how to clean the front element

nirVaan · 08-13-2011, 02:01 AM

hi guys im kinda new to photography anyways after a heavy duty usage of my lens recently i realized that i have accidently touched the front element and there are thumb marks thus can you kindly tell me what equipment or cloth should i use to clean it
.
thankz

Spock · 08-13-2011, 02:04 AM

Us a blower to get any dust off the lens, then breathe on it and wipe off the condensation with a lens tissue.

Joe Nation · 08-13-2011, 02:48 AM

Or buy a Lens Pen. It's basically a fat pen with a small soft pad on the end with lens cleaning fluid in it. Pretty cheap, lasts ages, and does a great job.

RioRico · 08-13-2011, 03:03 AM

I vote for a lens pen (whose fat end is microfibre).

ytterbium · 08-13-2011, 01:13 PM

Whatever the way, just don't get anal about it.

Most dust or particles have next to no effect on the pictures. May happen to be visible in high F shots. Fingerprints and other smudgy substances (fat, liquid raindrops) can cause haze and softness so should be cleaned.
Unless the there is a good reason (moist buildup etc) to clean the lens, the least you clean it the better and safer for the lens.

When i do clean my lens, first i use rocket blower, then without applying any pressure i swipe off any hard particles that might scratch the lens using a soft optic cloth. After shaking the cloth violently i use it with some pressure to clean various marks (e.g. dried water drops).

vrrattko · 08-13-2011, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by Spock

Us a blower to get any dust off the lens, then breathe on it and wipe off the condensation with a lens tissue.

That's the way I do it and nothing wrong with it at all.

RioRico · 08-13-2011, 02:09 PM

Originally posted by ytterbium

Most dust or particles have next to no effect on the pictures. May happen to be visible in high F shots. Fingerprints and other smudgy substances (fat, liquid raindrops) can cause haze and softness so should be cleaned.

Indeed. Even fairly severe front-element damage won't affect images much beyond lowering contrast, except at tight f-stops. Somewhere I saw a contest about HOW F*CKED IS YOUR LENS? where objectives with scratches, cracks, smashes etc still deliver decent images. Anyone with an extra Meyer Domiplan 50/2.8 can easily conduct the test: How badly can you smash it before it becomes useless?

(I don't have an extra Domi, but one of my superfluous M50/2's might be sacrificed. For science, of course.)

Quote:

Unless the there is a good reason (moist buildup etc) to clean the lens, the least you clean it the better and safer for the lens.

And the other end of the lens pen is a nice soft brush for whisking-away dustoids.

Last edited by RioRico; 08-13-2011 at 02:16 PM.

08-13-2011, 02:01 AM	#1
nirVaan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tokyo Posts: 115	how to clean the front element hi guys im kinda new to photography anyways after a heavy duty usage of my lens recently i realized that i have accidently touched the front element and there are thumb marks thus can you kindly tell me what equipment or cloth should i use to clean it . thankz

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08-13-2011, 02:04 AM	#2
Spock Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 674	Us a blower to get any dust off the lens, then breathe on it and wipe off the condensation with a lens tissue.

08-13-2011, 02:48 AM	#3
Joe Nation Forum Member Join Date: May 2011 Photos: Albums Posts: 61	Or buy a Lens Pen. It's basically a fat pen with a small soft pad on the end with lens cleaning fluid in it. Pretty cheap, lasts ages, and does a great job.

08-13-2011, 03:03 AM	#4
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	I vote for a lens pen (whose fat end is microfibre).

08-13-2011, 01:13 PM	#5
ytterbium Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,076	Whatever the way, just don't get anal about it. Most dust or particles have next to no effect on the pictures. May happen to be visible in high F shots. Fingerprints and other smudgy substances (fat, liquid raindrops) can cause haze and softness so should be cleaned. Unless the there is a good reason (moist buildup etc) to clean the lens, the least you clean it the better and safer for the lens. When i do clean my lens, first i use rocket blower, then without applying any pressure i swipe off any hard particles that might scratch the lens using a soft optic cloth. After shaking the cloth violently i use it with some pressure to clean various marks (e.g. dried water drops).

08-13-2011, 01:23 PM	#6
vrrattko Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Photos: Albums Posts: 753	Originally posted by Spock Us a blower to get any dust off the lens, then breathe on it and wipe off the condensation with a lens tissue. That's the way I do it and nothing wrong with it at all.

08-13-2011, 02:09 PM	#7
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by ytterbium Most dust or particles have next to no effect on the pictures. May happen to be visible in high F shots. Fingerprints and other smudgy substances (fat, liquid raindrops) can cause haze and softness so should be cleaned. Indeed. Even fairly severe front-element damage won't affect images much beyond lowering contrast, except at tight f-stops. Somewhere I saw a contest about HOW FCKED IS YOUR LENS? where objectives with scratches, cracks, smashes etc still deliver decent images. Anyone with an extra Meyer Domiplan 50/2.8 can easily conduct the test: How badly can you smash it before it becomes useless? (I don't have an extra Domi, but one of my superfluous M50/2's might be sacrificed. For science, of course.) Quote: Unless the there is a good reason (moist buildup etc) to clean the lens, the least you clean it the better and safer for the lens. And the other end of the lens pen is a nice soft brush for whisking-away dustoids. Last edited by RioRico; 08-13-2011 at 02:16 PM.*

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