View Full Version : Cleaning a lens
Hi All
What are you guys using to clean a lens.
Cheers
Dave R
Hi All
What are you guys using to clean a lens.
Cheers
Dave R
A good quality micro-fibre lens cleaning cloth :)
If it's just dust, one of those rubber blowers (without the supplied brush) can dislodge some of the dust and that may be enough. If not, I usually make the lens cloudy with my breath (be careful not to blow as this may add droplets of saliva onto the lens) and then first of all wipe any debris off to the side and then wipe away clean, and then gently polish the lens to avoid moisture marks.
Ian
Stephen
13-04-08, 09:40 PM
Hi All
What are you guys using to clean a lens.
Cheers
Dave R
A LensPen, which I got free when I purchased a new lens from dealer in HK on Ebay. It has a retractable brush on one end then a small circular pad at the other which you wipe the lens with to remove marks. It works very well and I've seen them around elsewhere since I got mine. 7Dayshop (http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=100769) sell them
Hi Ian
Sadly thats what I did - saliva - DOH.
Dave R
I don't have an SLR camera, but for the benefit of those who do, Keith Naylor, one of the top photographers at our Society, gave a demonstration.
First of all he took a photo of his blank (white) laptop screen; downloaded the picture and we could see the dust spots on the lens.
He had a pack of special cloths, took one and wrapped it around something like a lollipop stick (you can see the size of the stick, the pack of cleaning cloths and the fluid in the picture)and then secured it with sellotape; removed his lens; pressed a button to hold back the mirrors; put one drop of some cleaning fluid on the cloth and then wiped it across the sensor, once.
He then replaced the lens and took another photo of his laptop screen; downloaded it and Voila! no dust spots.
It seemed so easy because he does his every 3 weeks. One other man had previously sent his back to Jessops and in cost £60 to have his cleaned.
My camera is a Fuji S9500 with a 300 mm inbuilt lens, so I don't have that problem.
PS I think Mal our new member who went to the lakes, knows of Keith's work as I saw that he had commented on one of his photos on the "One exposure" site
A LensPen, which I got free when I purchased a new lens from dealer in HK on Ebay. It has a retractable brush on one end then a small circular pad at the other which you wipe the lens with to remove marks. It works very well and I've seen them around elsewhere since I got mine. 7Dayshop (http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=100769) sell them
Same here. We got several of those 7dayshop lens pens one time when they were on a special offer. So that we have one in each camera bag and a spare in the glove compartment of the cars and/or camper.
David also has 7dayshop micro cloths.
Pol
I don't have an SLR camera, but for the benefit of those who do, Keith Naylor, one of the top photographers at our Society, gave a demonstration.
First of all he took a photo of his blank (white) laptop screen; downloaded the picture and we could see the dust spots on the lens.
He had a pack of special cloths, took one and wrapped it around something like a lollipop stick (you can see the size of the stick, the pack of cleaning cloths and the fluid in the picture)and then secured it with sellotape; removed his lens; pressed a button to hold back the mirrors; put one drop of some cleaning fluid on the cloth and then wiped it across the sensor, once.
He then replaced the lens and took another photo of his laptop screen; downloaded it and Voila! no dust spots.
It seemed so easy because he does his every 3 weeks. One other man had previously sent his back to Jessops and in cost £60 to have his cleaned.
My camera is a Fuji S9500 with a 300 mm inbuilt lens, so I don't have that problem.
PS I think Mal our new member who went to the lakes, knows of Keith's work as I saw that he had commented on one of his photos on the "One exposure" site
Looks more like he was cleaning the camera sensor there rather than a interchangeable lens.
The pads are called sensor pads, or you can also get digipads. The fluid looks like it's a bottle of Eclipse fluid. The pads and fluid are used for 'wet cleaning' of the dSLR sensor. it's the dirty sensor that generates the dust spots.
Pol
Looks more like he was cleaning the camera sensor there rather than a interchangeable lens.
The pads are called sensor pads, or you can also get digipads. The fluid looks like it's a bottle of Eclipse fluid. The pads and fluid are used for 'wet cleaning' of the dSLR sensor. it's the dirty sensor that generates the dust spots.
