[ZombieArmy]

I'm trying to be more careful with my lenses when I clean them, and some of my older lenses have extremely soft glass so I don't want to accidentally scratch a classic. So I'm coming to you guys for help.

What do you guys use to do an initial dusting of a lens before you use a lens cleaner and microfiber cloth?

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Last edited by ZombieArmy; 09-26-2021 at 08:22 AM.

[C_Jones]

I use my "Rocket" blower on my lenses for dust/particles. I also use soft cotton fabric from the Wal Mart fabric section with my cleaner. It does not scratch and is absorbent.

I do not remove my lenses from my cameras very often to avoid dust/particles.

Below is a shortcut to a listing of a blower in case you are interested.

amazon.com : Giottos AA1910 Medium Rocket Air Blaster (6.6) : Compressed Air Camera Cleaners : Electronics?tag=pentaxforums-20&

[aaacb]

I also use giottos rocket blower, and then if it's needed I use the brush from the lens pen, followed by the lens pen to clean smudges, and microfiber + lens cleaning liquid only in rare circumstances. Don't clean my lenses too often just because there's no need, somehow things stay clean enough

[paulh]

Rocket blower. I've heard of folks using an artist's fine camel's hair brush, but I personally haven't tried that.

[c.a.m]

What do you guys use to do an initial dusting of a lens before you use a lens cleaner and microfiber cloth?

I use a soft facial makeup powder brush. I think I paid $15-20 at my local drug store. Before using, I washed it with a small amount of soap, rinsed it well, and dried it softly with a hair dryer. I store it by itself in a zippered plastic bag, and clean it periodically.

I also use a rocket blower.

- Craig

[AstroDave]

I also use giottos rocket blower, and then if it's needed I use the brush from the lens pen, followed by the lens pen to clean smudges, and microfiber + lens cleaning liquid only in rare circumstances.

I think this is about as good as you can get. I use the lens pen brush and pen on my lenses as well as those I am selling on Ebay. (I still have some 50-year old Kodak lens cleaning solution and the related wiping papers!)

[ZombieArmy]

I do use the rocket blower, but I find the air pressure isn't quite enough for the more "stuck" particles of dust. Thanks for the answers so far though.

[DWS1]

Rocket blower. I've heard of folks using an artist's fine camel's hair brush, but I personally haven't tried that.

I use one of those artist's fine camel's hair brushes and a rocket blower. Works great. Brush is about 3/4" wide and labeled as a blender brush. Softest brush I've ever seen.

[Digitalis]

I don't like the idea of using blowers: you might end up blowing particulate matter into crevices which in turn might cause the mechanism, or inadvertently low dust into internal spaces where they contaminate lubricants which in turn can gum up the mechanisms of the lens and cause problems. I prefer to remove dust by wiping it away with a fresh microfiber cloth, I usually get a new cloth every 6~12 months depending on what I have been doing with my gear. I also use electrostatically charged brushes from visible dust to clean my gear and they work very well when it comes to the removal of foreign matter.

Pollen and slat spray on lenses can be a pain to remove, in this case I'll use a dilute solvent to remove it. Never use undiluted solvents they can be fine to use on glass, but plastics and metal coatings can be adversely affected by them.

[Bob 256]

Caution: Read with Caution: I used canned air BUT, I make sure the can is partially empty (preferably below half) and am careful not to tip the can which would cause liquid to be sprayed on the surface to be cleaned. Never shake!!.

If this does the job (which it often does), I do no further cleaning. I only resort to actual cleaning with lens fluid and lens tissue if the lens acquires a fingerprint or some oily grime from contact with something, and that after blowing to reduce any actual "grit" from the surface.

Maybe once every year or longer, I will clean some lenses with lens cleaner and tissue when there is an evaporative deposit on the lens (sometimes storage vessels can outgas and deposit a thin film of plasticizer on a lens surface). My best advice - don't clean with fluids or contact cleaners unless you need to - air (or compressed gas if precautions taken) will do it for the average dust accumulation.

If you do get a fingerprint on a lens surface (and it does happen), clean with lens cleaner and tissues as soon as possible. The oils in a fingerprint can bind with the lens coating if left too long.

[biz-engineer]

I'm trying to be more careful with my lenses when I clean them, and some of my older lenses have extremely soft glass so I don't accidentally scratch a classic. So I'm coming to you guys for help.

Any cleaning method involves some risk of scratching old lens coat, even my contact-less glass vacuum cleaning methodTM. Just use a clear lens protection filter and don't worry about damaging lens coat. If the clear lens filter is scratched, then replace it with a new one.

---------- Post added 26-09-21 at 09:28 ----------

I prefer to remove dust by wiping it away with a fresh microfiber cloth, I usually get a new cloth every 6~12 months depending on what I have been doing with my gear.

Two disadvantages of doing so. First, if there is some dust particle on the glass surface, rubbing the cloth will scratch the coating, that's why air blowers are used first to remove the dust (using pure air, free of any dust particle) and the microfiber cloth is use to remove (oily) finger marks. Second, holding microfiber cloth with bare hands deposits some fatty substance from human skin on the cloth itslef. I recommend using dust free gloves to handle the micro-cloth and then always store the micro-cloth and the gloves in a dust free box.

[Not a Number]

I use a one inch camel hair brush for water colors. A makeup brush works as well. Be sure to clean them with pure soap (like Ivory) and warm water and letting the brush dry thoroughly before using the first time. The manufactures often put "sizing" (starch) on the hairs to help keep shape before they are sold. I always rap the handle of the brush against the palm of my hand several times to remove any bits of dust or grit that may be on the hairs. Washing now and then with soap and water helps too.

When you brush the lens use the lightest of flicks. Brush, don't scrub.

Make sure the brush is camel hair and not pony hair - price is a good indicator. If you want to splurge get a red sable brush which is even softer than camel hair.

Sometimes a blower just won't move a stubborn bit - static cling perhaps.

[marcusBMG]

lenspens etc come with a brush at one end that seems fine to me. IMO any brush will do, bristles are not going to scratch your lens. if however hard dust grains get caught up in the bristles well that's when long term wear might occur, and that can be the case with any brush. So the trick is keeping th ebrush clean. One that retracts and is capped seems relatively ideal.
For me cleaning is a combination of blowing, brushing (esp dust that won't blow out of eg filter threads) and then wiping with lens cleaning wipes. I use the cheap ones* for spectacles etc from supermarkets, the disadvantage is they aren't necessarlily lint free, so you have finish with blowing off lint specks.
*check the contents descriptor, solvent based ones work better than water based ones.

[Wheatfield]

I'm trying to be more careful with my lenses when I clean them, and some of my older lenses have extremely soft glass so I don't accidentally scratch a classic. So I'm coming to you guys for help.

What do you guys use to do an initial dusting of a lens before you use a lens cleaner and microfiber cloth?

I use a make-up brush that a girl that did a lot of modeling for me gifted me. It was one she never used and is very good quality. It's about the only thing I do to clean lenses.

Note when I was selling cameras the number one cause of damage I saw was from lens cleaning.

[wadge22]

I have one of the "lipstick" types from Matin. I like that it can be partially retracted to make the bristles a little stiffer, and that it is compact and covered when in storage.
It's also made in Korea, which for some reason implies quality to me. Although I'm sure it doesn't really matter for a brush.

I try not to use the brush much, and to use solution with cloth or paper even less. It should always be "first do no harm" when it comes to optical glass. The rocket blower is my friend.
I also (metaphorically of course) pack a few chill pills in my cleaning kit, for those times when I can't seem to ignore even a few tiny specks.