Polishing a Lens Scratch Out?

Hi All

Does anybody know if it is possible to polish out or reduce a lens scratch with some suitable polishing paste or abrasive paper?

I have a G12 that has a few tiny scratches on the lens (from where I don't know...but I have read posts that have given some clues regarding the lens cover design). Unfortunately they cause a lot of lens flare rendering the camera unusable in certain circumstances.

I was wondering if an abrasive polishing paste was a solution? Has anyone done this or got any experience or removing or lessening scratches on a lens without replacement?

Thanks

SAB-Click

Polishing the surface of a lens with anything that would smooth out the glass would remove the coating on the glass, degrading the image. You would be better off coating the scratch with an opaque layer of something.

Hi SkipD, Unfortunately the image is already degraded.

Do you know how thick the coating is...could the scratched just be within the coating? What do you suggest as an opaque 'something'?

SAB_Click wrote in post #16340530
What do you suggest as an opaque 'something'?

Black paint, applied thickly enough to be opaque, would work. The result would be elimination of reflections caused by the scratch. You could experiment with a sliver of black electrician's tape to prove the concept before applying paint that could be difficult to remove.

I'm not clear how that wouldn't obstruct the image? I should have paid more attention in physics at school.

Maybe a drywipe marker would be the best way of proving the concept, replacing with a permanent marker if it works. Would these be opaque enough? I presume there is nothing nasty in such pens or paint that would hurt the coating around the scratches making things worse?

I have seen it suggested that using a black sharpie pen to draw along the scratch, then wipe off the excess going across the scratch can improve things. It makes sense as it should just put enough ink down to fill the scratch and prevent it scattering light, whilst the thin black line will be too small to cause issues as it would be so far out of focus (like shooting through a chain link fence at wide apertures, they just disappear - so long as the sun isn't reflecting off them).

You may still see an issue if you stop right down, but the lens should be fine at most apertures. You just need to stop the scratches scattering the light by filling them with black. I wouldn't recommend polishing the glass as that could cause more problems than it would solve.

Done thatlens scratch removal.
But I have done exactly this on a defective lens with no mount.
But on two other lenses I have polished the lens AR coating away, and the image quality is still ok - even with lower surface form accuracy.

An uncoated is not a bad thing, unless you want to use filters or need the last percentage of light.

I think the cause of the scratching is the design of the lens cover...if grit/coarse dust gets behind the cover it scratches when it opens or closes. I wish I'd been aware of that when I bought it as I might have looked at other options.

I have decided to go with the Sharpie pen option, but with the battery needing charging and not having a marker pen until the shops open, there is until tomorrow to change my mind if other advice is offered.

Thanks for your help guys, I don't think I can make things much worse whatever I do

ZoneV wrote in post #16340669
Done thatlens scratch removal.
But I have done exactly this on a defective lens with no mount.
But on two other lenses I have polished the lens AR coating away, and the image quality is still ok - even with lower surface form accuracy.

An uncoated is not a bad thing, unless you want to use filters or need the last percentage of light.

Great information and examples, thanks for sharing.

have you thought about just getting a hood of some sort?

Hi Andre, no - I hadn't. That might be a good idea for some of the time, but as a 'pocketable' camera it's another thing to carry, so not ideal.

I think you should read this. It's most likely not affecting your images at all.

http://www.lensrentals​.com …0/front-element-scratches

DreDaze wrote in post #16341493
have you thought about just getting a hood of some sort?

My initial thought too, but it seems the integrated lens cap/cover of the G12 is what may be causing the scratches from what I infer from the OP's post.

oh, i just meant to try and shield some of the light to help stop the flare

adamo99 wrote in post #16341630
I think you should read this. It's most likely not affecting your images at all.

http://www.lensrentals​.com …0/front-element-scratches

Hi Adam, yes it does. When you put it on live view and move the camera around in relation to the light/sun you can see it kick in quite badly as you turn in relation to the light source.

Kirk, yes I believe it is the G12 lens cover from what I have read and from what I can see. All the scratches are in the same direction as each other and the bit nearest the cover.

I used the camera in some desert environments. Other lenses fared well but sadly not this.