For SERIOUS L Collectors' Eyes Only !

You can't beat the clack-clack of a well filled ball bag Buster I saw the likes of Gary Numan and The Jam there, as well as lots of wrestling with my old dear. I expect you grappled there yourself eh son?

While there have been some excellent suggestions here, I'm afraid no one has yet to address whether the suggested cleaning method should change for the weather sealed vs. non-weather sealed L's. Surely the length of time in the drier, autoclave, or (my personal favorite) pressure cooker would differ.

I had a custom-built clean-room environment installed in an old U-Haul trailer that I tow behind my van whenever I go out to shoot. I clean the lenses with nano-fiber cleaning cloths at a special vacuum station that exhausts any dust that is found on the equipment, and then I store each lens in its own custom hermetically sealed lens case. Monthly, on a rotating basis, my daughter checks the condition of each lens as well as my camera bodies with a process similar to MRI. The cleaning cloths are put into a hamper and washed after each use, with 4 filtered water rinses to insure no dirt passes from them to the lens or body. The trailer has a water supply with a hose and a sprayer to spritz the area and keep the dust down before I take out the camera. When changing lenses, if I can't get to the trailer, I have a special ionic chamber changing bag that draws any dust to the inside surface of the bag.

• Seriously, I have a lens pen for each camera bag (as mentioned, most are the same pen with different brand names).
  
• I have a microfiber cleaning cloth in each bag.
  
• In my larger bags, where I have the room, I have lens cleaning solution and good old Kodak Lens Cleaning Tissues.
  
• I have one bottle of ROR (Residual Oil Remover), mostly for my Hoya filters.
  
• I have a rocket blower in a storage bin at home.

CoolToolGuy wrote in post #2128278
I had a custom-built clean-room environment installed in an old U-Haul trailer that I tow behind my van whenever I go out to shoot. I clean the lenses with nano-fiber cleaning cloths at a special vacuum station that exhausts any dust that is found on the equipment, and then I store each lens in its own custom hermetically sealed lens case. Monthly, on a rotating basis, my daughter checks the condition of each lens as well as my camera bodies with a process similar to MRI. The cleaning cloths are put into a hamper and washed after each use, with 4 filtered water rinses to insure no dirt passes from them to the lens or body. The trailer has a water supply with a hose and a sprayer to spritz the area and keep the dust down before I take out the camera. When changing lenses, if I can't get to the trailer, I have a special ionic chamber changing bag that draws any dust to the inside surface of the bag.

• Seriously, I have a lens pen for each camera bag (as mentioned, most are the same pen with different brand names).
  
• I have a microfiber cleaning cloth in each bag.
  
• In my larger bags, where I have the room, I have lens cleaning solution and good old Kodak Lens Cleaning Tissues.
  
• I have one bottle of ROR (Residual Oil Remover), mostly for my Hoya filters.
  
• I have a rocket blower in a storage bin at home.

The lens pen and the microfiber cloths are the most often used cleaning methods. If that doesn't work I usually break out the solution and the tissues.

Have Fun,

Thanx Rickmaster, that was both funny and good.

This is what all of the best wedding photographers here in Shanghai are using. And they're ISO certified!

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runninmann wrote in post #2129397
This is what all of the best wedding photographers here in Shanghai are using. And they're ISO certified!

OMG!@!

I hope they were new ones...

I've also heard of them being used as emergency field bandages for injuries, but this is the first time.....

Lightstream wrote in post #2129442
OMG!@!

I hope they were new ones...

I've also heard of them being used as emergency field bandages for injuries, but this is the first time.....

You oughta see what they use for cleaning liquid

ibdb wrote in post #2127915
Surely the length of time in the drier, autoclave, or (my personal favorite) pressure cooker would differ.

You forgot the Microwave oven for the quick clean job.

mark

The ultimate cleaning system...buy an L, use it until it's dirty, sell it for a very good price and buy a new one that someone has cleaned already...

Permagrin wrote in post #2129721
The ultimate cleaning system...buy an L, use it until it's dirty, sell it for a very good price and buy a new one that someone has cleaned already...

Isn't that the Dante and Ronald S. method?

Have Fun,

I find Hakuba to be a really good brand.

Petkal wrote in post #2119030
This question is for L collectors of some stature, like Master Belmondo, AeroSmith, CoolToolGuy, Unstoppable F Jojo, BearSummer, SSIM, TomF...

What type (brand) of cleaning lenspens do you use on your precious lenses, and what is your experience (tips) with it ?

As usual, faithful to my fossil ways:o , I have been using Kodak paper + bottled lens cleaner all my life. Now, not only that I am getting a bit tired of it, but these days it is harder to travel with those sorts of liquids. Therefore I'd like to try something else that will give really good results and yet be practical and easily portable.

Naturally, even lesser L collectors/apprentices like Dante can share their experience with lenspens, should they have any, that is.

Sorry Petkal but I missed this post originally.

Unfortunately you have confused me somewhat. Why would you need to clean a lens? How is it possible to get a lens dirty if you keep it in its packing when its not on display? As its only displayed in a class 10 clean room then it shouldn't ever need to cleaned. Where do you keep your lenses that they might get dirty?

Regards

BearSummer

BearSummer wrote in post #2133351
Sorry Petkal but I missed this post originally.

Unfortunately you have confused me somewhat. Why would you need to clean a lens? How is it possible to get a lens dirty if you keep it in its packing when its not on display? As its only displayed in a class 10 clean room then it shouldn't ever need to cleaned. Where do you keep your lenses that they might get dirty?

Regards

BearSummer

Bear, you have obviously misunderstood the driving force behind my inquiry. You see, my dear collecting colleague, once in my possession, the lenses are kept not only clean but antiseptic as well. It is the incipient cleaning upon their arrival from those messy Canon hands which causes vexations and strenuous labours in order to bring them to my own museum curio standards.

Permagrin wrote in post #2129721
The ultimate cleaning system...buy an L, use it until it's dirty, sell it for a very good price and buy a new one that someone has cleaned already...

i think thats Ronald's plan

Petkal wrote in post #2133427
Bear, you have obviously misunderstood the driving force behind my inquiry. You see, my dear collecting colleague, once in my possession, the lenses are kept not only clean but antiseptic as well. It is the incipient cleaning upon their arrival from those messy Canon hands which causes vexations and strenuous labours in order to bring them to my own museum curio standards.

Ahh, now I understand. The problem is that you are buying your equipment via normal channels. This means that you get the "standard" quality L lenses that they sell to just anybody. I was under the impression that you were one of the serious collectors who have an "understanding" with Canon. If you don't have a CCC (Canon collectors card) then obviously your L's will just be everyday L's. If you buy them using the CCC numbers then the lenses are constructed by hand in a cat 10 clean room and then shipped in sealed boxes to your place of display.

The CCC also enables you to send your display items back for cleaning if you happen to pick one up, without gloves, for example. I believe they use an ultrasonic bath to remove any residual marks.

CCC's are only available via personal introductions, give me a call on 328-7448 and I will put you in contact with the right people. If you can't remember the number I'm sure you will find an easy way of memorising it.

Best Regards

BearSummer