cleaning lenses????

[Freya Black]

Is there a method for giving an old lens a more substanstial clean than normal?

 

I have an old lens and I've removed small particles with a carbon fibre brush and cleaned it with a lens pen, but wondered if there is a more thorough cleaning method such as dipping a lens in hot soapy water or something? (I dunno, I'm making stuff up now!)

 

I'm just wondering, obviously I would never let a lens get so grubby myself, but sometimes you pick things up second hand....

[John Pytlak RIP]

Is  there a method for giving an old lens a more substanstial clean than normal?

 

I have an old lens and I've removed small particles with a carbon fibre brush and cleaned it with a lens pen, but wondered if there is a more thorough cleaning method such as dipping a lens in hot soapy water or something? (I dunno, I'm making stuff up now!) 

 

I'm just wondering, obviously I would never let a lens get so grubby myself, but sometimes you pick things up second hand....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Schneider has a "white paper" about cleaning lenses:

 

http://www.schneideroptics.com/info/white_...ns_cleaning.pdf

 

Generally, avoid pressurized air (which can force dirt particles, oil or moisture into the lens). Loose dirt should be gently removed with a soft brush designed for cleaning lenses. Use liquid lens cleaners very carefully and only when absolutely needed (e.g., oily fingerprints), or you may get moisture into the lens.

[Josh Hill]

I bought a box of Zeiss Lens Wipes at Wal-Mart. They were right there by the checkout and it was two dollars for a box of twenty. They are pre-moistened lens cloths that work absolutely brilliantly.

[Leon Rodriguez]

Josh,

If those wipes are intended for regular eyeglasses, you should make sure you know what they are pre moistened with. If they are intended to clean glass, some solvents will effect your coatings. I learned that the hard way a few years back. Can't say for certain but just a heads up.

[Sam Wells]

Leon is right I wouldn't touch them.

 

The BEST way to clean a lens is as infrequently as possible !

 

-Sam

[Robert Hughes]

You're buying old eBay auction items, no? They've had a hard life and would appreciate a caring owner for a change. Treat them right and they'll treat you right.

 

The kind of cleaning may depend upon the type of crud you are trying to clean off. It sounds like you've already cleaned off the large particles. If you still have haze from evaporated oils or smoke, moisten a lens cleaning tissue with lens cleaning solution and - gently - wipe the lens face in a circular motion. You want to avoid scratching or wearing down the coating, which may be very fragile on older vintage lenses. Don't spit on the lens; some people advise to not even breathe on the lens when cleaning. Try to get the grit out of the corners, and don't overpolish the center of the element. I've got one lens that some former owner rubbed the coating ragged, and now it has, er, real personality.

 

The old rule of thumb is: if it doesn't need cleaning, don't. If it does need it, clean it immediately.

[Robert Hughes]

I just read the Scheider white paper and was suprised at some of their recommendations. Windex contains ammonia; I thought it was hard on lens coatings (although I've used it myself on uncoated lenses). And acetone? Yikes - what lens could withstand that? If you can't clean your lens with standard lens cleaner, and the lens is worth saving, you may be better off sending it to a professional for treatment.

 

Caution is the key word here; overzealous cleaning may damage the lens more than none at all.

[Brent J. Craig]

Josh,

  If those wipes are intended for regular eyeglasses, you should make sure you know what they are pre moistened with.

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If they are Zeiss pads manufactured by Nanofilm, you have nothing to worry about. You have just found the best lens cleaner in the known universe!

[Josh Hill]

Leon,

 

My lens cleaners say they can be used on any lens, but are specially designed for Zeiss anti-reflective multi-layer coating. They are ammonia free.

 

And I rarely clean my lenses because I use a UV filter covering all of them (so usually I'm cleaning the UV filter). But sometimes, cleaning just can't be helped.

 

Later.

 

PS: Leon, did you ever get your 35mm Sync camera?

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

Generally in the photography industry people use non-static fibre clothes. I think pentax do them.

 

I use them myself, they've always done the job for me.

[Brent J. Craig]

Generally in the photography industry people use non-static fibre clothes. I think pentax do them.

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I don't believe in those microfibre "permanent" cleaning cloths.

 

Where do you think the dirt goes when you wipe it off a lens? Does it magically disappear? Nope. It stays on the cloth waiting to scratch the next lens you clean.

 

It's good ol' single-use Kimwipes and Zeiss lens cleaner for me. I've been assisting for 14 years and have tried everything - Panchro, Rosco, Kodak, etc.

Nothing compares to Zeiss (if you can find it).

[John Mastrogiacomo]

Nothing compares to Zeiss (if you can find it).

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Here is the link:

http://www.astronomics.com/main/search.asp.../x/0/y/0/Page/4

:)

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

I don't believe in those microfibre "permanent" cleaning cloths.

 

Where do you think the dirt goes when you wipe it off a lens? Does it magically disappear? Nope. It stays on the cloth waiting to scratch the next lens you clean.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The dirt is picked up on the cloth. The great thing is you can wash the cloth aswell, so no the dirt won't stay there to scratch the next thing you clean.