Mirror cleaning?

[tnemec]

Is it 'dangerous' to clean the mirror of the 10D?

Tom

[tnemec]

I mean - the mirror does seem to have a structure - so how much pressure from other than a brush can it stand?

Tom

[siwatkins]

It's fairly risky to attempt cleaning of any SLR mirror. The front face is "silvered", and often on modern SLRs, its half silvered/semi transparent.

Because the reflective surface is on the front face, it is very vulnerable to damage, and the general consensus is not to clean them unless absolutely necessary. Generally, it is never necessary to clean the mirror, as it doesn't form part of the image taking path - only the viewfinder view is affected. Even then, dirt/dust etc, doesn't normally show because it is out of focus in the viewfinder.

However, if you do need to clean it, I can highly recommend a substance called Opticlean. It's a liquid polymer contained in a volatile solvent. You paint it on as a film, and the solvent evaporates, leaving a plastic coating on the mirror. The plastic is then stripped from the mirror, leaving it molecularly clean. It's the only safe way that I know, because it doesn't involve any kind of rubbing or hard contact with the mirror. I've used it successfully on the mirrors of SLRs that I've been selling, to bring them back to factory new cleanliness. I wouldn't have done it otherwise, and I definitely wouldn't use any kind of wiping process.

Hope that helps,

Simon