Pol
Thanks for putting me right Pol. As I said I don't have a DSLR so don't know all the ramifications. I wrongly imagined that Dave was referring to the sensor.
Looks more like he was cleaning the camera sensor there rather than a interchangeable lens.
The pads are called sensor pads, or you can also get digipads. The fluid looks like it's a bottle of Eclipse fluid. The pads and fluid are used for 'wet cleaning' of the dSLR sensor. it's the dirty sensor that generates the dust spots.
Pol
I'd be very hesitant to be wipe the sensor filter like that. And as Pol says only very specialist tools should be used - certainly not a lens cleaning cloth :) As many know here, I happen to use Olympus DSLR kit and the anti-dust system is so effective that I have not once had a dust problem in five years with these cameras.
But back to lenses - the main thing to avoid is getting grit trapped between your cloth and the lens, so carefully wipe the visible debris to the side and then off the lens or use a blower. Once there is no more dust on the lens you can then use your cloth to wipe any remaining marks off. It's also important to keep your lens cloth clean, too. They seem to be ok washed along with your clothes in a washing machine, or just hand wash them in a little hand wash detergent if you like.
I have one of those lens pens Stephen has but it's never been out of its packaging :rolleyes: - I will now have a look at it more closely :)
Ian
I have one of those lens pens Stephen has but it's never been out of its packaging :rolleyes: - I will now have a look at it more closely :)
Ian
I never used anything other than lens pens, I wouldn't trust myself with the cloth. I leave those to David and he mainly uses them for filters, only very occasionally a lens.
I was just looking at 7dayshop and noted their lens pens are on special offer agi .... ie 2 per pack AND at at well reduced price. Ideal for shoving one into the camera bag and maybe another in the glove compartment and yet another in your pocket. The caps on the lens pens are a very good tight fit too. The cap won't fall off in your pocket.
Pol
Patrick
14-04-08, 11:05 AM
I never used anything other than lens pens, I wouldn't trust myself with the cloth. I leave those to David and he mainly uses them for filters, only very occasionally a lens.
I was just looking at 7dayshop and noted their lens pens are on special offer agi .... ie 2 per pack AND at at well reduced price. Ideal for shoving one into the camera bag and maybe another in the glove compartment and yet another in your pocket. The caps on the lens pens are a very good tight fit too. The cap won't fall off in your pocket.
Pol
I very rarely if ever clean my lenses, reason I use a permanently fitted filter on the front as protection (this of course is cleaned), the rear element doesn't show any dirt as the rear lens cap protects it, when on camera the camera protects it. Any dust that may get on it blows away with a puffer.
Patrick
I very rarely if ever clean my lenses, reason I use a permanently fitted filter on the front as protection (this of course is cleaned), the rear element doesn't show any dirt as the rear lens cap protects it, when on camera the camera protects it. Any dust that may get on it blows away with a puffer.
Patrick
A long time ago when I used to sell camera gear (my first paid job back in the early 1980s :eek:) I used to consider an SLR camera with lens or lens-only sale a bit of a failure if I didn't persuade the customer to purchase a Skylight or UV protective filter.
Today, they are out of fashion and you rarely see them fitted. I'm the same and non of my lenses, apart from the 90-250 (it is supplied with a filter as standard), have protective filters.
I wonder if the fashion will return? :)
Ian
A long time ago when I used to sell camera gear (my first paid job back in the early 1980s :eek:) I used to consider an SLR camera with lens or lens-only sale a bit of a failure if I didn't persuade the customer to purchase a Skylight or UV protective filter.
Today, they are out of fashion and you rarely see them fitted. I'm the same and non of my lenses, apart from the 90-250 (it is supplied with a filter as standard), have protective filters.
I wonder if the fashion will return? :)
Ian
All of my own lenses have protective filters - all bought separately when I bought the lenses. David always drummed it into me that I should have them (and use them) so I just did as he said. :D
I sometimes remove them before taking shots though - especially when I'm using a macro lens.
I started removing them, especially the macros, after a photographer and poster I respect had a go at me about ALWAYS using them. He argued that my the fron element of my macro lenses was well receeded anyway.
I always leave the filters attached when I put the lens back into the bag though.... then that keeps everybody happy (including me).
