lens cleaning?

ok, so i have c3000z for a few month now, and still can't clean the lens or the filters. i have been using cokin lens paper and cokin lens fluid. i put a drop of the fluid on the lens and in a gentle circular motion i rub the lens, but this always leaves streaks on the lens and the filters. any suggestions on how should i clean the lens without leaving a spot on it.

--franco
c3000z

The truth is you have probably already trashed your camera lens optic! In detail, this means fine micro-scratches and lens coating disruptions. The impact is lens flare, ghost imaging, and loss of image contrast; the defining factor in the quality of a picture. Now that I've freaked you out, what did you do wrong? First of all, one should seldom have to clean a lens, as a little dust will not hurt; unless you are a smoker (cigar and cigarette smoke really mucks up the optics). Secondly, the worst motion used in cleaning a lens is circular; ALWAYS use a zig-zag motion to clean optics! Lastly, never touch your lens with fingers, saliva, or other bodily fluids ). If you use lens tissue, "Photowipes" is one of the few soft no-lint products I know of (old cotton mega-washed diapers are also excellent); available only in "real" camera stores that sell darkroom equipment. Avoid lens cleaner if at all possible. Buy a "Lens Pen" and use it! Now what can you do now? First, buy a Lens Pen. Get some Kodak Lens Cleaner and some Photowipes (you have to find a real camera store); or get some distilled water and cotton Q-tips. Dampen the item with fluid, then swab the lens LIGHTLY using zig-zag strokes (avoid getting any fluid on edges of lens, which could leak past the element). let air dry. Use Lens Pen to brush away lint or any debris.

The best way to keep a lens like new is to use the lens cap, and just dust it with the Lens Pen occasionally. Solvent cleaning should be done as infrequently as possible.

ciao...Barry

franco said:

ok, so i have c3000z for a few month now, and still can't clean the
lens or the filters. i have been using cokin lens paper and cokin
lens fluid. i put a drop of the fluid on the lens and in a gentle
circular motion i rub the lens, but this always leaves streaks on
the lens and the filters. any suggestions on how should i clean the
lens without leaving a spot on it.

--
franco
c3000z

Click to expand...

Franco:

Barry's recommendations are appropriate, and I concur that less is better when dealing with camera lenses; however his assessment that you have "probably already trashed" your lens by using the cleaning procedure you described is almost certainly not correct. The method you used (gentle motions with the lubrication of the cleaning fluid) is precisely what Olympus recommends, and what Kodak recommended for coated lenses when I purchased my first SLR over 30 years ago. Using manufacturer recommended products in the recommended manner will not damage your lens.

Alan

Barry Carter said:

ciao...Barry

franco said:

ok, so i have c3000z for a few month now, and still can't clean the
lens or the filters. i have been using cokin lens paper and cokin
lens fluid. i put a drop of the fluid on the lens and in a gentle
circular motion i rub the lens, but this always leaves streaks on
the lens and the filters. any suggestions on how should i clean the
lens without leaving a spot on it.

--
franco
c3000z

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

franco said:

ok, so i have c3000z for a few month now, and still can't clean the
lens or the filters. i have been using cokin lens paper and cokin
lens fluid. i put a drop of the fluid on the lens and in a gentle
circular motion i rub the lens, but this always leaves streaks on
the lens and the filters. any suggestions on how should i clean the
lens without leaving a spot on it.

--
franco
c3000z

Click to expand...

This was discussed just yesterday in the thread below. The micorfiber cloth
is the best, and then the LensPen - most lens tissues will leave streaks.

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1008&page=2&message=1229670

I disagree with another posting that says you've already done damage. Just
rub gently.

Darrell

ok guys, you have my adrenalin going here, i am actually worried that i have damaged my lens. this is the last photo that i took with the camera today. please look at it carefully, and give your opinion, is it damaged or not, do you see any quality degradation.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1731919&a=13319525&p=51150933&f=0

Franco,

RELAX!

You have NOT damaged your lens. The best thing you can do to avoid scratches in optics is use a liquid. So what you have been doing is MINIMIZING the chances of any scratches. It doesn't matter what direction you rub. Barry's suggestion of not rubbing in a circular fashion is applicable to music CDs where a radial scratch has a better chance of being corrected in software.

The draw-back to using liquid is streaking (left behind after the liquid has evaporated). To avoid or remove streaking I like to use the Lens Pen. You might want to consider adding a UV filter to keep the lens clean and then if the filter gets scratched it is more easily replaced.

Nice picture by the way. Exhale now and enjoy your camera.

