How to clean the lens ?

[siewsphone]

[ziploc]

"Use your T-shirt!" as some of the members here would tell you.

Just joking! Don't clean it unless necessary. Use a microfibre cloth. Put a filter in front of your lens so that you only need to clean the filter and not the lens.

[siewsphone]

Quote: Originally posted by ziploc "Use your T-shirt!" as some of the members here would tell you. Just joking! Don't clean it unless necessary. Use a microfibre cloth. Put a filter in front of your lens so that you only need to clean the filter and not the lens.

Yah, I got a UV filter. So should change to how to clean the filter.

[ziploc]

Quote: Originally posted by siewsphone Yah, I got a UV filter. So should change to how to clean the filter.

Oh in that case you can use your T-shirt, or do anything you want with it, like washing with dish washing liquid. Spoilt, buy new one

[siewsphone]

Quote: Originally posted by ziploc Oh in that case you can use your T-shirt, or do anything you want with it, like washing with dish washing liquid. Spoilt, buy new one

[franciskc]

blow blow blow

Use blower.. not from ur lungs

[Kho King]

Ok...if it is really necessary, then only clean your lens. If not, just blow it...and leave it as it is.

Here are my 2 cents on how I clean my lens/filter:

1. blow off any dust that's on the surface. Blow hard!!!

2. Get ready 2 cutton buds, lens paper (Olympus I use) micro fibre cloth, cleaner (I use Kodak).

3. Fold the Olympus lens paper to 1/4 size, drop a drop of cleaner to the paper (just a drop...or half a drop, not too much).

4. Clean the lens from center to outter in a circular motion. Don't press hard, just smoothly turn the paper. Repeat twice or more until the cleaner drys up.

5. Check if there are dust/dirt on the corner of the lens. Now...wrap the lens paper to the cutton bud, wet it little with the cleaner, make a round turn at the edges of the lens. Smooth...and light. Don't press hard. Make sure you turn until the cleaner drys up (that's the reason not to use too much cleaner).

6. Check your lens surface again. Now...the most important part:
Get your lens cloth ready...blow any left dust on the surface...GIVE A HARD BREATH to the surface...before the mist disappear, quickly use your micro fibre cloth to clean the surface again. Clean it until it reaches NEAR (not reach) the outer ring. Repeat this a few times if necessary.

7. Blow the surface again with a blower. Done.

Hope this helps. Again, don't clean your lens if it is necessary. You will not get it as clean as before, on the edges (outter ring). There will still be some dirt left on the edges.

[siewsphone]

I just find out that there are some oily soil on the edge of my lens !!!! But it looks like it do not affect the outcome.....

Should I clean it?

[rochkoh]

Quote: Originally posted by siewsphone I just find out that there are some oily soil on the edge of my lens !!!! But it looks like it do not affect the outcome..... Should I clean it?

err.. yeah.

i use a Chamois - Sheep skin cloth to wipe those off. very effective when combined with Kho King's prescription/remedy/method/technique

[Wai]

i have a UV filter on the lens since day one...i never touch the lens with any clothes/cleaner yet

the B+W MRC UV filter really not bad...i just use micro fibre clothes to wipe and all oily prints are gone...then use blower to blow away dust

[Fundee]

use chamois to clean and anti-static cloth and blower to dust it off.

[siewsphone]

What blower u guys using? Hair Blower?

[ziploc]

Get the rubber blower from any camera shops. Get a big, powerfull one, not those with brush.

[siewsphone]

Quote: Originally posted by ziploc Get the rubber blower from any camera shops. Get a big, powerfull one, not those with brush.

Roughly how much?

[ziploc]

Quote: Originally posted by siewsphone Roughly how much?

Erm.. not sure, I bought mine long long time ago. Shouldn't be too expensive. I think would be cheaper in those neighbourhood labs.

[Kho King]

Quote: Originally posted by siewsphone Roughly how much?

The blower is just a rubber buble shape type, and you press the buble to have air coming out from the front sharp tip. Cost less than S$10. No need to buy an expensive one...a cheap one will do. Don't buy those that comes with lens cleaner and paper, just the blower will do. It is a good thing to excersize your palm/fingers, hand.

[Fundee]

gto mine for $12...blue colour...forget what brand..many moon ago

[siewsphone]

Quote: Originally posted by Kho King The blower is just a rubber buble shape type, and you press the buble to have air coming out from the front sharp tip. Cost less than S$10. No need to buy an expensive one...a cheap one will do. Don't buy those that comes with lens cleaner and paper, just the blower will do. It is a good thing to excersize your palm/fingers, hand.

Ohhhh.....I thought use electricity one......

[Ian]

Here's my method(s) for lens cleaning.

1) Use a blower brush or canned air to remove as many of the larger dirt/dust particles as possible.

