How do I best clean lens(es)?

Merlin5 · 1 Jul 2020 at 17:07

I see there's a product called lenspen, one made by lenspen and one made by Hama. it looks nifty. Will that be all I need, along with a hurricane blower?

Also, these lenspens come with a soft brush at one end to wipe away loose particles. I thought you were only supposed to use a blower for loose particles to avoid scratching, so why would anyone use the brush which could wipe abrasive particles across the glass?

Anyway, if I get a lenspen, does that mean I won't need to use a microfibre cloth and lens cleaning fluid?

Raymond Lin · 1 Jul 2020 at 18:38

You can use eclipse fluid...

But I bought a box of 200 Zeiss cleaning tissues like 5 years ago, still going through them. I put a few everywhere.

I also have a couple of spudz as well.

Merlin5 · 1 Jul 2020 at 18:52

Sounds good Raymond. Yes I was wondering if eclipse sensor fluid could be used on lenses and you say it can so that's good. I see Zeiss 200 lens wipes on Amazon for £10.29. Might buy them. I think they're just isopropyl soaked cloths? Not as interesting to use as a lenspen though

EGuitarStar · 1 Jul 2020 at 19:24

Here is a fun video demonstrating how to best clean lenses and methods not to use.

Raymond Lin · 1 Jul 2020 at 19:35

Merlin5 said:
Sounds good Raymond. Yes I was wondering if eclipse sensor fluid could be used on lenses and you say it can so that's good. I see Zeiss 200 lens wipes on Amazon for £10.29. Might buy them. I think they're just isopropyl soaked cloths? Not as interesting to use as a lenspen though

Lens pen is just a tiny cloth at the end that you end up moving the same dirt around...I had one its crap.

The Zeiss 200 wet wipes are much better. You don't need to clean it that often, a blower does it 90% of the time. If you avoid touching it with your fingers, most things can be just blown off.

Merlin5 · 1 Jul 2020 at 19:56

That's a great video EGuitarStar. Love the Psycho scene

Raymond Lin said:
Lens pen is just a tiny cloth at the end that you end up moving the same dirt around...I had one its crap.

The Zeiss 200 wet wipes are much better. You don't need to clean it that often, a blower does it 90% of the time. If you avoid touching it with your fingers, most things can be just blown off.

Ah ok, I thought the lenspen cleaned itself and gets replenished with fresh carbon after the cap is screwed back on.

Do I need the Giotto rocket or will most other blowers do a good job? Since I'll have the eclipse fluid, I might as well use that with a clean microfibre cloth. Can I use a cloth a few times before washing it? I'm just thinking of oils it picks up during cleaning.

Raymond Lin · 1 Jul 2020 at 21:13

I have a big one and small one (for travel).

I prefer the smaller one, fits in the bag better. Not tried others, I guess they work just the same. One thing the Giotto has is a 1 way valve so air only comes out 1 way.

I have Spudz but all microfibre would do, this just gets its own bag that's all.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spudz-SPBK...8JMWAGG1TK9&psc=1&refRID=TSTGT4SWG8JMWAGG1TK9

Merlin5 · 8 Jul 2020 at 20:16

Raymond, I've ordered the large Rocket and Zeiss lens wipes, supposed to arrive on the weekend. Actually, I'm getting 50 wipes, was £7 on ebay. But from what you said about yours, even 50 should last a while.

Columbo · 8 Jul 2020 at 22:09

Tried a lot of things including Zeiss wipes and eclipse fliud.
I now go to Wilko's and buy their own optical wipes for glasses, my wife uses them for her glasses so I tried one on my lens a while back and wont buy anything else now.

£1 for 52 wipes and they dont leave a single smear ever.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-optical-wipes-52-pack/p/0431335

Merlin5 · 8 Jul 2020 at 22:15

Columbo said:
Tried a lot of things including Zeiss wipes and eclipse fliud.
I now go to Wilko's and buy their own optical wipes for glasses, my wife uses them for her glasses so I tried one on my lens a while back and wont buy anything else now.

