Lens cleaning
May 30, 2014 08:08:25 #
Trynforpar wrote:
Looking for recommendations on the most effective method of cleaning the front glass of a lens. I accidentally scratched one of my favorite lenses and not a happy camper.
lens pen and micro fiber cloths
May 30, 2014 08:12:27 #
Trynforpar wrote:
I used a lens cloth and it developed fine scratches on the lens film.
Buy many packs of microfiber cloth for lens cleaning. Use a blower to get rid of most of the loose gunk. If there is stubborn gunk, then use the Zeiss lens wipes. Once cleaned there might still be a bit of oil or a light film, in which case you can use the microfiber cloth as a lens polishing tool. The Zeiss wipes are excellent thought and the need to polish after cleaning is greatly minimized.
When I get a new lens, the filter goes right on it and it stays on it until I sell it. A decent Clear, UV or Skylight filter with multi-coating will not have much of a negative impact on the image if at all.
May 30, 2014 08:18:54 #
May 30, 2014 09:13:35 #
May 30, 2014 11:25:52 #
I use a blower/brush combination and if necessary a LensPen which really works well on stubborn stuff.
Trynforpar wrote:
Looking for recommendations on the most effective method of cleaning the front glass of a lens. I accidentally scratched one of my favorite lenses and not a happy camper.
May 30, 2014 11:40:09 #
LFingar wrote:
There are probably as many ways to clean lenses as there are people cleaning lenses. I can't help you in that regard. I use high quality clear lens protectors so that I never have to touch the lens and its coatings. I have yet to find a downside to using a properly designed protector.
Also the best way to keep a lens clean in my experience. A quality, clear lens protector is the best way to "clean" your lens.
May 30, 2014 11:52:54 #
I haven't used a filter to 'protect' my lenses for 40 years. I have never scratched or broken a lens. I use those solid plastic things that come with the lenses - I think they call them lens caps. I also use lens hoods. Maybe my style of photography is more deliberate than other folks but I have never felt slowed down by the removing of a lens cap. When I get dust on a front element I use a bulb blower and a lens brush. Actually my lens brushes are make-up brushes as I find them to be softer and generally better quality than brushes sold in camera stores. The odd rare time that I get splashed mud or dirty water on a front element I use pec pads and kodak lens cleaning solution. I would never use a lens pen on a front element - I don't trust anything that is re-useable and could pick up a piece of grit.
May 30, 2014 12:15:54 #
mcveed wrote:
I haven't used a filter to 'protect' my lenses for... (show quote)
I have a wife that "SHARES" my lenses. A couple of weeks ago, we were at Disney Magic Kingdom and she had the 55-300 mm lens on her D70s. I keep a clear lens "filter" on the lenses to protect from oopses. She was walking along the walkway and another woman with a large backpack and holding a kid by each hand backed into her. The backpack had a metal coupling on the back flap which hit the front of the lens and put a big chip in the glass filter. Had the glass not been there, that would have been the front element of the lens... All I had to do was take off the glass and replace it with a spare and she was back in business. Had it not been for the filter, the lens would have had a costly repair and been out of service for several weeks. The Clear Glass was about $40.00 the front element of the lens is probably going to be a lot more and 3 weeks at Nikon.
May 30, 2014 13:51:32 #
Trynforpar wrote:
I used a lens cloth and it developed fine scratches on the lens film.
Did you do anything to remove any loose debris first? If not likely you "scrubbed" the lens with a bit of fine debris. Had you started with a blower/soft brush probably would have been fine
May 30, 2014 14:16:57 #
dcampbell52 wrote:
I have a wife that "SHARES" my lenses. ... (show quote)
I submit that your wife probably had neither a lens hood nor a lens cap on the camera - well maybe a lens hood.
May 30, 2014 14:27:38 #
mcveed wrote:
I submit that your wife probably had neither a lens hood nor a lens cap on the camera - well maybe a lens hood.
Actually, she had it to her eye and was getting ready for a shot of the Himalayan and the lady backed into her from the side.. The lady had to move 10 or 12 feet to hit her and she was in a pretty good position shooting down the sidewalk. I can't blame her, and I would if I could... lol The lady was busy dealing with 2 kids under 5 and it was a freak accident... Lens cap was off as she was getting ready to shoot. The other gal just did something stupid and unexpected... she actually pushed between me and the wife.. I was less that thrilled with the lady and said a few things about her stupidity.. alas, she didn't seem to speak English but I think she could read facial expressions and tone of voice. (Although, I sometimes think that lack of understanding of a language in that country is feigned.... But I have been lost in Japan and other countries with a smattering of their language, so I can accept her not understanding... just not the stupidity of her actions)
May 30, 2014 14:40:53 #
dcampbell52 wrote:
Actually, she had it to her eye and was getting re... (show quote)
Was there a lens hood on the lens?
May 30, 2014 14:58:58 #
photoman022
Loc: Manchester CT USA
If you have to use a wipe, start in the center of the glass and move outward in circular motions. I read that tip 6 or 7 years ago and have used it ever since.
May 30, 2014 15:28:52 #
No, it wasn't. My point is that the clear filter did what it was supposed to do and protected the lens. A lens hood would have worked too but is more bulky.
May 30, 2014 15:50:43 #
I recently watched a utube video where a man bought a used lens for DSLR and intentionally scratched it (severe scratch) to see the effects a scratch had on the image. Even after several severe scratches, you really couldn't see a real noticeable change in his images. This was good to know. He really put the lens through it. Take some pics and then judge the damage. He finally got a small amount of distortion on the last images he shot. He was shooting general photography. I believe it was a Nikon set up.
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