Cleaning your lenses:

[D-Eastey]

Hi all,

I tend to use a glasses cloth to clean my lenses (you know the one's I mean I'm sure) because of the delicate nature of the glass, but I have run into an issue. There seems to be some type of grime on the lens (like a fingerprint or a partial fingerprint) and when I tried cleaning it off it doesn't actually lift from the lens. Is there a special type of product I can put on the lens itself (like paint thinner or something similar) that will get rid of the crap and not damage the glass?

Thanks in advance,

D.

[Tom W]

Best bet is to get an inexpensive lens-cleaning kit at a local photo shop. Get one with a blower-brush so that you can remove the grit (potential for scratching) before you gently clean the lens. One drop of cleaning fluid goes a long way.

[tim]

You could try a lens pen, I just got one and find it better than lens tissue and lens solution.

[Jim_T]

Yes.. Lens pens are perfect for removing small smudges.. They're cheap too.. I always carry a couple in my camera bag.

[who me?]

I just throw mine in the shower, turn on the HOT water and then let them air dry.......
If there are really tough spots, steel wool does great....

Sorry, slow night at work...

[cc10d]

You may want to confirm that your cloth is one known as microfiber and that it is not treated with anything. Like antistatic substance or some other contaminant. many eyesight glass cleaning cloths were billed as antstatic, left a coat of stuff on my glasses, I recomend not using them on your camera optics.. I have found a soft microfiber cloth and either breath or only one drop of a good cleaning solution to be adequate for the nastiest of stuff. The microfiber cloth is unllikely to scratch and is more effective than the older lens cloths. As mentioned above, never rub lens until abrasives (dust,dirt,etc.) are removed from the lens.