What do they coat our lens with?

[DocFrankenstein]

What's the outer layer of the lens made of? What chemicals will damage it? How hard is it?

I don't feel comfortable just using a "lens fluid" from some company? I wanna know what they put in there. (maybe it's just water :D )

[defordphoto]

See: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=38096

[DocFrankenstein]

That's where my thread originated. I wanna know the chemical formula of the outer layer or at least some general chemical and physical info.

[robertwgross]

I'm not sure about any outer coating, but most of the inner coatings are of magnesium fluoride.

It's mostly inner coatings that work, since the reflections that you are trying to trap are from light that has already gone through the lens, and you are trying to trap them them on the inner surfaces.

---Bob Gross---

[ron chappel]

I think we would be lucky to find out exactly because it would be secret formulas mostly.
As Bob says,most are magnesium flouride but the outer surface has to be tough so who knows what they've invented for there.

Being in the lens repair business (allthough only as an 'amatuer') i can assure you that outer coating are quite hard.
In fact i have yet to scratch one even slightly*-and on some lenses i've rubbed hard! :shock: (not that this is recommended-allways be as light as possible)

***The secret is to NEVER drag anything hard across the surface.The main cause of that would be a dirty cleaning cloth etc.***

I think the only lens surface i've damaged is an inside element from an old minolta MD lens.It was REALLY soft :shock: :shock: After a few wipes i had ruined it :cry:
It still took good pics but it's value is now very little

So do cleaning agents harm coatings?
I've heard some info that some cleaners such as windex can 'over time'.
While i'm definietly not going to say use anything-it is safe to assume that most fluids made especially for lenses will be fine.
Of course if you have very expensive lenses then buy only what the manufacturer recommends (if they do indeed recommend anything specific)



Well,i have scratched some but they were wrecked cameras with THICK dirt on the bare lens surface.I did it deilberately to see how hard it is.