what can I use to clean lenses

simons-photography · 10-03-2008, 11:23 AM

I need to give my lens a good clean as there are some smears that just don't come off with a dry lens cloth, what should I use ? I tried a search but found nothing so don't flame me for not searching first

*Venturi* · 10-03-2008, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by simons-photography

I need to give my lens a good clean as there are some smears that just don't come off with a dry lens cloth, what should I use ? I tried a search but found nothing so don't flame me for not searching first

Giotto makes a cleaning solution. Mild soapy water with a microfiber lens cloth should be safe for occasional use on stubborn smudges. Just please always be careful that you don't rub the glass if there is any kind of abrasive dust/particulate on it.

*séamuis* · 10-03-2008, 11:40 AM

Formula MC is what I use and have never had a problem or mishap with it. and I have cleaned all of my lenses at least once. I also use the lens tissues that can be found on the link below and have also had no problems. I know everyone has their own opinion about what to use and not use, and what is safe and not safe but I can tell you that from my own experience Formula MC works and works well. even on those oh so hard to clean Hoya S-HMC filters.

here is the formula MC website:
Optical Cleaning Fluids

this is where I purchased Formula MC, lens tissues, and micro fiber cloths.
Optical cleaning supplies

again, I'm sure others will chime in and maybe even say no don't use it or (more likely) will say don't use lens tissues, so I say use at your own risk.. I have come to realize that when it comes to lens cleaning there is apparently NO right answer.

simons-photography · 10-03-2008, 12:01 PM

thanks I need to clean em up for tomorrow so it'll have to be the soapy water

rburgoss · 10-03-2008, 12:08 PM

Hold it.... wait a moment. Soapy water? I tend to disagree here. Any form of soap means something had to be dissolved, which means something may be left behind on your glass surface.

What you need is a dedicated glass cleaning solution. Preferably sterile as you'll avoid "planting" spores or bacteria that will later grow as fungus.

If you do not have a dedicated lens solution, I suggest using a 1/4 dilution of standard windex in sterilized water (boiled and let cool down). Use a wet (not dripping) cotton swab to treat your lens surfaces. Finish with microfiber or lint free tissue.

As I said before, avoid any soap solutions, including liquid dishwasher solutions.

RB

simons-photography · 10-03-2008, 12:51 PM

ok thanks I'll advoid the soap

Ahab · 10-03-2008, 12:56 PM

I use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol mixed with distilled water 50/50 solution.

*Venturi* · 10-03-2008, 01:02 PM

Wait a minute times two!

Why would consumer window solution (boiled or not) be any safer than mild soapy water? Windex type products contain Ammonia and/or Isopropyl Alcohol as well as fragrance, pigmentation, degreasers and detergents.

One drop of Dawn in 2 cups of filtered water is going to be far more mild of a solution than a 1:4 solution of Windex and water.

From the KatzEye care-and-feeding instructions:

The only safe fluids to use on the screen are water and mild dishwashing liquid that has been diluted with water. DO NOT USE alcohol, nail polish remover, paint thinner, Windex, commercial lens cleaning solutions, or any other sort of solvent. Some of them might be safe, but you use them at your own risk - the plastic of the focusing screen can be softened and smeared by solvents.

While the focus screen is not a glass lens element I personally regard my multi-coated lens elements to require just as much care when it comes to chemical contact.

Just my $0.02.

Douglas_of_Sweden · 10-03-2008, 01:09 PM

I'd be carefull with anything else than distilled water. Usually I first make sure there is no dust, sand particles etc by using a rubber blower or compressed air. Then I try just breathing on the lens and then drying with a Kodak lens cleaning paper. Then air again.
If that doesn't work, some distilled water may help. In tough cases were something sticky that is not water soluble is involved, I have used pure isopropanol, I don't mean the weaker medical water mixture, but the purest you can get from a chemical company. Sure I dilute it, with distilled water, but this way I'm sure there is nothing else in it. I can't guarantie that there is nothing in the lens coating that could dissolve in isopropanol, but I use it very rarely in the worst cases and with care, trying a weak solution first etc.
Isopropanol is the main ingredience in many cleaning liquids such as Windex, but these also often contain acid substances such as ammonia or organic acids that could damage the lens if some is left there, and they also contain more complex substances such as surfactants (sticky themself, don't want that on my lenses) or water softeners. Keep it simple when dealing with chemicals on something you care for. It's not like cleaning the owen or your windows or so.
Soap or similar, well, if you leave some, even tiny amount, I'd suspect that it can become excellent food for fungus, besides that even thin layers may influence the optical properties.

Seamuis, do you know what's in the formula MC?
Sort of funny, on one of the links you gave the advertiesment for forumla MC says "Approved and used on the space shuttle!". Is that supposed to be some sort of reinsurance that it is safe to use?

simons-photography · 10-03-2008, 01:12 PM

so no alcohol ? I have a bottle of 95 % drinkable alcohol

*Venturi* · 10-03-2008, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by simons-photography

so no alcohol ? I have a bottle of 95 % drinkable alcohol

that's for you afterwards!

Seriously, try filtered/distilled water and a clean microfiber cloth first, after removing all potential debris with a blower first.

Douglas_of_Sweden · 10-03-2008, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by simons-photography

so no alcohol ? I have a bottle of 95 % drinkable alcohol

Well, isopropanol is an alcohol, but don't drink it. I don't know exactly what would happen, but probably not good for liver etc. If you mean ethanol I suppose one might use it instead of isopropanol. I don't know why isopropanol is better, but it is often recommended for cleaning any glass...and I think it is cheap to produce.

*Clicker* · 10-03-2008, 01:43 PM

Get a couple Lenspen also Nikon branded as Nikon lense cleaner in the UK?

LENSPEN is The superior Camera lens cleaning system for all fine optics, rifle scopes, camcorder and camera viewer screens, binoculars

http://henrik.paul.fi/articles.php?a=18

yeah avoid soap on the coating use eyeglasses cleaning solution.

Wheatfield · 10-03-2008, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by simons-photography

I need to give my lens a good clean as there are some smears that just don't come off with a dry lens cloth, what should I use ? I tried a search but found nothing so don't flame me for not searching first

Your lenses are tougher than many people think.
The best cleaning cloth I've found are microfibre cleaning cloths, often available fairly cheaply in the cleaning products secion of Wal-Mart and their ilk.
Failing that, and a very close second is regular cotton T-Shirt material (old T-Shirts are best). just make sure that the fabric is freshly laundered and has been washed often enough to take any sizings out of the material, perhaps 3 or 4 times, and that they don't have the common T-Shirt dreck advertising for various products.
The best cleaning solution you can get is your breath.

If the lens has particles of stuff, brush them off with the T-Shirt, then breath on the lens and wipe it with circular motions. This will probably be enough. If it isn't, then any lens cleaning solution can be used. If you get one designed for eyeglasses in a spritzer bottle, don't spray the lens directly, as you can get fluid inside the lens. Spray the cloth, and then wipe the lens, again in a circular motion with the damp fabric, and then dry it with a dry end of the material.

benplaut · 10-03-2008, 08:23 PM

lenspen! They are really incredible, I've never had a smear my lenspen couldn't remove.