Lens cleaning trials and tribs

[v gese]

Lens cleaning issues have been discussed in previous threads, but I thought I would provide some info on one product that I have found to be excellent. Perhaps those new to LF would benefit. For years I used a product called CrystalClear by Photographic Solutions with PEC Pads which was great, but a few years ago I could no longer get it (this was back in my pre-computer, pre-internet days). Recently, I read about how great Photo-Clear by Schneider was when used with a microfiber cloth, so when B and H started carrying this, I bought a couple bottles and two cloths. I know many swear by this stuff, but I was not thrilled at all. Seemed to leave a smearing residue on the lenses. Maybe my technique was wrong. Maybe the residue doesn't really matter but its never made sense to me to have all these expensive lenses with lens cleaner residue all over the front elements (or a cheap filter for that matter).
Well, Photographic Solutions now markets their lens cleaning solution as Eclipse Optic Cleaning System and can be purchased through Calumet. Its better than the old CrystalClear, and leaves no residue, absolutely none. Great stuff when used with the PEC Pads. I cleaned a B&W linear polarizer that I had about given up on and its once again pristine. Since cleaning all of my lenses and filters a few months ago, they all seem to perform much better.
Would be interested if others use the Eclipse lens cleaner and PEC Pads as well.
Best, Vance Gese

[chilihead]

A great post, informative and very useful, I have been looking for a product like this - I will get some and try it out... thanks!

[JPlomley]

I've been using the Eclipse cleaning solution for years. First heard about it from Arthur Morris (infamous bird photographer) who used it to clean his heavy artillery. Overall, I have had good success with it but some coatings react differently than others wrt residue. For example, my Singh Ray polarizers tend to leave a residue whereas my B+W do not. All of my Canon optics were fine except the 16-35mm, and perhaps what is most strange is that Nikon lenses were the toughest to clean with this solution. So I guess YMMV. Having said this, I moved away from the PEC Pad wipe because I did not find it was absorptive enough for stubborn areas, it would just sort of smear stuff around. So I moved to KIMTECH Science Precision Wipes manufactured by Kimberly-Clark Professional. Extremely absorptive, lint free, inert, no scratching. My lenses and filters have never been cleaner, and in fact I use this system to clean the front element of my Canon 500 mm, and never a problem or blemish that could not be removed.

[John Kasaian]

Vodka! ;)

[audioexcels]

I've been using the Eclipse cleaning solution for years. First heard about it from Arthur Morris (infamous bird photographer) who used it to clean his heavy artillery. Overall, I have had good success with it but some coatings react differently than others wrt residue. For example, my Singh Ray polarizers tend to leave a residue whereas my B+W do not. All of my Canon optics were fine except the 16-35mm, and perhaps what is most strange is that Nikon lenses were the toughest to clean with this solution. So I guess YMMV. Having said this, I moved away from the PEC Pad wipe because I did not find it was absorptive enough for stubborn areas, it would just sort of smear stuff around. So I moved to KIMTECH Science Precision Wipes manufactured by Kimberly-Clark Professional. Extremely absorptive, lint free, inert, no scratching. My lenses and filters have never been cleaner, and in fact I use this system to clean the front element of my Canon 500 mm, and never a problem or blemish that could not be removed.


What do you think of their Kimtech Pure CL4 Critical Task Wipers - 33330? Would these do a better or equivalent job? Also, do you use "only" the wipes and nothing else or do you use the wipes along with a cleaning cloth?

[C. D. Keth]

Just use tissues and some good panchro fluid. Then don't get them so dirty ;)

I think I clean my lenses with fluid maybe once or twice a year. It needn't be something you do all the time.

[audioexcels]

I've never used a liquid on glass as I've been afraid to. It's why I am wondering, along with the initial poster of the thread, what is best recommended.

[Lazybones]

How's about ROR applied with kodak lens tissue, then gently buff with microfiber cloth?

[tom thomas]

I'm using optomatrist recommended eyeglass cleaning solution with a micro-fibre cloth recommended for eyeglasses. The product is called AR Kleen, anti-static and anti-fogging. Comes in a small spray bottle that is perfect for the camera case too.

Am I wrong to use a product like this? Seems to make my neutral density filters sparkling clean from spots, rain, and baby burble.

[C. D. Keth]

I've never used a liquid on glass as I've been afraid to. It's why I am wondering, along with the initial poster of the thread, what is best recommended.
To the rescue! I'm a film camera assistant and this is what I do and have been taught my other assistants to do:

Zeiss and Arri recommend Panchro fluid applied on a lens tissue. You just use a couple drops on the tissue then wipe outward from the center. Roll the tissue as you go so you pick up any grit rather than rub it on the glass. There will be a slight residue left, but just buff it off with a clean, dry tissue.

If it's good enough for camera assistants caring for $20,000 motion picture lenses, it's good enough for everything else

Panchro fluid and good lens tissues can be found at www.filmtools.com in the camera assistants section.

[SamReeves]

Vodka! ;)

LOL!! For you or for the lens? :p

I use the exotic Kodak lens tissue and hot breath method. :eek:

[C. D. Keth]

LOL!! For you or for the lens? :p

I use the exotic Kodak lens tissue and hot breath method. :eek:

When you can avoid it, I would avoid breathing on the lens. A few manufacturers of cinema lenses claim that it slowly eats away at coatings. Then again they are advising for a much higher-use, higher-wear industry. It would probably take you many years to do any real damage.

