Lens Cleaning - Ethanol?

[MitchAlsup]

I work in a lab for the moment (scientific, not photo!) and have
ready access to ethanol (ie the kind of alcohol in spirits...) and
wanted to ask if anyone had experience using it to clean their
lenses? I realize there are lots of products out there to take the
liquid role in cleaning, but are they in general just Ethanol (or
Ethanol based) anyways?

Or if it might cause a problem - I'm thinking dissolving some lens
coatings...

I used to clean things (30-odd years ago) with 200 proof ethanol for NMR probes. It smeels good, cleans good, and leaves not residual.

Note 200 proof ethanol is not the same thing as 196 (which contains benzene as a stabilizer). Also note that you open the bottle, poor a little out and then reseal as fast as possible. Ethanol (like brake fluids) will suck water vapor out of desert air. Finally, be sure that the ethan ol contains no particles (e.g. filtered).
--
Mitch

 

[PeaceFrog]

It can dissolve materials but I wouldn’t call it corrosive in the usual sense.

Seeing as that ethanol has a chain length between methanol and isopropanol it should have properties that are in between the other two alcohols.

Also, in general ethanol and the other light alcohols are not very good solvents for many common rubbers and plastics.

In any case I have yet to have any ill effects from using any of the three mentioned alcohols on any of my camera lenses. Now if you were talking solvents like NMP or something then I would probably say no way as NMP is a great solvent lots of paints and coatings though I don’t know how it would do on lens coatings.

Greg

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http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

 

[PeaceFrog]

Yea, my thoughts exactly

Greg
--



http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

 

[PeaceFrog]

That is interesting. I thought they used solvents like xylene because it dissolves the oils used for oil emersion a LOT better than relatively polar solvents like alcohols.

I learn something new every day.

Greg

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http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

 

[PeaceFrog]

That was what I learned in school.

Greg

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http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

 

[PeaceFrog]

This is certainly good advice in my experience.

Greg

note that nearly all telescope optic cleaning advice dilutes the
'active cleaner' with distilled water. This has the effect of
being kinder and reducing the evaporation time giving you the
opportunity to absorb off the cleaning fluid along with the grease
residue.

if all you are doing is applying cleaning fluid and the allowing it
to evaporate nothing is achieved as the grease remains.

It is very important not to touch any of the cleaning tools/faces
or surfaces that contact the lens otherwise you are transfering
grease from you to the lens

I hope this helps

--
The Stinch
http://www.seascape-photos.co.uk

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http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

 

[Aussie bloke]

All this talk of Ethanol vs Methanol vs 200% proof Isopropane whatchyamacallit...

What about the average Joe Blow like me who just buys the Standard Canon lens cleaning kit? I've been using that - just blowing off the dust first, adding a drop of the Canon cleaning solution and then wiping off and drying with the supplied lens cloth. I though being supplied by Canon and shown on their website, it should be safe - right?

Now people are saying it could disolve lens coatings...?! Why would Canon supply it if it could do that?

Cheers.

 

[POAH]

I think you are right but I'd still not use anyof them to clean my lenses
--
PhD Student and photographer

 

[POAH]

nope.
--
PhD Student and photographer

 

[POAH]

elipse is pure alcohol though so eveaporated very quickly. the average person can't buy pure alcohol
--
PhD Student and photographer

 

[PeaceFrog]

Use some breath and a clean 100% cotton tee-shirt, it should do the job nicely.

Greg

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http://www.pbase.com/dadas115/

 

[Pyogenes]

It can dissolve materials but I wouldn’t call it corrosive in the
usual sense.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[andycgw]

elipse is pure alcohol though so eveaporated very quickly. the
average person can't buy pure alcohol

(1) The average person can certainly buy Eclipse, therefore they can buy pure alcohol. (I presume you're using the word 'alcohol' here in its general chemical, rather than colloquial, sense. Most poeple would use it to mean ethanol.)

(2) The OP was apparently talking about 'borrowing' some pure ethanol from their lab, not about buying anything.
You're going to have to do better than that in your viva ;-)
Andy

 

[Aussie bloke]

Yes ok, but my question was can using even the Canon supplied solutions damage the lens coatings?

i.e this product

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/80554-REG/Canon_6200A001_Lens_Cleaning_Kit.html

Cheers.

 

[xiaocong]

I would not recommend using ANY organic solvent on your lans.Of course those solvent would not melt your glass,but they do have an effect on any coatings on the lens and also the plastic parts from your lens.Methanol is especially a good solvent to do that.

 

[Aussie bloke]

Why don't Canon mention that on their website or in any documentation?

I mean they sell this stuff and even explain how to use it on their website.

???

 

[Pyogenes]

I did a quick search of different companies that make lenses:

Canon - recommends using Canon lens cleaner (pretty sure is alcohol based)

Nikon - recommends using lens cleaner (no mention to avoid alcohol based cleaners)

Carl Zeiss - recommends Zeiss lens cleaner (uses isopropanol and specifically says is safe for multicoated lenses. They should know about coatings - they invented it.)
Tamron - recommends lens cleaner (again, no mention to avoid alcohol)

I tried Sigma and Leica also, but didn't see any mention of cleaning.

 

[jrsforums]

Most of the time I just blow the lens of with a small "rocket" blower.

If the lens is "smudged", I will blow it to get any dust/grit off...brush is any pieces need add'l assistance. I then use Zeiss Moistened Cleaning Tissue http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=177933&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

The lens tissues are pre-moistened with Isopropanol. Easily clean the lens then air dry in seconds...crystal clear...no drying wipe needed.

Individual packets are easily slipped in a pocket or bag, taking up much less space than even a small bottle of fluid...and much smaller than my smallest Eclipse bottle.

I am told the same or similar are available in Walmark...at lower cost, of course.

John

 

[Luke Kukovica]

...way too paranoid. I use isopropal alcohol to clean my lenses. if your are not soaking your lens in it I don't think you are going to have problems.

http://www.pbase.com/llukee/inbox&page=39

 

[andycgw]

What about the average Joe Blow like me who just buys the Standard
Canon lens cleaning kit? (...) it should be safe - right?

Of course it is.

Now people are saying it could disolve lens coatings...?! Why would
Canon supply it if it could do that?

They wouldn't. But many people here are paranoid, and apparently don't understand that alcohols are really very mild as organic solvents go.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Andy