Eyeglass cleaner for camera lenses?

Question... Can you use eyeglass cleaner for your camera lenses or is this a bad idea? I am running out of lens cleaner and tissue, but have plenty of eyeglass cleaner and was wondering if it's the same stuff, or if I risk messing up my lenses with it.

I have never cleaned my lens with eye glass cleaner, but I have clean the skylight or UV filters with eye glass cleaner. It works very well

TravelPro wrote:

Question... Can you use eyeglass cleaner for your camera lenses or
is this a bad idea? I am running out of lens cleaner and tissue,
but have plenty of eyeglass cleaner and was wondering if it's the
same stuff, or if I risk messing up my lenses with it.

I've used eye glasses cleaning liquid, since it's designed for optical glass. Have had no scratches or anything like that, and it seems to do a good job. However, I do not use those little paper wipes, even though they are sold at camera stores. Instead, I use the soft cleaning cloth that came with my old Olympus, for both filters and lenses. I use this very gently with a bit of the liquid and it gets lenses very clean.

-Michael

Don B wrote:
I have never cleaned my lens with eye glass cleaner, but I have
clean the skylight or UV filters with eye glass cleaner. It works
very well

TravelPro wrote:

Question... Can you use eyeglass cleaner for your camera lenses or
is this a bad idea? I am running out of lens cleaner and tissue,
but have plenty of eyeglass cleaner and was wondering if it's the
same stuff, or if I risk messing up my lenses with it.

Don't do it. There is usually a chemical difference between the cleaners. The eyeglass cleaner is usually more harsh and may scratch the lens or deteriorate the coating.

Thats all i use also, a good huff and puff and a cotton t-shirt.......

Laurie Strachan wrote:
FWIW: I once worked on an assignment with a Magnum photographer and
he cleaned his lenses (Leica SLR) with the pure cotton T-shirt he
always wore. Yes, it surprised me too!

TravelPro wrote:

Question... Can you use eyeglass cleaner for your camera lenses or
is this a bad idea? I am running out of lens cleaner and tissue,
but have plenty of eyeglass cleaner and was wondering if it's the
same stuff, or if I risk messing up my lenses with it.

Laurie Strachan wrote:

FWIW: I once worked on an assignment with a Magnum photographer and
he cleaned his lenses (Leica SLR) with the pure cotton T-shirt he
always wore. Yes, it surprised me too!

I shot with a professional yacht racing photographer. He was cleaning his "boomer" lense with a harsh hotel terrycloth towl! I thought he was nuts!

Sean

Hi all I have been making eyeglasses now for over 32 years! Eye glass cleaner is good to use. Make sure it's for AntiReflective coating or good for AR. Also using a 100% cotton tee shirt is very good but............ make sure that there is no fabric softner on it and it has not been in the drier with drier sheets! If you have that on your cloth or tee shirt your lenes will never come clean. I hope this helps...................Lamont :> )

TravelPro wrote:

Question... Can you use eyeglass cleaner for your camera lenses or
is this a bad idea? I am running out of lens cleaner and tissue,
but have plenty of eyeglass cleaner and was wondering if it's the
same stuff, or if I risk messing up my lenses with it.

blastreach wrote:

Laurie Strachan wrote:

FWIW: I once worked on an assignment with a Magnum photographer and
he cleaned his lenses (Leica SLR) with the pure cotton T-shirt he
always wore. Yes, it surprised me too!

I shot with a professional yacht racing photographer. He was
cleaning his "boomer" lense with a harsh hotel terrycloth towl! I
thought he was nuts!

Those guys probably don't pay for their own lenses (grin)
--
Chuck

The old idea was 100% cotton that had been washed 7 times or more was okay.

Given what's in laundry soap, and whether it was all rinsed out, I wouldn't trust that except in an emergency.

Get a box of Kimtech wipes like the camera companies use. Keep a free in a baggie.

The old Leica technique was roll lens paper into a tube then test it in half. That have you 2 "brushes."  Put a drop or 2 of lens cleaner on one and brush the lens with that. Immediately following with the dry brush.