Cleaning Chamonix "intensify screen"

[ignis075]

Hi all,
I just received my new Chamonix view camera and I'm quickly attempting to learn the basics of this thing (my first LF camera, lots to learn!).

So, my first quick question for other Chamonix users: can I safely clean the "intensify screen" glass? The side that faces into the bellows, toward the front of the camera? Of the two glass sheets, it appears that the ground glass is the rear sheet and the "ground" side is sandwiched (and protected) by the frontal intensify sheet. Can the accessible side of that intensify screen be cleaned by normal means, i.e. just a breath of air and a soft lens cloth? Let's say I accidentally got an oily fingerprint on there, for example... :D (I didn't actually, but such a thing could easily happen)

Brent

[mandoman7]

Yes you can wipe fingerprints off, but it is a soft plastic screen that will show marks after a while if its abused. The cameras come with a protective cover which says something.

The positive side is that the plastic fresnels that serves these needs are fairly cheap to replace. The important thing is to get comfortable with the camera, and to be able to use it as a tool, not a studio decoration. Use the camera and wipe with soft cloth.