[wildman]

My cleaning gear for the last 50 years with no problems whatsoever:

1. Women's blush brush for grit.
2. Alcohol
3. Kleenex
4. Done

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Last edited by wildman; 03-01-2013 at 01:10 PM.

[jpaulb]

I ask this question at the Pentax / Hasselblad service centre in Halifax.
They use a 60/40 solution of Methanol & ether; what a greeting walking through that door.
For home use they recommend 50/50 solution Methanol/water; a few drops on a lint free cotton cloth, wipe the lens let it dry.
A bulb blower ( little rubber bulb with a nozzle) is fine; but first wash it out with soap and water. Powder is use to coat the mld when they are made and not cleaned out after production.
Brushes not recommended, micro fibre cloths very good for the service centres' business not the lens, grit can get caught in the micro fibres.

Anyway that was the advice I received from a person with about 40 years of experience.

[pentaxmz]

Again, thank you for all your valued advice.

Here is what I recently purchased:
Purosol Optical Molecular Lens Cleaner - 4 oz $15.90
> Better value on the larger bottle. I will pour some of this into my own smaller portable bottle.

Giottos Lens Cleaning Kit CL-1001 with Small Rocket Air Blower $13.90
> This nice little kit comes with the blower someone in this thread recommended. Thanks!

LENSPEN Original Optical Lens Cleaner $8.90
> NO MORE CHEAP Lenspen knock-offs! From now on, only the real one!

I have some dirt on my CMOS sensor... this is one area I am seriously concerned about cleaning correctly. Tried the built in dust removal but it didn't help. I certainly won't try anything until I can remove much of the dust in my office.

[jpaulb]

Again, thank you for all your valued advice.


I have some dirt on my CMOS sensor... this is one area I am seriously concerned about cleaning correctly. Tried the built in dust removal but it didn't help. I certainly won't try anything until I can remove much of the dust in my office.

I sent my *ist DL out to have the sensor cleaned, it set me back $80; however when it came back it looked like new, everything was cleaned.

[jpaulb]

I ask this question at the Pentax / Hasselblad service centre in Halifax.
They use a 60/40 solution of Methanol & ether; what a greeting walking through that door.
For home use they recommend 50/50 solution Methanol/water; a few drops on a lint free cotton cloth, wipe the lens let it dry.
Anyway that was the advice I received from a person with about 40 years of experience.

Very confusing a week later I was back at the same shop and the partner told me not to use the Methanol/water solution. as it could leave coloured patterns on the lens.

[vladimiroltean]

Where did you that?

Sorry?

[tabl10s]

Sorry?

I meant to say where did you learn to use lighter fluid on a lens?

[mysticcowboy]

I may be taking too much care of my lenses, but I don't ever use a kleenex. Rubbing a lens can damage any lens coating. Rubbing a plastic lens with anything that might contain chunks of wood fiber, like facial or toilet tissues can scratch the coating and, with cheaper lenses, the plastic front element.

For dust I start with a blower. If that doesn't work I use a brush. That takes care of 90% of my cleaning needs. If I get something like oil, fingerprints, mud, wood or plant sap on a lens I use Eclipse. It's a sensor cleaner that's super filtered alcohol. I either use lens tissues or a clean microfiber cloth. I always keep at least one clean cloth in my camera bag. If you're going to be shooting in dusty or wet (especially seawater) environments, a UV filter is good insurance. Sand or salt aren't good for any optics. I'd rather replace a $50-100 filter than a $500-1000 lens.