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HuiChook

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I am a newcomer for the cameras world. What should i use and how to clean the lens on my camera?
 
HuiChook said:
I am a newcomer for the cameras world. What should i use and how to
clean the lens on my camera
Click to expand...
From a someone who has made astronomical mirrors/lenses by hand.

NEVER use snot tissue!!! (it's like sandpaper at the micro level).

Ever ever ever!

1. Buy yourself a good UV filter and keep that between the grime and your lens (and replace it after a couple of year or so).

2. Use a pro quality lens cleaner solution in a spray dispenser...don't breath on the lens, you ain't cleaning your sunglasses here (breath contains not just moisture, but some nasty biological stuff that can affect coatings over time).

3. Use one of the new-beaut cleaning cloths, available at all good camera stores. Keep it in a dust free bag/container....dust is like sandpaper too; even with today's fancy hard lens coatings, micro scratches will occur that will eventually degrade contrast and produce flare. Make sure to clean the cloth regularly as per instructions (usually in warm soapy, water folowed by lots of rinsing).

3. Buy a fine lens cleaning brush (with a puffer built in) to get most of the dust off before you clean.

4. Go LIGHTLY when you clean and don't make circles all the time...be random.

5. Keep the lens cap on!

6. Thats it ;-)
 
I Leica Beer said:
HuiChook said:
I am a newcomer for the cameras world. What should i use and how to
clean the lens on my camera
Click to expand...
From a someone who has made astronomical mirrors/lenses by hand.

NEVER use snot tissue!!! (it's like sandpaper at the micro level).

Ever ever ever!

1. Buy yourself a good UV filter and keep that between the grime
and your lens (and replace it after a couple of year or so).

2. Use a pro quality lens cleaner solution in a spray
dispenser...don't breath on the lens, you ain't cleaning your
sunglasses here (breath contains not just moisture, but some nasty
biological stuff that can affect coatings over time).

3. Use one of the new-beaut cleaning cloths, available at all good
camera stores. Keep it in a dust free bag/container....dust is like
sandpaper too; even with today's fancy hard lens coatings, micro
scratches will occur that will eventually degrade contrast and
produce flare. Make sure to clean the cloth regularly as per
instructions (usually in warm soapy, water folowed by lots of
rinsing).

3. Buy a fine lens cleaning brush (with a puffer built in) to get
most of the dust off before you clean.

4. Go LIGHTLY when you clean and don't make circles all the
time...be random.

5. Keep the lens cap on!

6. Thats it ;-)
Click to expand...
Damn, no it ain't...I forgot to insert one point. One-use-only lens cleaning tissues are much preferable to cleaning cloths for any lens surface (cloths, even with careful washing, can pick up scratchy particles). The cloths are more for when you use a UV filter (which is disposable after all).
 
I Leica Beer said:
Damn, no it ain't...I forgot to insert one point. One-use-only lens
cleaning tissues are much preferable to cleaning cloths for any
lens surface (cloths, even with careful washing, can pick up
scratchy particles). The cloths are more for when you use a UV
filter (which is disposable after all).
Click to expand...
What about the microfiber cloths that are made for cleaning prescription eyeglasses? Are they safe?
--
Theresa
The Digital Junkie! (w/an Oly C-5060)
 
What sorta lenses/mirrors did you make by hand? I am curious.

Also, do you recommend using Residual Oil Remover? It is what I use now but if you know of a better cleaner, I'm all ears for sure.

Thanks in advance.
I Leica Beer said:
HuiChook said:
I am a newcomer for the cameras world. What should i use and how to
clean the lens on my camera
Click to expand...
From a someone who has made astronomical mirrors/lenses by hand.

NEVER use snot tissue!!! (it's like sandpaper at the micro level).

Ever ever ever!

1. Buy yourself a good UV filter and keep that between the grime
and your lens (and replace it after a couple of year or so).

2. Use a pro quality lens cleaner solution in a spray
dispenser...don't breath on the lens, you ain't cleaning your
sunglasses here (breath contains not just moisture, but some nasty
biological stuff that can affect coatings over time).

3. Use one of the new-beaut cleaning cloths, available at all good
camera stores. Keep it in a dust free bag/container....dust is like
sandpaper too; even with today's fancy hard lens coatings, micro
scratches will occur that will eventually degrade contrast and
produce flare. Make sure to clean the cloth regularly as per
instructions (usually in warm soapy, water folowed by lots of
rinsing).