[SamReeves]

Perhaps, but once you use any solution on top of the lens, it's going to mess with the coating anyway. But I do agree, it's probably not enough to do any damage.

[C. D. Keth]

The proper solution and tissue isn't supposed to harm coatings in any way. There are an awful lot of lenses still in use from the 60s and before that still have fine coatings, even though they have probably been cleaned hundreds of thousands of times over the years.

[Robert Budding]

I tried Zeiss prepackaged wipes because they are convenient. Unfortunately, they leave a residue. SO I'm back to my camel hair brush, a microfiber cloth, and the cleaning liquid my optometrist recommended,

[Vaughn]

LOL!! For you or for the lens? :p

I use the exotic Kodak lens tissue and hot breath method. :eek:

Before or after the Vodka?

We use Kodak's liquid lens cleaner -- I just tell the students to never apply the liquid directly to the lens -- only a couple drops on the lens tissue.

Vaughn

[René]

I have been using Eclipse for years, complete with Pec Pads. Good results, except for fungus... Which I use to clean with household window cleaner (the alcohol based version without citrus flavours etc.). That works easily and with lasting success. I found that tip some time ago in another discussion and tried it on a lens, where my conventional Eclipse cleaning wouldn't work at all.

Another option I regularily use are Pro Optic wet tissues. These are now marketed by Hama under their own brand name. They might leave a thin film with shiny Newton colours, but it doesn't show up in photographs. Nearly 20 yeras ago an extensive review in the Swiss/German magazine Photographie came to the conclusion, that this left-over layer from Pro Optic indeed increases MTF results on some lenses and is at least not harmful to other lenses. It is a convenient way while travelling (no bottles to carry around, as with Eclipse).

regards
René

[John Schneider]

My $0.02: I recently received a box of coated B+W filters that had been stored for years, evidently, in their cases with the old-style open cell foam sheets. The foam had deteriorated and left a hard residue on the filters. Lens cleaning solutions didn't touch the residue, nor did acetone. I finally took them to the lab and used xylene, which removed all the residue and left the filters spotless. While this is not something you can use in the field nor should you use xylene without proper PPE, it may be the trick for tough residues.

[Carsten Wolff]

Hmmm, I love the smell of Xylene in the morning...thanks for the tip, John; since I got access to a fume hood, I shall try that.

For the less recalcitrant dirt: I guess my standard method using Windex with Kodak, Olympus, or Kimwipes tissue is too crude/cheap for most :). Have used it for 20 years, or so, though and the coatings seem fine and sparkly.
Other than not using Panchro fluid, I do as Keith suggests: i.e. rolling the paper from middle to edge of the lens.....

Hardly a new topic, is it?

[John Kasaian]

LOL!! For you or for the lens? :p



Both, Sam!;)

[domenico Foschi]

I had been tought to use an old cloth, clean and not ironed and my breath.
That what I have been doing.
Reading John's post, it would be a great idea to do it after having a martini, shaken not stirred.

[erie patsellis]

Finally!!!!
A use for the 2 gallons of Xylene I bought as a solvent for a paint I no longer use.


erie


My $0.02: I recently received a box of coated B+W filters that had been stored for years, evidently, in their cases with the old-style open cell foam sheets. The foam had deteriorated and left a hard residue on the filters. Lens cleaning solutions didn't touch the residue, nor did acetone. I finally took them to the lab and used xylene, which removed all the residue and left the filters spotless. While this is not something you can use in the field nor should you use xylene without proper PPE, it may be the trick for tough residues.

[Daniel Geiger]

Finally!!!!
A use for the 2 gallons of Xylene I bought as a solvent for a paint I no longer use.


erie

Just an aside re Xylene, it is a carcinogen, so be careful with it, whether cleaning lenses or using it as a paint thinner.

Also re breath (= water vapor), I don't know how it can eat away at a coating, particularly, given that there is also water vapor in the air, never mind. Using breath may have to problems: you may need to rub harder to get the dirt off, and the rubbing may well damage coatings; second, it eats away at the profit margin of lens cleaning supplies makers ;-)

[Frank Petronio]

Those Thomas Thomsley camera repair books show him using Kleenex and Windex, so maybe all this other stuff is, umm, slightly paranoid overkill foisted upon us by the marketeers of cleaning supplies?

[erie patsellis]

Daniel,
Yes, I have the MSDS. Of course I wish I'd know all that stuff I'd been spraying 25 years ago was bad for ya...figured it was cheaper than the hard stuff, and legal too, no messed up dealer to dick you around..;)


erie

[Struan Gray]

In the lab: a clean room wipe and reagent grade methanol.

In the field: Shirt tails, snot rags, dog blankets.

[Seymour]

spoke with the west coast division of Schneider, they rebuild lenses which requires removal and cleaning of the elements. I was told that they strongly recommend regular Windex diluted 50% with water applied to a lens tissue, with circular cleaning motion beginning in center and moving to periphery of lens followed by wiping off with dry lens tissue. Tried this technique with my 210 Super Symmar HM f5.6 with excellent results . The ammonia in the Windex also helps to retard fungus growth.