What is a good lens cleaning solution?

[Andreq]

I've tried counteless brands but I have yet to find a good one! *pull out hair*

Whenver my filter gets dirty from salt spray or other miscellaneous stuffs such as dirt, etc, I find wiping with a dry cloth is not enough. Unfortunately, when I use lens solution to clean it, it will almost always leave unsightly marks on the glass!

I know some use lens pen but is it really good? Seems to me that it adds some kind of powdery stuff on the glass rather than really cleaning the stuffs away?

Any recommendation on an excellent lens cleaning solution?

Appreciate...

 

[waileong]

1. Iso-propyl alcohol.

2. ROR

3. Electra Lens Cleaning Solution, available locally.

 

[ExplorerZ]

with "polluted" by saltwater, i find it is best to give it a clean wash unless its CPL. Using any solution with cloth might just scratch your filter as there might be salt crystal on the filter itself... after some rinse, you should be able to lift off most of the make by using a clean cloth

 

[Dream Merchant]

For salt spray alone, I'll rinse the filter under clean running water for a few minutes, and dry.

For grease and gunk, I'll use Windex or diluted dish-washing solution, then rinse very liberally with clean water and dry.

Drying technique would be to use good quality kitchen towels or tissue, folded and dab the glass, then if it's clean (no debris) left-over, wipe with lens cloth or micro-fiber (last time I'll use real chamois aka fine leather). Then use hair dryer on warm and cold settings.

However, the only time I really had to drastically clean filters was when i smeared grease or petroleum jelly etc on them - deliberately.

If my CPL got gunked badly, I'll use a soap-based cleaning solution like those made by German optical manufacturers specifically for cleaning coated precision optics (I use Zeiss ones, or one made 'specially' for cleaning coated Swaroski optics, but very frankly speaking, these are pretty much just soapy solutions like Windex :bsmilie. The key is not to let any fluids or solution seep in between the sandwiched glass.

Or if you're feeling rich, there's always: http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogSubCategoryDisplay.aspx?CID=1111

Foot-note: I don't know if it's just me, but i notice that filters made a long time ago in the 80s were a lot more durable - I could at anytime just take my tee-shirt and clean them with no problems or worries of scratching the coating etc etc etc

 

[LENS]

Hi guys, share my experience and tell me what u think..

I got a multicoated lens that is dirty so i try to clean it. I notice if u inspect with some reflection on multicoated lens, it show dark purple-blue tone..and sometimes spot or web alike (spreading like a plant root, fungus?) can be seen on surface, if u try to wipe it..it will become smulge mark.

I try to blow away dusts, then i use this 'multi purpose solution' for contact lens, i wet a cotton bud with it then clean surface..once it dry out..use will see smulge mark caused by the soluion? it reflected as yellow-orange color if u inspect under light..then i wet cotton bud with water to clean surface again..and after dry up, only will see some 'purple-blue' smulge mark..then i will use a dry cotton bud to clean them in circulated motion..and use wet cotton bud in between and dry immediately with a dry cotton bud, and in the end the glass seem clean and reflected single purple-blue color with smulge.

however, i wonder is that 'contact lens solution' is necessary? or will it damage coating? i choose that since i think i read something like cleaning your lens like your own eyes..

 

[sweat100]

Actually may not be a solution problem at all as most cleaning soltion majority content is Isopropyl alcohol. May I ask the TS, what brand of filter are you using? If it is hoya HMC that type, cleaning will be a pain and the cleaning marks will very likely to remain there. If you use B+W MRC, then it will be a different story. This is because, in the past I tried the same lens cleaning solution on 2 different brand of filters and on the hoya, I get the cleaning marks no matter how I clean, but with B+W, the problem doesnt exist.

 

[lsisaxon]

I've tried counteless brands but I have yet to find a good one! *pull out hair*

Whenver my filter gets dirty from salt spray or other miscellaneous stuffs such as dirt, etc, I find wiping with a dry cloth is not enough. Unfortunately, when I use lens solution to clean it, it will almost always leave unsightly marks on the glass!

I know some use lens pen but is it really good? Seems to me that it adds some kind of powdery stuff on the glass rather than really cleaning the stuffs away?

Any recommendation on an excellent lens cleaning solution?

Appreciate...

I use Purosol from Edmund optics.. no residue... ;p

http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/displayproduct.cfm?productID=2520

 

[oswin]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've been wondering the same too!

 

[racoon31e]

Actually may not be a solution problem at all as most cleaning soltion majority content is Isopropyl alcohol. May I ask the TS, what brand of filter are you using? If it is hoya HMC that type, cleaning will be a pain and the cleaning marks will very likely to remain there. If you use B+W MRC, then it will be a different story. This is because, in the past I tried the same lens cleaning solution on 2 different brand of filters and on the hoya, I get the cleaning marks no matter how I clean, but with B+W, the problem doesnt exist.

Using a Hoya HMC here. A lenspen can remove the cleaning marks very easily. If the marks still persist, breathe on the filter and wipe again with the lenspen.

 

[lsisaxon]

Using a Hoya HMC here. A lenspen can remove the cleaning marks very easily. If the marks still persist, breathe on the filter and wipe again with the lenspen.

There was once I was cleaning a Hoya HMC until I got quite out of breath.. ;p