...:)
Cigar ash is mildly abrasive. I have sometimes used it as silver or brass polish when I didn't have any "proper" polish.

John Layton
19-Feb-2017, 16:37
With respect to using Kodak lens tissue as a brush...actually - I first tear off the finished edge of the tissue, and use the resultant edge which now consists of softer fibers. And....not a cigar stub in sight!

Sal Santamaura
19-Feb-2017, 16:48
I never use "protection" filters ever since one broke and scratched the hell out of my lens. Lens would have been undamaged if I had simply used the lens cap..."Broke" how? Spontaneously? Or as a result of dropping/impact? If the former, what brand filter? If the latter, why assume a cap would have offered any more immunity from damage? A different kind of damage might have resulted, but, depending on nature of the impact, damage nonetheless.


...Same thing happened to one of my friends--dropped a Nikon lens, filter broke, broken glass badly scratched the lens. I use lens caps and lens hoods for protection....In a half century of photography I've never dropped a lens. In any case, this thread is about cleaning, not dropping lenses. Neither lens caps nor lens hoods protect lens front elements from cleaning damage.

Ted R
19-Feb-2017, 18:10
I should add that isopropyl alcohol is a plastic-safe cleaning solvent.

For more stubborn contamination (having first removed dust) the solvents naphta (ronsonol lighter fluid) and acetone are suitable, however acetone should be used with care because it dissolves varnishes and paints sometimes used in lenses (for blackening for example) and is not plastic safe. Naptha is milder and a good solvent and safe on most plastics, it is wise to test first.

sanking
19-Feb-2017, 18:21
My current thinking is to protect the lens with a good multi-coated filter and avoid cleaning unless it is absolutely necessary.

If you must clean it with a solvent isopropyl alcohol is fine, but first blow off the dust and dirt.

Never use acetone on a lens.

Sandy

Peter De Smidt
19-Feb-2017, 19:17
With respect to using Kodak lens tissue as a brush...actually - I first tear off the finished edge of the tissue, and use the resultant edge which now consists of softer fibers. And....not a cigar stub in sight!

Richard Knoppow outlined Kodak's method a long time ago on the rec.photo newsgroups. The method was to blow off any dust. Roll the Kodak lens tissue into a tube. Rip it in half. Now place one or two drops of Kodak lens cleaner on the torn end. Whipe the lens with the wet, ripped end, turning it so that a new area is regularly introduced. He stressed to never use the Kodak paper dry. This matches that instructions that I seem to remember from Kodak, but maybe someone else has them. This method works, but it can be a challenge to get rid of all of the remnants on the glass. I have used this method, and the newer methods work much better. In particular, using a clean, quality microfiber cloth with: https://www.edmundoptics.com/lab-production/cleaning/lens-cleaners-pouches/purosol-optical-cleaner/2520/ works exceptionally well, better, ime, than ROR or Eclipse, although both of those are quite good.

Randy
19-Feb-2017, 19:48
Not sure where I found it, but I wanted a recipe for mixing my own lens cleaning fluid. I found this several years ago and have used it on occasion:

Lens cleaning solution

60ml - distilled water

1ml - Dawn dish liquid

9ml - 70% rubbing alcahol

Jim Michael
19-Feb-2017, 19:56
"Broke" how? Spontaneously? Or as a result of dropping/impact? If the former, what brand filter? If the latter, why assume a cap would have offered any more immunity from damage? A different kind of damage might have resulted, but, depending on nature of the impact, damage nonetheless.

In a half century of photography I've never dropped a lens. In any case, this thread is about cleaning, not dropping lenses. Neither lens caps nor lens hoods protect lens front elements from cleaning damage.

The one time I saw this happen was during a news event where one PJ's lens was whacked by another's camera. She was in a real fix because she had no filter wrench and the threads were damaged. The broken glass poses a worse scratching risk.