2a) If lens/filter is normally dirty. Breathe on the filter heavily (as per step 4 below) until a good dense 'fog' appears.

2b) IF the lens is really filthy (or filter) Apply pure (99% or better purity) Isopropyl Alcohol to lens/filter with a Cotton tip working from center of glass to edge in a circular fashion. Do not apply pressure to cotton tip and rotate tip while moving.

2c - If a filter is coated in crap (eg Guano), mud or other not so nice dirt. Place filter in a dish of warm Distilled water and leave soak for as long as is needed. If in the field spray with Windex and let soak for 1-2 minutes and then rinse with distilled water.

Do not use these methods with Polarizers for obvious reasons. With PL filters use Isopropyl Alcohol or tissue paper soaked in Windex for best results.

3) Lightly polish with either an optical chamois or microfibre cloth

4) Breathe heavily on lens glass until you get a good solid deposit of 'fog' and polish again with optical chamois or microfibre cloth.

Repeat steps 2a-3 as required.


Notes:

Lens Cleaning Fluids

Many so called lens cleaning formulations leave residues as they are designed for cleaning spectacles! These cleaners may also damage the coatings on filters and some lenses. The following are the only ones I use and trust.

Isopropyl Alcohol comes in several different levels of purity, the good stuff (99.5% or better purity) is only available from a Chemist/Pharmacy and in most countries you will have to demonstrate that you have a need for it as it's often used to adulterate alcoholic drinks. So take a lens down and show em why you need it!

Distilled Water is the best thing for cleaning mucky filters .. dunk the filter in to a bowl of distilled water and let it soak for a few minutes, then slosh the filter around in the water before removing and standing the filter on edge.

When the filter is almost dry do the breathing on filter routine (step 2a) and polish as per above.
In the case of Salt water residue I use Windex in the field as I've yet to find any damage to filters made in the past 20 years.

Windex An good cleaner for emergency use. I try not to use it unless the filter is really filthy or where the filter is covered in baked on grunge that has hardened.


Polishing Pressure
Use the minimum pressure you can when polishing filters and lens elements with an optical cloth. Though lenses are quite tough and many are now coated with a tough overcoat being heavy handed only shortens the life of the coatings.

Optical Chamois, MicroFibre Cloth and Optical Tissues

Hama Optical Chamois is excellent for all general cleaning of camera equipment, is a synthetic material and is extremely soft and complient. Can be cleaned by hand washing in distilled water. It is made from a non woven fabric created through a multi-dimensional entanglement proceess using 0.0001 denier ultra micro fibres.

Microfibre Cloth is similar to Optical Chamois except that is is a woven material normally using thread of 0.1 denier or finer. Washable as per Hama optical Chamois.

Lens Tissues
There are so many varient types, some are good, some are bad. I no longer use lens tissues as the results re mixed and too variable for my liking.

[siewsphone]

Quote: Originally posted by Ian Lens Cleaning Fluids Many so called lens cleaning formulations leave residues as they are designed for cleaning spectacles! These cleaners may also damage the coatings on filters and some lenses. The following are the only ones I use and trust. Isopropyl Alcohol comes in several different levels of purity, the good stuff (99.5% or better purity) is only available from a Chemist/Pharmacy and in most countries you will have to demonstrate that you have a need for it as it's often used to adulterate alcoholic drinks. So take a lens down and show em why you need it! Distilled Water is the best thing for cleaning mucky filters .. dunk the filter in to a bowl of distilled water and let it soak for a few minutes, then slosh the filter around in the water before removing and standing the filter on edge. When the filter is almost dry do the breathing on filter routine (step 2a) and polish as per above. In the case of Salt water residue I use Windex in the field as I've yet to find any damage to filters made in the past 20 years. Windex An good cleaner for emergency use. I try not to use it unless the filter is really filthy or where the filter is covered in baked on grunge that has hardened. Polishing Pressure Use the minimum pressure you can when polishing filters and lens elements with an optical cloth. Though lenses are quite tough and many are now coated with a tough overcoat being heavy handed only shortens the life of the coatings. Optical Chamois, MicroFibre Cloth and Optical Tissues Hama Optical Chamois is excellent for all general cleaning of camera equipment, is a synthetic material and is extremely soft and complient. Can be cleaned by hand washing in distilled water. It is made from a non woven fabric created through a multi-dimensional entanglement proceess using 0.0001 denier ultra micro fibres. Microfibre Cloth is similar to Optical Chamois except that is is a woven material normally using thread of 0.1 denier or finer. Washable as per Hama optical Chamois. Lens Tissues There are so many varient types, some are good, some are bad. I no longer use lens tissues as the results re mixed and too variable for my liking.

I need all of them or just 1 for each category?