I have two APO Symmar lenses that need a bit of cleaning on the glass. Any suggestions for products or methods I can use to clean without scratching?
If you could give a pointer to a cleaning solution, cloth, etc, that would be ideal as I need to buy something...
I do have a microfiber cloth and regular glasses cleaning spray but I am hesitant to use them on my lenses.
Assuming that you have to clean the outside surface, I would suggest that you first use dust-off, and then gently wipe the surface with a lens cleaning cloth (Schneider, Zeiss and other brands are available) by wetting it with lens cleaning liquid (do not apply it directly on the lens) and afterwards cleaning the lens by wiping it in circular fashion.
From Schneider a white paper on lens cleaning.
http://www.schneideroptics.com/pdfs/...s_cleaning.pdf
--
Alan
The first step is to thourghly blow off any dust or loose material with a Giottos Rocket Blaster or compressed air from an oilless air compressor. At no time ever use canned air!Originally Posted by don mills
Next take a quality lens cleanining solution, Giottos, Zeiss, ROR, etc. and put a couple of drops on the back side of a lens quality micro fiber cloth (not the ones for dishes, pets or cars) and then gently rub any remaining smudges with the front side of the cloth. Buff dry with a dry clean area of the cloth, if necessary.
Blowing the lens off with a quality air blowere like the Rocket will easily do most of your cleaning unless there are fingerprints or smudges not removed by blowing.
The addition of a very high quality filter; Protection, UV or Skylight, will greatly reduce the need for cleaning the lens and high quality filters, like a Heliopan, do not materially effect the quality of the lens. Low quality filters will effect the quality.
The high quality filter will also protect the front element from dust, smoke, blowing sand, peanut butter and jelly fingers, etc. so the lens itself will remain cleaner and will need to be cleaned far less frequently. The top and rear layer on the Heliopan SH-PMC coated filters repel both dust and moisture to keep the filter cleaner as well.
The best rule is to clean a lens as infrequently as possible to reduce the possibilities of cleaning marks and damage.
So spitting on it, and then wiping it off with you shirt isn't the best way to go?
Just kidding--couldn't resist
Microfiber cloths are terrific for picking up fingerprints when used dry and while they're still clean. They absorb grease extremely well but not lens fluid, so they tend to just push fluid around and this can lead to oily residue air drying on the surface. It's frustrating to then try to buff that off.
What works better for me, for really grungy or old lenses, is to use Q-tips wet with isopropyl alcohol. Wet by dipping the Q-tip, sling off the drippy excess so that it doesn't wick into the cemented edges. Pick up the residue with the dry end of the Qtip. Rinse and repeat until clean.
Some spots on lenses don't easily come off with lens cleaner alone. Tree sap, and water mineral spots from splashes at the ocean's edge can often be removed with distilled water.
Not sure if it's taboo to revive an old thread like this, but I have some additional questions about cleaning lenses.
Is it inevitable that you will create cleaning marks? Is the name of the game mitigation and minimization?
Which cleaning fluids are the least effective at dissolving the coatings on a lens? I'm looking for a recommendation of cleaning fluid, because I am terrified of eroding the outer layers of my lenses.
Are there alternatives to microfiber cloths, or unorthodox methods that involve applying very little pressure?
What I am most afraid of is damaging the coating on my MC lenses. One came mint, excepting a thumb print. Likewise, I received some Hasselblad glass filters with serious finger smudges on them.
I almost never clean my lenses. I use a clean microfiber cloth and maybe some Pancro if it's nasty. Pancro is what we use in the motion picture industry on lenses which cost more than most of our cars.
You aren't going to harm your lenses.
I talked to a material engineer about lens cleaning once. He said anytime there is contact between two materials there is transfer and/or damage. So the goal is to minimize the # of cleanings and use the absolute best cleaning supplies available.
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
Kirk: That is exactly what I was thinking. Friction will always incur some damage. I just want to get these smudges off. After that I am confident I keep good enough care that they won't get any again. Reading that still makes the sweat pool on my brow, though.
Just out of curiosity, how much does a minor fingerprint affect photography?
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