35L Front element: pitting?

I haven't shot much in the last year or so. I pulled my camera and bag out to do a little cleaning, charge batteries, etc and inspected the front elements of my lenses.

My 35L has what appears to be several little spots that look like small dust particles. However after a wet cleaning they are still there. I am guessing that something got on the front element at some point and pitted or stained the coating on the front element.

I was wondering if there is any course of action I can take? I am pretty gentle on my gear and it spends most of its time the last year in the camera bag unused.

These are not scratches but remind me of water spots on a windshield. I normally only use a dust blower for lens cleaning and only clean with solution + lens paper as a last resort.

Ouch! I'd try some different cleaning solutions, to see if they might do better. Perhaps a final polishing with a "lens pen", too. Last ditch, take it to a pro and see if they have any other cleaning suggestions (send to Canon service dept., if there isn't someone locally).

If that doesn't do the job, if it's actually damage to or staining of the coatings on the lens, then I'm afraid the only repair is to have the front element replaced by Canon. I don't imagine that's inexpensive.

I can't see them looking head on. In the right light they look like little oil mist on the coating, but it won't clean off.

I guess i should have been using a filter.

Doesn't seem to affect image quality, especially for the few hobby shots I take with it now.

I tried the canon solution and a screen cleaner which I have been using for years on my LCD panels and plastic lenses on my glasses. Like I said normally I don't have to clean my lenses cause they stay rather clean on their own.

Well, after doing a bit of reading and not having much to my disposal I tried some isopropyl alcohol as a cleaning fluid. This is a debated topic, seeing how some feel it can remove the lens coatings. Normally i stick with canon clean solution because i was given a bottle with one of my lenses and like the great charlie sheen would say

"duh, its canon".


Anyways, after i used the cvs brand alcohol which left residue, i used the canon cleaning solution and then a lens pen to clean up any remaining smudges (i need to find a better solution). The alcohol seemed to do the trick at removing those "pitts" of mine. Must have been oil or something as the alcohol dissolved the stuff pretty quickly.

However, after this experience, I am considering purchasing some filters for my two lenses (35L and 135L). My first lens (70-200L F/4 IS)i purchased a decent mid range filter for it.With it being a different size then the rest of my L's when i sold the lens the filter went with it. Now, I know the cons of adding another piece of glass to the lens, but it seems to me that I'd rather replace the cheaper filter if it gets scratched be it from cleaning or accident then the more expensive front element.

I don't want to really get into that debate. There are too many of those threads already. I am just reporting that what I thought was pitting was nothing more than baked on gook/junk/nasty.

Much relief from this member tonight. A beer might be in order.

sayn3ver wrote in post #12582690
Much relief from this member tonight. A beer might be in order.

Good fix. Enjoy a good beer.

sayn3ver wrote in post #12582690
However, after this experience, I am considering purchasing some filters for my two lenses (35L and 135L). ... Now, I know the cons of adding another piece of glass to the lens, but it seems to me that I'd rather replace the cheaper filter if it gets scratched be it from cleaning or accident then the more expensive front element.

I don't want to really get into that debate. There are too many of those threads already. I am just reporting that what I thought was pitting was nothing more than baked on gook/junk/nasty.

Let me get this straight: You found some gunk on the front element that wasn't affecting picture quality. You were then able to clean said gunk off relatively easily. Now you want to put a piece of glass in front of your lens that will affect image quality to stop said gunk. I'm not sure I follow..

You should be aware that for the price of equipping your lenses with high quality filters, you could replace one of their front elements.

Well yea. I thought I had some pitting. My normal lens cleaner wouldn't move the stuff. A lens pen wouldn't move the stuff.

I dunno maybe I will maybe I won't filter up. All I know is that it Sucks to muck up expensive glass, for real or not.

sayn3ver wrote in post #12584569
I dunno maybe I will maybe I won't filter up. All I know is that it Sucks to muck up expensive glass, for real or not.

Very true...

Food for thought, at least.