Microfiber Cloth

[xHassassin]

Which one do you guys use to clean your lens? Or if you don't use one, what do you do for lens cleaning? I just grabbed one today on my trip and it basically spat lint everywhere.
:(

[seaside]

Sounds like you got a bad one ;) Most any micro cloth I've seen works fine w/o spitting :D If I don't have one handy I'll use my 100 percent cotton t-shirt.

The key is to make sure there aren't any grains of dirt on the lens first that you might grind into the coating.

[gjl711]

Definitely sounds like a cheap microfiber cloth. They should be nearly completely lint free.

[painter4life05]

I have tried an auto detailing cloth and it was okay, then I got a glasses cleaner cloth and it is great. It is basically the same thing at the camera store but much cheaper. PS if you have glasses its a double win.

[SkipD]

A squeeze-bulb blower such as a Rocket Blower by Giottos, quality lens tissue (such as that sold by Kodak and now Tiffen), a good lens cleaning fluid, and PROPER TECHNIQUE is the way that I have cleaned my lenses for decades.

What is "proper technique"?

First - the goal is to clean the lens (or filter - I would use the very same process) without grinding any dirt/debris into the lens. To me, this absolutely dictates single-use surfaces for anything that touches the lens. That's why I use lens tissues instead of a washable cloth or - particularly - something like a lens pen.

Here are the steps that I use to clean a lens:

1. Use a squeeze-bulb blower to blow any loose dust off the lens. 90% of the time, step 1 is all that is necessary.

2. Take a lens tissue out of the pack. Fold it once, holding only what was the ends of the tissue. You want to be extremely careful to NEVER TOUCH the areas of the lens tissue that will be touching the lens. This will avoid transferring oils from your fingers to the lens.

3. Moisten the folded portion of the lens tissue with a little lens cleaner. You don't want the tissue dripping wet, but it must be damp.

CAUTION: NEVER apply lens cleaner directly to the lens (though it won’t hurt a filter, you don’t want liquid leaking into the lens’ innards).

4. Wipe LIGHTLY across the lens ONCE with the damp tissue. Then either turn it over or fold it so that you can wipe again, but with an unused surface. You can do this as often as needed, as long as you never wipe the lens twice with any surface of the tissue. This prevents scratches. Again, make sure you never touch an area of the tissue that will touch the lens.

5. Ensuring that the lens is actually clean, use a dry tissue, handled the same way as above, to wipe the lens dry. Since you have already removed the dirt, there's no risk of scratching the lens with the dry tissue.

6. Dispose of the used lens tissues in a proper trash receptacle.

That's it in a nutshell. Simple and effective. I've been cleaning my lenses this way for over 40 years, and all of them have pristine glass (and none have ever worn "protective" filters).

[tgara]

I love Skip. He's been copying and posting that same post for years. But lens tissue is old technology.... so 1980s. Besides, it consumes trees which leads to deforestation and global warming. ;) Use microfiber cloth. It's more effective than lens tissue, is reusable, and eco-friendly. And if you're out in the wilderness, you won't have to carry a pocketful of shredded lens tissue.

You can get small cloths for glasses at places like Walmart or Amazon for a couple of bucks. I have a small blue one made by 3M that has a fluffy nap. It picks up all the smudges and leaves no lint behind.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Microfiber-Cleaning-Cloth-Color/dp/B00009PSZ2

[Rey.dos]

the way i clean the front ele of my lens.
rocket blower --> soft brush --> rocket blower --> lens tissue with solution.

[vitacura]

Thanks for the write-up Skip!

[dougj7]

I use one of these, but I don't know if they will clean Canon lenses::roll:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/374562-REG/Nikon_8072_Micro_Fiber_Lens_Cleaning_Cloth.html

[bohdank]

Dollarama in Montreal. $1/each. They are absolutely excellent.

[blackhawk]

Try washing it, some lint is normal, use a rocket blower before & after... use dry, and make lite straight/semicircle wipes. "Huff" on lense only if needed.
Hand wash frequently, use distilled water to rinse if streaking becomes an issue.

Use them all the time...

[lannes]

Spudz are the best if you want no lint for lens cleaning, and you can get canon /non nikon versions.
Should be able to get them cheaply from most camera stores if not,

http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=spudz

[xHassassin]

Thanks guys.
:D

Erm, can I just use water? Or is there something special about cleaning fluid?

[bohdank]

Spudz are the best if you want no lint for lens cleaning, and you can get canon /non nikon versions.
Should be able to get them cheaply from most camera stores if not,

http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=spudz

I can't believe the prices !!!!!!

I should go and buy up all the Dollarama ones and sell them online for $5/pop.

