Best thing to wipe down the front of a lens?

[FlipsidE]

I was out and about in my apt complex, noticed that the front of my lens had quite a few specs on it, and so I blew it off. Bad move...now I got small specs of saliva on the front of my lens that doesn't seem to want to come off with the Quantarray Lens Pen I have. It doesn't seem to do any good actually. Anything else I can use? Keep in mind that if I need to buy a specialty item, Wolf is THE ONLY camera shop in town that even might be open today.

Let me know.

Thanks

FlipsidE

[DocFrankenstein]

It's not good to leave stuff on your lens for extended periods of time.

How about breathing on it and then wiping it with the pen. Usually works for me. lol

That'll save the lens, while you order that ROR that everybody recommends.

Cheers

[FlipsidE]

Thanks Doc,

Amazing how the simplest things can make all the difference. Breathed on the lens, wiped it down with my lenspen...in great shape now!! I don't see a spec of anything on the front of the lens anymore. Thanks again!

FlipsidE

[DocFrankenstein]

LOL np

Those pens dry out u know... :lol:

[darkdrakon]

I sometines wash my filters with soap and water then dry with a soft cloth

[lomond]

I sometines wash my filters with soap and water then dry with a soft cloth


Me too, except I use a Brillo Pad.
I find a cloth can leave fibrous streaks.

[robertwgross]

Geez, you can go into just about any halfway decent camera shop and buy a lens cleaner kit for $10. That generally consists of a 2-4 ounce bottle of lens cleaner solution, a blower brush, maybe a soft cloth, and maybe some lens paper.

That has been the standard remedy for about the last thirty years.

---Bob Gross---

[FlipsidE]

Sadly enough, Bob, I haven't bought one of those yet. I should buy one and just give all my lenes a good cleaning.

FlipsidE

[musthavemuzk]

with my 3800 i through a uv filter on it to keep the dirt and dust out. it worked well for that but got dirty rather quickly. so to clean the filter i got a microfiber cloth and called it good. i never complained about the results afterwards.
this past wednesday was my first photo class. the beginner class is 3 weeks and then the advanced is 4 or 5 weeks.
anyways he was talking about that being a no no. as you hold the cloth in your hands getting the oil from your hands all over the cloth. then you smear the oil on your filter/lens.
he recomended fluid of some kind, preferably not stuff just for eyeglass's as they do not have the same coatings as filters and lenses. and then lens paper..
i had ordered some ROR but no paper. so i had to get some locally.
but the trick was to not touch the paper, but to hold it by 2 corners and bring them to the center, then bring the other 2 corners into the same point. thus creating a ball. a couple drops of fluid and a circular motion. then repeat with a dry paper.
if dust is present use a lipstick style brush to brush it away. lipstick style as they are protected from dust when not in use.
so one of them is on order.

i cleaned my 3800, my 2 canon lenses and the borrowed tamron today. WOW what a difference. each time the paper was filthy. so i had to redo them.
hope to get some shots tomorrow with my "new" filters.

Monty

[griff2]

Bob Gross wrote

Geez, you can go into just about any halfway decent camera shop and buy a lens cleaner kit for $10. That generally consists of a 2-4 ounce bottle of lens cleaner solution, a blower brush, maybe a soft cloth, and maybe some lens paper.
Interestingly, I went into Jessops here in the UK, and although they sold the alchol-based cleaners, the guy I spoke to didn't recommend them, he said that they can leave a residue and, in some instances, can also damage the coating:confused: I ended up buying a soft cloth and now just breath on the lens and wipe immediately - it works a treat

[robertwgross]

Interestingly, I went into Jessops here in the UK, and although they sold the alchol-based cleaners, the guy I spoke to didn't recommend them, he said that they can leave a residue and, in some instances, can also damage the coating:

If you use some ordinary alcohol solution that is not intended as good lens cleaner, then I can see that it might leave some evaporites.

That is why good lens cleaner solution does not have much in the way of impurities. You apply a little to a lens and wipe it around. Coatings might get damaged if you rub it in, but if you simply wipe it around, it isn't a problem.

You do wipe, don't you?

---Bob Gross---

[Tom W]

Grit on the lens cloth or lens paper is the bigger hazard - be sure to blow and/or brush off the lens before cleaning it with any cloth, lens tissue, or lens pen to remove potential grit that will scratch the surface.

As for the lens cleaning solution, one drop goes a long way. It should soften and loosen smudges and fingerprints, as well as serve as a lubricant for the tissue. But there's no reason to use more than a drop - otherwise, you might well end up with some residue spots.

[berto]

i read in one of the photo magazines that the best way to wipe down a lense is to use - if you have, a silk tie. because it won't leave any lint on the lense and won't scratch it.

[Pekka]

I use high quality microfibre cloth and manual air blower (no brush).

[tim]

I was taking photos of a fire last night, and got specs of water on the lens from the firehoses. Now I have a few little shiny marks on the lens, just really small ones, that could cause lens flare in direct sunlight. I used my lens cleaner kit, with fluid and lens tissue, but a few of the spots won't budge. Any ideas what I could try to remove them?

[pfuller88]

I noticed a few of these on my lens as well. They almost look like the coating has been damaged? Is this possible on the front of an "L" lens? They are tiny bright specs on the lens that don't wipe off.

[tim]

A lens pen helped me quite a bit, but didn't get rid of them completely.

[MDJAK]

Hey, Tim, you wouldn't be the guy with no filters on his lenses, would ya?


I have my Epson p2000 plugged in on my computer/photo gear desk on its supplied stand. I've noticed some spots on its screen I can't seem to remove. I think it is a result of overspray of some household cleaner my cleaning lady used on the desk where it sits. I now keep it in its case.

[MDJAK]

Wow, after reading the above, I wanted to order a lens pen. I went on B&H and typed in lens pen in the search box. This is what I got. I didn't know they were so expensive: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=SearchBar&A=search&Q=*&shs=lens+pen

[eosster]

I use high quality microfibre cloth and manual air blower (no brush).

Pekka, I clean my lens exactly like you. I mean even the materials, LMAO.
Which brand of microfibre, I use one by Leica, figure they make good lens and I assume they know how to make a good microfibre, LOL.

[eosster]

Wow, after reading the above, I wanted to order a lens pen. I went on B&H and typed in lens pen in the search box. This is what I got. I didn't know they were so expensive:


LMAO.....:lol::lol::lol:

[gasrocks]

Microfiber is great. But, an older, more available lens cleaner = an old (washed many times) cotton t-shirt (ok, a small piece of material from one.) Used that for 20 years without any issues.