£1 for 52 wipes and they dont leave a single smear ever.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-optical-wipes-52-pack/p/0431335

Now you tell me!

Actually, it says product discontinued.

Columbo · 9 Jul 2020 at 05:34

Merlin5 said:
Now you tell me! Actually, it says product discontinued.

Actually I got these ones as well, they do the same just in a different box.
0.60p for 26.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-plastic-free-optical-wipes-26pk/p/0489534

Merlin5 · 9 Jul 2020 at 17:46

Columbo said:
Actually I got these ones as well, they do the same just in a different box.
0.60p for 26.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-plastic-free-optical-wipes-26pk/p/0489534

Ah well, my Zeiss wipes were posted yesterday. Otherwise I would have bought those. 60p! That's value for money alright.

Minstadave · 12 Jul 2020 at 09:21

Zeist wipes are on offer on Amazon at the moment, £7 ish for 200. Will give them a try.

iSaff · 23 Jul 2020 at 16:56

This is the way I was taught.

1) Assess the lens for particles and oils. Use a rocket blower to clean away debris. (If it's clean, Great! Don't give it a wipe. Always minimise contact with the glass and its coating if you can.)

2) Assess again. If there's still dust particles the blower didn't remove. Use a lens brush to dislodge the debris, never touch the brush tip which can leave oil residue, and avoid brushing over oil residue. Dislodge debris and rocket blow it away.

3) Assess to make sure no debris is left. If it's clean, great! No need to wipe, but If there's grease you pour a few drops of lens wipe onto a lens tissue and gently wipe in circles around the area with grease. If you missed debris, this can work it into the lens. So be careful.

4) Assess again. If it's all clear you're good to go!

I like Giotto rocket blowers. Matin make excellent lens brushes from goats hair. For lens cleaning solutions i recommend Pancro or Rossco, both are made for the film industry, less goes a long way, and they do a great job with removing oily residue. I prefer to use disposable wipes, Rossco wipes made for the film industry come in a portable booklet, or Kimwipes from Kimtech which are made to clean lab equipment like microscopes, but come in a bigger box of tissues.

Also have a microfiber cloth at hand to keep your camera body clean, which helps avoid particles building up anywhere.

Mint_Sauce · 27 Oct 2020 at 21:48

Over 8 years photographing professionally I used lens pens for the most part and found they worked really well and I'm quite particular about minty clean glass.

If you push the pen in to the lid and turn it, it seems to help clean it. The cap has a sponge or similar at the end so I would twist it to get any micro abrasive stuff off it. I'd change them out every now and then but found them convenient when running around photographing.

I also had a spudz too which I used but I found it slightly less convenient a lot of the time but better for when things got dirtier.

To clean, I'd turn so the lens is facing down (any dirt pulled by gravity away from the lens) then use the brush end of the lens pen to sweep over and dislodge anything sat on the lens then flip it over and use the cloth end carefully from the centre out in a spiral motion.

I found my glass always looked like new, no scratches or any sign of micro-abrasions. The perfectionist in me would say that my method isn't the best and does risk scratches but like I said, my glass was perfect even with lenses over 8 years old that had been used constantly in various conditions which I was surprised at.

Doing it pro, the convenience/speed plays in to the equation although I still clean my glass the same way even though I no longer do it professionally.

Holst1981 · 8 Nov 2020 at 11:35

I also use a lenspen and have done for quite a few years.
It works well for removing water marks and fingerprints.

If I get the lens really dirty I will use isopropyl and a lint free wipe.

All of my newer lenses are fluorine coated and tend to stay clean on their own as nothing really stick's to the coating.

And · 8 Nov 2020 at 15:20

I use a (Giottos) rocket blower, then wipe with a lint free cloth, then use the rocket blower again.