Regards,
Jim

franco said:

ok guys, you have my adrenalin going here, i am actually worried
that i have damaged my lens. this is the last photo that i took
with the camera today. please look at it carefully, and give your
opinion, is it damaged or not, do you see any quality degradation.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1731919&a=13319525&p=51150933&f=0

Click to expand...

thanx jim, this is very reassuring, i don't have a uv filter, i have a haze1/uv tiffen filter and a kenko polarizer. i know that the circular polarizer decreases much of the light entering the camera, what about the uv/haze1 filter that i have. ie. if i put them on top of each other will more light be blocked or it has no effect?

thanx

franco,

I use my UV filter without any noticeable effect in loss of light. When I want to use my C-POL I just thread it onto the UV filter. Look at the paperwork that came with your filters to determine how many stops you might lose. I bought a step-up ring and 55mm filters in anticipation of getting a B-300 some day. This also provided the benefit of not worrying about vignette when stacking lenses.

Regards,
Jim

franco said:

thanx jim, this is very reassuring, i don't have a uv filter, i
have a haze1/uv tiffen filter and a kenko polarizer. i know that
the circular polarizer decreases much of the light entering the
camera, what about the uv/haze1 filter that i have. ie. if i put
them on top of each other will more light be blocked or it has no
effect?

thanx

Click to expand...

Jim said:

franco,

I use my UV filter without any noticeable effect in loss of light.
When I want to use my C-POL I just thread it onto the UV filter.
Look at the paperwork that came with your filters to determine how
many stops you might lose. I bought a step-up ring and 55mm filters
in anticipation of getting a B-300 some day. This also provided the
benefit of not worrying about vignette when stacking lenses.

Regards,
Jim

Click to expand...

I bought a Tiffen circular polorizer for my Olympus 3000z if I use this filter do I need to compensate for the reduced light? i.e. increase exposure by n stops?
Thanks! ...larry

franco said:

thanx jim, this is very reassuring, i don't have a uv filter, i
have a haze1/uv tiffen filter and a kenko polarizer. i know that
the circular polarizer decreases much of the light entering the
camera, what about the uv/haze1 filter that i have. ie. if i put
them on top of each other will more light be blocked or it has no
effect?

thanx

Click to expand...

A UV, haze, or Skylight filter have no effect on exposure - their transmission

factor is essentially 1. The difference between them is a slight color difference

(a haze filter is very slightly yellow while a skylight filter is very slightly pink).

Darrell

if a lens gets scratched, is there any way to repair it, this may sound stupid, but, can't the lens be recoated at an optics store?, or can the lense be replaced. anybody knows how much it costs to replace the lens.

Larry,

Mine is rated at 1.5 to 2 stops. The camera will compensate for you in S or P mode. Keep an eye on the EVF display for shutter speed and/or aperture. It will be red when one or the other is not appropriate for the shot.

Jim

LarryC said:

I bought a Tiffen circular polorizer for my Olympus 3000z if I use
this filter do I need to compensate for the reduced light? i.e.
increase exposure by n stops?
Thanks! ...larry

Click to expand...

Barry Carter said:

"Photowipes" is one of the
few soft no-lint products I know of (old cotton mega-washed diapers
are also excellent); available only in "real" camera stores that
sell darkroom equipment. Avoid lens cleaner if at all possible.
Buy a "Lens Pen" and use it!

Click to expand...

I would also add two items;

1. A can of compresed air - great for blowing the dust off a lens that has been kept covered until used. Can't say enough about lens covers for protecting and keeping a lens clean.

2. A fine Camel Hair Brush (you can find some great ones in the Cosmetics department of the local department store). Used to gently brush the dust off of a lens and viewfinder, this is an idea that I have used for over 35 years.

A high quality filter (I believe that I read you were using a filter) - this will protect your lens, add very little or no noticeable distortion, and be a lot cheaper to replace than the lens. If there is any question about damage after you have cleaned the filter, I would replace it. I personally have never used the "Lens Pen" but have heard nothing but good things about it. One of the first items that I was persuaded to buy when I bought my first 35mm camera, was a brush (I am not sure that it was a fine Camel's hair brush), with a rubber bulb attached behind it to help clean my lens. Surprising how ideas that work last over the years.

MDiamond

has anybody used the cokin lens paper, apperantly where i live, they don't have other cleaning products. any opinions on these papers

franco said:

has anybody used the cokin lens paper, apperantly where i live,
they don't have other cleaning products. any opinions on these
papers

Click to expand...

Let me offer a suggestion on lens paper - I mentioned in another posting
that lens paper will often leave streaks. Twist the lens paper into a cylinder
and flatten the end on a clean surface - don't use your finger. Then moisten
the flattened end with one drop of liquid cleaner and go over the lens
surface gently. Then take another piece of DRY lens paper, also twisted and
flattened, and go over the surface again - preferably before the liquid dries.

See if that doesn't get the streaks off. Microfiber cloths are available at
any optical shop (which sells glasses) for a dollar or two - if you use that
to clean after using the liquid, I'm sure you will find the streaks removed.

And again - don't clean the lens or filter any more than absolutely necessary.

Darrell