[blackhawk]

Thanks guys.
:D

Erm, can I just use water? Or is there something special about cleaning fluid?

Use no cleaning fluid or water unless heavily soiled; use dry.

DO NOT try this with any other type of cloth as that can cause scratches and/or marring.

[Bob_A]

A squeeze-bulb blower such as a Rocket Blower by Giottos, quality lens tissue (such as that sold by Kodak and now Tiffen), a good lens cleaning fluid, and PROPER TECHNIQUE is the way that I have cleaned my lenses for decades.

What is "proper technique"?

First - the goal is to clean the lens (or filter - I would use the very same process) without grinding any dirt/debris into the lens. To me, this absolutely dictates single-use surfaces for anything that touches the lens. That's why I use lens tissues instead of a washable cloth or - particularly - something like a lens pen.

Here are the steps that I use to clean a lens:

1. Use a squeeze-bulb blower to blow any loose dust off the lens. 90% of the time, step 1 is all that is necessary.

2. Take a lens tissue out of the pack. Fold it once, holding only what was the ends of the tissue. You want to be extremely careful to NEVER TOUCH the areas of the lens tissue that will be touching the lens. This will avoid transferring oils from your fingers to the lens.

3. Moisten the folded portion of the lens tissue with a little lens cleaner. You don't want the tissue dripping wet, but it must be damp.

CAUTION: NEVER apply lens cleaner directly to the lens (though it won’t hurt a filter, you don’t want liquid leaking into the lens’ innards).

4. Wipe LIGHTLY across the lens ONCE with the damp tissue. Then either turn it over or fold it so that you can wipe again, but with an unused surface. You can do this as often as needed, as long as you never wipe the lens twice with any surface of the tissue. This prevents scratches. Again, make sure you never touch an area of the tissue that will touch the lens.

5. Ensuring that the lens is actually clean, use a dry tissue, handled the same way as above, to wipe the lens dry. Since you have already removed the dirt, there's no risk of scratching the lens with the dry tissue.

6. Dispose of the used lens tissues in a proper trash receptacle.

That's it in a nutshell. Simple and effective. I've been cleaning my lenses this way for over 40 years, and all of them have pristine glass (and none have ever worn "protective" filters).

I've been using the same products and same process as you for the past 30+ years :) Works perfectly.

Only mistake I ever made was to buy a 16oz bottle of Kodak lens cleaning fluid 'cause it was cheap. It's going to take a lifetime to use up this stuff :lol:

[lannes]

I can't believe the prices !!!!!!

I should go and buy up all the Dollarama ones and sell them online for $5/pop.

I think the main difference is the microscopic weave, you can't see the individual fibres like a normal microfibre cloth.
Spudz is on the left, fine microfibre on the right.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/lannes2007/IMG_9212_cr.jpg

[jcarp618]

I use one of these, but I don't know if they will clean Canon lenses::roll:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/374562-REG/Nikon_8072_Micro_Fiber_Lens_Cleaning_Cloth.html

i lol'd bw!

[keitaro]

I've been using the lens tissue method. I think that with a microfiber cloth it can trap small particles of dust & dirt in the fibres and scratch the coatings.

I however do use a microfiber cloth for cleaning the camera body and lcd screens.

[bps]

I use microfiber cloths to clean a lot of things, but not on the front element of my lenses. Only a rocket blower and it needs more, than only a lens tissue and a tiny bit of solution...

Bryan

[huntersdad]

I carry a Costa Del Mar sunglass microfiber cloth. Same thing you'd use to clean your glasses. I always use the Rocket Blower first and use the cloth only when needed.

[SuzyView]

I get the free blue microfiber cloths from Costco when I get new glasses. I have about 8 of them now and they are amazing. I will spray the glasses solution on the cloth and use it for my lenses if they are really gross, which happens sometimes. Don't use the spray directly on any equipment. And the rocket blower is your friend.

[bohdank]

I've been using the lens tissue method. I think that with a microfiber cloth it can trap small particles of dust & dirt in the fibres and scratch the coatings.

I however do use a microfiber cloth for cleaning the camera body and lcd screens.

The depth to a microfiber cloth is its plus, imo. If, by chance, any tiny particle is on the lens and cannot be blown off (usually the case why I would be cleaning a lens), it would get trapped below surface level or pushed to the side. I use little force when I use a cloth and I am careful. So far, 2 years, so good. I do use them to clean my (plastic lens) glasses multiple times per day, with significant force, and they are not scratched, either.

I use one cloth for my lenses, one for everything else.

Whatever works for you and $1 Dollarama cloths were perfectly for me.

[blackhawk]

I've been using the lens tissue method. I think that with a microfiber cloth it can trap small particles of dust & dirt in the fibres and scratch the coatings.