Jac@stafford.net
19-Feb-2017, 20:35
Richard Knoppow outlined Kodak's method a long time ago on the rec.photo newsgroups. [...] In particular, using a clean, quality microfiber cloth with: https://www.edmundoptics.com/lab-production/cleaning/lens-cleaners-pouches/purosol-optical-cleaner/2520/

I used Purosol until it ran out. Then I tried some advice from my late grandfather: swish a shot of good bourbon around your mouth and breath across the lens, then use linen to gently brush it. Then swallow. Repeat until ya just don't give a sh*t anyway.

What ever became of Richard Knoppow? I traded some scarce literature with him, and miss his sage advice.

Peter De Smidt
19-Feb-2017, 22:01
Jac, I don't know. He was the main reason the the rec.photo newsgroups were worth reading at all. Eventually, I stopped reading them and lost track of him.

Doremus Scudder
20-Feb-2017, 02:44
Prevention is the best cure; keep the lens cap on till you use the lens and replace it as soon as you're done shooting. Don't touch the lens surface. Put on a protective filter when you need it (sea spray, blowing dust, rain or snow, etc.). I have lenses I use regularly and haven't cleaned in years.

Don't clean your lens till it really needs it. A puff of air from the blower or a light whisk with a natural-bristle brush occasionally will get rid of surface dust. If you've treated your lens well, there won't be fingerprints or other crud to clean.

If you do need to clean, use a clean microfiber cloth and an alcohol-based cleaning fluid (sparingly!) after removing as much dust and grit as possible with a blower and brush. As an aside: when working in a camera store more than 30 years ago, micro-fiber cloths were first becoming popular. I was skeptical, having used Kodak cleaning tissues and fluid obediently for years. So, I took a micro-fiber cloth and a cleaning tissue and used them both roughly on a Wratten gel filter. I couldn't get the micro-fiber cloth to scratch the gel, dry lens tissue did. I switched then and there.

In the field, I will use distilled water from my breath if I need to clean sea-spray, etc., from a lens, being careful not to get any saliva on the lens. I carry micro-fiber cloths in my kit. If the dirt doesn't need to be removed immediately, I'll wait till later and clean with the cleaning fluid.

Best,

Doremus

Steve Goldstein
20-Feb-2017, 04:50
What ever became of Richard Knoppow? I traded some scarce literature with him, and miss his sage advice.

Richard is active on the puresilver mailing list.

Wayne
20-Feb-2017, 07:47
Richard is active on the puresilver mailing list.

I think he prefers older forms of communication. He was still on newsgroups even within the last couple years. He had an APUG account but never used it.

Sal Santamaura
20-Feb-2017, 08:53
The one time I saw this happen was during a news event where one PJ's lens was whacked by another's camera. She was in a real fix because she had no filter wrench and the threads were damaged. The broken glass poses a worse scratching risk.Again, this thread is about how to avoid cleaning damage, not impact damage. Also, unless you're David Burnett, the likelihood of one's large format camera colliding with another photojournalist's camera during a 'breaking news event' is, you must admit, rather small. :) Much smaller than the probability of inflicting those ubiquitous 'cleaning marks' on its lens' front element.

John Kasaian
20-Feb-2017, 09:05
Some how my 14" Commercial Ektar once got a coat of trail dust.
I got it off with Vodka. No harm done that I can see.
Sometimes you have to be resourceful.
The Vodka wasn't too bad, either.

Jim Jones
20-Feb-2017, 09:16
I agree with Doremus: don't clean unless necessary. It's better to prevent the need of cleaning. Lens hoods and filters help with this. In the old days when uncoated filters were the norm with the attendant problems with image quality, cleaning in the field was sometimes necessary. Over many decades I retired two favorite lenses because of excessive cleaning marks. It was a small price to pay for the thousands of images they recorded.

jnantz
20-Feb-2017, 14:48
too bad john cook wasn't here, he'd talk about a hollywood portrait photographer
who put his cigar out on a 2000$ german lens ... and say " and that was class! "