chippy65 Loc: Cambridge

anyone have any views on the use of eyewear cleaning wipes on camera lens / screens ?

the type I use are pre-moistened in a tear open sachet, using ( i think) iso propanol. work excellently on spectacle lenses

I have used them on binoculars ,telescopes, rifle sights laptop screens etc. Do camera lens differ significantly from prescription lenses, which are also

often bloomed /coated?

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Years ago I was told that I should NOT use them on lenses and filters because of their coatings. Not sure if that is still true or not, but I developed the habit of only using micro cloths.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

My Zeiss lens wipes say for camera lenses as well but mostly I use a microfiber cloth. I have used the Zeiss wipes on hard to remove fingerprint oils & years ago I used liquid cleaners with lens tissues so they should be fine. I just wouldn't use them all the time.

Cheese

I use Nikon lens wipes, and the box says they are also good for glasses and sunglasses. But I don't know if wipes made for glasses can be used on camera lenses. You need to read the label on the box.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Do not use generic lens or general purpose glass cleaners, especially those eyeglass cleaning tissues saturated with liquids on you camera lenses. Use ONLY the Zeiss brand and others that are specifically intended for photographic lenses. Be gentle- never apply excessive pressure.

Before using any wipes or tissues make certain that there are no dust or particles of any kind on the the lens. Use a blower or very soft lens brush to remove any particles from the surface, otherwise wiping or rubbing may cause abrasions on the lens surface.

Use any, even recommended, liquids very sparingly and only employ them to remove smudges, fingerprints or stubborn matter form the lens. Never allow liquids to accumulate near the edges of the lens. Avoid aerosol compressed air cans- sometimes the propellant can accompany the air flow and leave a residue that is difficult to remove.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

Ditto on the Zeiss wipes, but rarely needed. I don't touch the glass, so most of the "dirt" will just blow off. If you touch the lens, and get greasy fingerprints on it, then yes, you'll need to clean the lens more often.

I don't use "protective filters" just common sense and care not to touch the actual lens.

bk

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Many years ago, there was a dry blue lens cleaning paper product called Sight Savers. It contained silicon, an abrasive. It was okay for polishing uncoated GLASS eyeglass lenses, but it RUINED many camera lenses' coatings. I had a manager who ruined (scratched) one of my lenses with it! He was nice, and had it repaired at his expense.

Today, many pre-moistened isopropyl wipes are available. The vast majority of them are safe for coated optics, if you're gentle! My favorite wipes, though, are from http://photosol.com/products/ (ewipes). They contain methyl and ethyl alcohols, and use extremely soft, lint-free paper. They are made SPECIFICALLY for fine coated optics, like the Zeiss wipes.

Whatever you do, follow standard "blow, brush, wipe, blow" lens cleaning procedures:

Blow off surface dust with a Giotto Rocket Blower or similar blower bulb. If particles remain, gently brush them with a fine camel hair brush. Then, to remove fingerprints, pollution film, food, mud, and other stuck-on grime, use a wipe, starting in the center of the lens and spiraling outward, VERY gently. Turn the wipe over and use the other side to wipe again, if needed. Repeat with a second wipe, only if needed. Finally, blow off any remaining lint, using the blower bulb.

I ALWAYS use a lens hood if one is available for my lens. I'd rather clean a clear protector than the front element of my lenses. So, I will use a clear glass protector in hazardous environments. Otherwise, I use only CPL and various ND filters when needed. I don't use UV filters below 6000 feet, and I don't use any other hardware filters for digital imaging.

Pegasus Loc: Texas Gulf Coast

I recommend the use of a lenspen to clean your lenses. On one side they have a nice soft brush and on the other side they have a soft rubber cup to you use to remove fingerprints, smears and other crap that may be on the lens. I buy my lenspen as a kit from Nikon. They also have the moistened tissues if you need those, but I find the lenspen to be perfect for the job by itself. I use the lenspen for my spotting scopes, riflescopes and other such things.

https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-LensPen-Cleaning-Microfiber-Cleaner/dp/B001683KKW/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1526488392&sr=8-10&keywords=nikon+lenspen+kit

Bill_de Loc: US

I use either the Zeiss or Nikon wipes, whichever is cheaper when I'm running low. These 2, as well as a few others seem to make the same claims and, except for the printing, come in identical boxes.

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jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Most lenses are coated, and most cleaners rely on alcohol. Below is part of the info sheet from the Zeiss Wipes.

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

Microfiber cloths eventually pick up dust and grit. I never use them. I always use soft lens cleaning tissues and throw them away after several uses. A pack costs $1 and lasts quite a while. I also never use liquids, but breathe softly on the lens to create a fine condensations of pure (yes pure) water. That gives just enough moisture for the paper to actually pick up grease or anything coating the lens without smearing it around, as happens when you use any liquid on the lens (which also requires that you actually wipe the lens much more than necessary, just to keep the liquid from leaving deposits of what it has picked up as it evaporates.) Finally, I always use a blower or wipe very gently first to pick up small bits of grit that might have settled on the lens surface before wiping in order to remove any kind of grease or condensate on the surface of the lens.

Check this out:

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2011/05/the-lensrentals-lens-cleaning-methods/

Largobob

Not to start another furor, but if you use a good quality clear protective filter and lens hood, you would avoid this problem entirely. Despite all the pontification to the contrary, I have never had lens flare/reflections or any visual distortion caused by a good quality filter. Filters are relatively cheap compared to the front lens element or the cost of replacing a lens. Just my opinion, of course.....

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

First I blow any stuff off my lens with a Giottos rocket blaster https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/541904-REG/Giottos_AA1903_Rocket_Air_Blower.html?sts=pi
then wipe my lens with Zeiss lens cleaning disposable wipes.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1081868-REG/zeiss_2096_687_microfiber_cleaning_cloths.html?sts=pi

Bill_de Loc: US

I'm surprised you don't use the Nikon lens cleaning disposable wipes.

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camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Even purified water will do...but be careful. The water is applied with a Q tip making sure to squeeze out excess water and then apply to the surface of the lens AFTER it has been cleaned with a soft brush or a blower like a Giotto.
Then simply keep on cleaning with a dry Q tip replacing it as necessary. There you are, a clean optic with no damage to the coatings IF you are gentle doing it.