Best front element cleaning techniques?

Touchstone Steve wrote:

I have a 24-70L that I got a few specks of salt water spray on it. Not so bad it will affect images so much but never the less if there is a good way of cleaning the lens with out damaging the coating this would be a big plus.
PLEASE, this is not a filter conversation. There are thousands of filter conversations and they don't help those trying to understand the +/- issues and challenges in cleaning front or back elements.
What is the best technique for cleaning a front element?

Take a soft lens brush and brush dust/whatever else gently off.

Then take a microfiber lens cleaning cloth and spray a little bit of lens cleaning fluid on it. Gently clean the lens in  rotating motion. If you like, you can wipe the lens after that with a dry part of the lens cleaning cloth. Done.

You have to really try hard to damage lens coatings, they are metals vaporized onto the glass under high temperatures, and they are pretty tough.

Touchstone Steve wrote:

I have a 24-70L that I got a few specks of salt water spray on it. Not so bad it will affect images so much but never the less if there is a good way of cleaning the lens with out damaging the coating this would be a big plus.
PLEASE, this is not a filter conversation. There are thousands of filter conversations and they don't help those trying to understand the +/- issues and challenges in cleaning front or back elements.
What is the best technique for cleaning a front element?

Blow off the front element, brush the lens with the brush end of a lenspen, polish with the polish end of a lenspen, brush, and blow.

Sports Shooter wrote:

Touchstone Steve wrote:

Thanks! I looked on the Canon site but the US one :P. I used blower for dust, a microfiber cloth for the stuff that does not blow off but stayed way from liquid cleaners. I see from the Canon video a cleaner recommendation I can use.

If you have salt deposits on the lens I wouldn't use a cloth in case that the blower did not blow them off completely. Salt usualy sticks. Imagine that a small tiny granule is still there and while you are moving the microfiber cloth around the glass the granule gently scratches the sufrace!!

You cant scratch the lens with salt.

I would use a liquid cleaner with a lint free wipe like a peckcap and very gently wipe of the surface. This should remove any small granules of salt remaining on the lens optic.

Bert_vargas wrote:

120 grit sand paper and a bit of emery cloth. and if that doesn't clean it, then i grab some steel wool.

Touchstone Steve wrote:

I have a 24-70L that I got a few specks of salt water spray on it. Not so bad it will affect images so much but never the less if there is a good way of cleaning the lens with out damaging the coating this would be a big plus.
PLEASE, this is not a filter conversation. There are thousands of filter conversations and they don't help those trying to understand the +/- issues and challenges in cleaning front or back elements.
What is the best technique for cleaning a front element?

first hold the lens facing down and use a squeeze blower on it to try to get rid of any potential sand grains, then possibly a fine soft brush and some more blowing

then use some FormulaMC or such on a chamois or micro fiber cloth

tonyjr wrote:

Forgot to say and no one else has -

Don't reuse micro cloth - I cut in to 2 X 3 inch squares .

There is NO problem in reusing microfiber lens cloths. There is also no problem in washing it after prolonged se and continue using it.

I also use lens pen - but the felt thing on end - I don't - and the brush part ,

I cut off about 1/8 inch each time I use .

I also use the brush on lens and camera body - especially in high pollen areas .

Sports Shooter wrote:

brightcolours wrote:

Sports Shooter wrote:

Touchstone Steve wrote:

Thanks! I looked on the Canon site but the US one :P. I used blower for dust, a microfiber cloth for the stuff that does not blow off but stayed way from liquid cleaners. I see from the Canon video a cleaner recommendation I can use.

If you have salt deposits on the lens I wouldn't use a cloth in case that the blower did not blow them off completely. Salt usualy sticks. Imagine that a small tiny granule is still there and while you are moving the microfiber cloth around the glass the granule gently scratches the sufrace!!

You cant scratch the lens with salt.

I would use a liquid cleaner with a lint free wipe like a peckcap and very gently wipe of the surface. This should remove any small granules of salt remaining on the lens optic.

Why don't you try it on your lens and let us know the result?

I already have used my camera with sea spray. And yes, no "protective filter". And yes, just clean my lenses as always: brush, then a bit of lens cleaning fluid on a lens cleaning cloth. No scratches on any of my lenses. People seem to think lens elements are made of putty.