I however do use a microfiber cloth for cleaning the camera body and lcd screens.

The body is best cleaned with a damp terry cloth.
Plastic is easier to scratch... I use dry microfiber cloths all the time to clean plastic lens with no harm.

You need to shake out the MF cloth between uses, and wash it often.

[Wilt]

Common household microfiber...a soft finish, a bit like a terry cloth towel.

Good photographic microfiber (the one that started the revolution 20 years ago)...smooth hard finish, somewhat shiny like satin

Original testing by Herb Keppler of Modern Photography magazine (he later became editor of Popular Photography ) was a microfiber cloth available in Japan and not yet exported to USA. Proven under microphotography to cause less microabrasion than even Kodak lens cleaning tissues!
As pointed out, it is important to launder microfiber cloths, so that abrasive particles do not remain in the cloth...not much of a burden if you think of it, as you do have to wash underwear regularly, too, btw! (I hope!)

[blackhawk]

Good photographic microfiber (the one that started the revolution 20 years ago)...smooth hard finish, somewhat shiny like satin



My favorite MF cloths are not smooth (they literally stick to the underside of a dry finger by attaching to it's rough surface) and they aren't "hard" (?).

[Wilt]

One of the originals, Photo-Clear, is still available

http://store.pictureline.com/photo-clear-cloth.html

[Bob_A]

I've tried using microfiber cloths to clean my eyeglasses and I always end up with a bunch of greasy streaks. They've never worked for me so I use pre-moistened lens cleaning towelettes for my glasses instead.

Do you MF cloth users always use a lens cleaning solution along with the MF cloth? I thought you were supposed to use them dry.

[Wilt]

I've tried using microfiber cloths to clean my eyeglasses and I always end up with a bunch of greasy streaks. They've never worked for me so I use pre-moistened lens cleaning towelettes for my glasses instead.

Do you MF cloth users always use a lens cleaning solution along with the MF cloth? I thought you were supposed to use them dry.

Huff the lens to fog with your breath, then wipe with dry microfiber. I rarely have to resort to a cleaning fluid...if I need fluid, I use Residual Oil Remover (ROR)

Facial oils on glasses are a very different thing than lenses, which ordinarily should not encounter anything greasy touching the optics.

[Bob_A]

Huff the lens to fog with your breath, then wipe with dry microfiber. I rarely have to resort to a cleaning fluid...if I need fluid, I use Residual Oil Remover (ROR)

Facial oils on glasses are a very different thing than lenses, which ordinarily should not encounter anything greasy touching the optics.

With three people wearing glasses in my house there's lots of brand new microfiber cloths laying around. I won't be using them for my eyeglasses but I'll have to try them out on my camera lenses.

What's the process for cleaning these things? Just a couple of drops of dish soap and a really good rinsing?

[tgara]

What's the process for cleaning these things? Just a couple of drops of dish soap and a really good rinsing?

I use many MF cloths when I wash and detail my cars, so I sometimes will throw in my lens cleaning MF cloths too when I wash them in the washing machine. Basically, you clean MF in the wash, but only with other MF cloths and without any liquid softeners like Downey. I use warm water, not hot. Dry on low. Remember, these things are a lot like plastic, so they don't like a lot of heat.

You could wash them by hand too. Use Woolite, same stuff the gals use for washing undies in the sink. Just a bit of soap is all that's needed. Rinse thoroughly, and air dry.

[blackhawk]

I've tried using microfiber cloths to clean my eyeglasses and I always end up with a bunch of greasy streaks. They've never worked for me so I use pre-moistened lens cleaning towelettes for my glasses instead.

Do you MF cloth users always use a lens cleaning solution along with the MF cloth? I thought you were supposed to use them dry.

Use water and dish soap first on glasses if they're a mess. Best to use MF clothes dry. Clean glasses more often.

Use distilled water (or from a dehumidifier) if rinse water isn't demineralized (MF cloth leaves streaks after washing).

[Bob_A]

Thanks tgara and blackhawk!

[nduralt]

Dollarama in Montreal. $1/each. They are absolutely excellent.

I'm going to be in montreal in a few weeks, where is this dollarama?

[bohdank]

Lots of them

http://www.montrealplus.ca/ypsearch?srch=ypbusiness&sort=&yp_what=dollarama&x=63&y=22

If you are going to be downtown, there is one on the Metro Level at McGill Station.

The cloths are a light blue color.

[nduralt]

Lots of them

http://www.montrealplus.ca/ypsearch?srch=ypbusiness&sort=&yp_what=dollarama&x=63&y=22

If you are going to be downtown, there is one on the Metro Level at McGill Station.

The cloths are a light blue color.
Excellent! Thanks for the recommendation.