Lens cleaner: Has anyone tried these "lens Pens" for cleaning their camera lens? They claim to have a "clear Carbon" material good for 500 cleanings. I have tried a similar product for...

Tom K 66

Has anyone tried these "lens Pens" for cleaning their camera lens? They claim to have a "clear Carbon" material good for 500 cleanings. I have tried a similar product for eyeglasses and am quite satisfied with the results. Still not sure if I would use it on my camera lens.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Tom K 66 wrote:

Has anyone tried these "lens Pens" for cleaning their camera lens? They claim to have a "clear Carbon" material good for 500 cleanings. I have tried a similar product for eyeglasses and am quite satisfied with the results. Still not sure if I would use it on my camera lens.

LensPens are quite popular and are an effective tool for removing dust, fingerprints, water spots, oils and the dust and dirt that adheres to it. Its not good for removing larger amounts of dirt and mud, grease, baby spittle, peanut butter and jelly, etc. I carry one all the time. Thankfully, the main issue I have is fingerprints and airborne oily dust for which its a perfect solution.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Tom K 66 wrote:

Has anyone tried these "lens Pens" for cleaning their camera lens? They claim to have a "clear Carbon" material good for 500 cleanings. I have tried a similar product for eyeglasses and am quite satisfied with the results. Still not sure if I would use it on my camera lens.

I have been using them for 5 years, and carry one with me whenever I am out shooting.

Robeng Loc: California

Tom K 66 wrote:

Has anyone tried these "lens Pens" for cleaning their camera lens? They claim to have a "clear Carbon" material good for 500 cleanings. I have tried a similar product for eyeglasses and am quite satisfied with the results. Still not sure if I would use it on my camera lens.

I use them all the time on my Nikon Lenses without any problems.

Rob

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

For those of us who are not informed and to clean our lenses use our steamy breath and the tail of our shirt: https://www.opticsreviewer.com/lens-cleaning-pens.html
Yes, suspicion confirmed, we also use oil from our nose face folds or hair, to lubricate filter threads.... ear wax also works...
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/251395

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

I have several, one in the travel bag and one at home. I like them a lot.

Tom K 66 wrote:

Has anyone tried these "lens Pens" for cleaning their camera lens? They claim to have a "clear Carbon" material good for 500 cleanings. I have tried a similar product for eyeglasses and am quite satisfied with the results. Still not sure if I would use it on my camera lens.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Tom K 66 wrote:

Has anyone tried these "lens Pens" for cleaning their camera lens? They claim to have a "clear Carbon" material good for 500 cleanings. I have tried a similar product for eyeglasses and am quite satisfied with the results. Still not sure if I would use it on my camera lens.

Nikon and many others offer these pens, if you have a stubborn spot to remove these work well, just be careful of the pressure you apply.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

billnikon wrote:

Nikon and many others offer these pens, if you have a stubborn spot to remove these work well, just be careful of the pressure you apply.

Why do you need to be careful of the pressure?

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Very useful tool.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

mwsilvers wrote:

Why do you need to be careful of the pressure?

Really?????????? OK, use that elbow and really grind that pen into the surface of the lens, there you go, now, isn't that better. Better yet, attach it to one of your drills and really grind it in.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Lens Pen are popular and they seem to work well from all the comments we have here. I have never used them. I clean my optics when I need to and that is not often. Cleaning multicoating lenses often could damage the coating.
I use a Zeiss solution made for optics and a regular cleaning piece of cloth used by ophthalmologists.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

mwsilvers wrote:

LensPens are quite popular and are an effective tool for removing dust, fingerprints, water spots, oils and the dust and dirt that adheres to it. Its not good for removing larger amounts of dirt and mud, grease, baby spittle, peanut butter and jelly, etc. I carry one all the time. Thankfully, the main issue I have is fingerprints and airborne oily dust for which its a perfect solution.

I would classify the presence of "splashed" dirt, mud, grease, baby spittle, and PB&J as "potentially hazardous photographic situations" requiring the attachment of a clear glass protector (or circular polarizer or neutral density filter if appropriate) over the front of my lens. That way, I can clean a (relatively) cheap piece of glass instead of risk ruining the coatings of my lens. (Peanut butter and jelly is one of the most difficult and disgusting messes to clean off optical glass, especially if it dries in the sun!)

Otherwise, I generally like to use lens cleaning fluid and tissue specifically made for photographic lens cleaning. I blow the surface dust away with a Rocket Blower, then wet a wad of lens tissue with fluid and wipe gently in a spiral from the center of the lens to the outer edges. Then I repeat with clean tissue and more fluid. Then I dry with a third tissue.

I like to use supplies from Photographic Solutions: http://photosol.com

More good information on cleaning lenses and sensors can be found at: http://www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

I have been using them for 5 years, and carry one with me whenever I am out shooting.

Me too. I also use the Zeiss lens wipes in combination with the Lens Pen.

mtbear

So useful and inexpensive I'v got one in everyone of my 5 kits.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Tom K 66 wrote:

Has anyone tried these "lens Pens" for cleaning their camera lens? They claim to have a "clear Carbon" material good for 500 cleanings. I have tried a similar product for eyeglasses and am quite satisfied with the results. Still not sure if I would use it on my camera lens.

You can also use Zeiss or Bausch and Lomb prepackaged eyeglass cleaner wipes. I have never heard of any damage these wipes have caused to a camera lens.