Life's not easy being a wife .......... who talks quite a lot to other men *LOL
Pol
Patrick
14-04-08, 11:53 AM
All of my own lenses have protective filters - all bought separately when I bought the lenses. David always drummed it into me that I should have them (and use them) so I just did as he said. :D
I sometimes remove them before taking shots though - especially when I'm using a macro lens.
I started removing them, especially the macros, after a photographer and poster I respect had a go at me about ALWAYS using them. He argued that my the fron element of my macro lenses was well receeded anyway.
I always leave the filters attached when I put the lens back into the bag though.... then that keeps everybody happy (including me).
Life's not easy being a wife .......... who talks quite a lot to other men *LOL
Pol
To respond to Ian first, I got into the habit of a filter as protection from my very early days in photography, it was then standard advise to fit a filter for protection it simply stuck with me.
However as you Pol have said for macro work I don't use a filter either because the front element is so recessed it is quite well protected, just a quick puff is usually enough to clean it.
Patrick
[QUOTE=Ian;30459]I'd be very hesitant to be wipe the sensor filter like that. And as Pol says only very specialist tools should be used - certainly not a lens cleaning cloth :)
Actually Ian I didn't know what the cloths were, but Pol says that they are Sensor Cloths, not Lens Cleaning Cloths
Anyway, I am going to take up Reading and Comprehension Classes, as I obviously didn't read the question correctly. :o Sorry to have got off the beaten track.
I also have the same gadget and don't use anything else.
I did once make a right mess of cleaning a filter which, after reading this thread, appears to have been my fault for breathing to heavily on it. Since then I have only used blower or/and brush. Just pleased it was a filter and not the actual lens.
[QUOTE=Ian;30459]I'd be very hesitant to be wipe the sensor filter like that. And as Pol says only very specialist tools should be used - certainly not a lens cleaning cloth :)
Actually Ian I didn't know what the cloths were, but Pol says that they are Sensor Cloths, not Lens Cleaning Cloths
Sensor Pads - for wet cleaning the SLR sensor
Microfibre cloths are optically sensitive cloths that won't leave fibres and fluff on the interchangeable or fixed front element of the lens or lens filter.
I'll try to clarify. Lens pens and microfibre cloths are the tools for cleaning the glass on the front of the camera lens or the filter you might choose to have screwed onto the front of the lens. Nobody in this house would EVER breathe on the glass before using either the pen or the cloth. That's because your breath can leave greasy smears and/or droplets that are difficult to remove. If you DO get smears on the glass - the cleaning tip of a lens pen will usually clean if off.
The Sensor Pads and Eclipse fluid are the tools for cleaning the SLR sensor. To be strictly correct you're not wiping the actual sensor - you're wiping a 'low pass filter' which is fixed in front of the actual sensor. (I think that's right isn't it Ian?)
Never ever use cloths for wiping the sensor! You must use only the specialist tools designed for the task.. such as the Sensor Pads (or Digipads) and Eclipse fluid.
Here are some link showing the various cloths,pads and fuid
Examples of the Microfibre cloths - for dry cleaning the front of a lens (NOT to be used on sensor!)HERE
The Digipads (or sensor pads) for cleaning the sensor dSLR. Each pad can be used only only once. One wipe each side of the pad. One side right to left, the other side left to right. Also mke sure you're buying the correct size of pad for your specific camera sensor. the retailers usually have a list showing which pad for which camera.- HERE (http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1016581)
Eclipse fluid - Use just one or two drops only on the sensor pad before wiping the sensor to clean it (ie wiping the low pass filter which is fixed in front of the sensor) - HERE (http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1018628)
I've only ever had to clean a sensor twice during the past 5 years and that was on the *istD and I used the Digipads and Eclipse fluid to do it. It made a huge difference too - cleaned all the spotting and also produced much clearer, brighter images. The K10D has an inbuilt sensor cleaning system and it's served me well so far - never needed to wet clean and never had sensor dust spots showing in images.
Hope that helps and I also hope someone will correct anything I may said which was wrong or inadvisable.
Pol
Thanks for the clarification Pol.
That's about as concise as anybody could be.