3. Buy a fine lens cleaning brush (with a puffer built in) to get
most of the dust off before you clean.

4. Go LIGHTLY when you clean and don't make circles all the
time...be random.

5. Keep the lens cap on!

6. Thats it ;-)
Click to expand...
--
pakety

 
Theresa K said:
I Leica Beer said:
Damn, no it ain't...I forgot to insert one point. One-use-only lens
cleaning tissues are much preferable to cleaning cloths for any
lens surface (cloths, even with careful washing, can pick up
scratchy particles). The cloths are more for when you use a UV
filter (which is disposable after all).
Click to expand...
What about the microfiber cloths that are made for cleaning
prescription eyeglasses? Are they safe?
--
Theresa
The Digital Junkie! (w/an Oly C-5060)
Click to expand...
The advice I gave was actually on the cautious side, but it does pay to be very careful when cleaning precision optics.

The "new-beaut" cleaning cloths I refered to are indeed the microfibre cloths that are used for cleaning prescription glasses, as well as lenses. I'm actually cleaning MY glasses right now with one...(pause for squeaky noises)....it's called a "Crizal" cloth, and provided it is cleaned properly from time to time would be OK for use on camera lenses (though I would still recomend using a UV filter, at least for your everyday lens).
 
I do have filters, which I use, but I also seem to have a lens that is a lint magnet! I've been using the lens cloth just to gently brush off the lint so it doesn't show up on my pics.

--
Theresa
The Digital Junkie! (w/an Oly C-5060)
 
pso said:
Also, do you recommend using Residual Oil Remover? It is what I
use now but if you know of a better cleaner, I'm all ears for sure.

Thanks in advance.
I Leica Beer said:
HuiChook said:
I am a newcomer for the cameras world. What should i use and how to
clean the lens on my camera
Click to expand...
From a someone who has made astronomical mirrors/lenses by hand.

NEVER use snot tissue!!! (it's like sandpaper at the micro level).

Ever ever ever!

1. Buy yourself a good UV filter and keep that between the grime
and your lens (and replace it after a couple of year or so).

2. Use a pro quality lens cleaner solution in a spray
dispenser...don't breath on the lens, you ain't cleaning your
sunglasses here (breath contains not just moisture, but some nasty
biological stuff that can affect coatings over time).

3. Use one of the new-beaut cleaning cloths, available at all good
camera stores. Keep it in a dust free bag/container....dust is like
sandpaper too; even with today's fancy hard lens coatings, micro
scratches will occur that will eventually degrade contrast and
produce flare. Make sure to clean the cloth regularly as per
instructions (usually in warm soapy, water folowed by lots of
rinsing).

3. Buy a fine lens cleaning brush (with a puffer built in) to get
most of the dust off before you clean.

4. Go LIGHTLY when you clean and don't make circles all the
time...be random.

5. Keep the lens cap on!

6. Thats it ;-)
Click to expand...
--
pakety

Click to expand...
I used to be right into amateur astronomy and astronomical photography....though many years ago, before all the amazing consumer gear that is available now, especially astronomical digital sensors. Because the best telescope then available was one you made yourself, that's what I did. I started with a ten inch Newtonian reflector, and made the paraboloidal mirror, diagonal flat and some eyepieces at home, by hand (actually the eyepiece lenses were made on a powered spindle, but you get the idea). I was so wrapt with the whole process, that I made two more telescopes, the largest with a sixteen inch main mirror and a two tonne mounting. That 'scope is now at a high school here, as I have gone on to do other things.
 
Theresa K said:
I do have filters, which I use, but I also seem to have a lens that
is a lint magnet! I've been using the lens cloth just to gently
brush off the lint so it doesn't show up on my pics.

--
Theresa
The Digital Junkie! (w/an Oly C-5060)
Click to expand...
Should be OK if you go lightly. Cleaning a lens too vigourously when dry will often impart a static charge that causes even more "dust" to cling to the lens (most house dust and lint is actually dead human skin cells). Buy a lens cleaning puffer brush to help avoid that problem.
 
pso said:
What sorta lenses/mirrors did you make by hand? I am curious.

Also, do you recommend using Residual Oil Remover? It is what I
use now but if you know of a better cleaner, I'm all ears for sure.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Whoops, forgot to reply about the "residual oil remover". I'm not familiar with the product you are refering to, though it sounds OK. Most lens cleaning fluids are designed to remove oils (fingerprints basically), house dust and to reduce static build up. Some seem to leave a streaky coating of their own (mainly glasses cleaning stuff) which I don't like at all. If it is marketed as a pro CAMERA lens cleaning fluid, it should be fine.
 
That's very impressive Leica Beer!

Can I hire you to make a 1000mm L lens for my Canon? ; )

Thanks for the info about the cleaner.
I Leica Beer said:
I used to be right into amateur astronomy and astronomical
photography....though many years ago, before all the amazing
consumer gear that is available now, especially astronomical
digital sensors. Because the best telescope then available was one
you made yourself, that's what I did. I started with a ten inch
Newtonian reflector, and made the paraboloidal mirror, diagonal
flat and some eyepieces at home, by hand (actually the eyepiece
lenses were made on a powered spindle, but you get the idea). I was
so wrapt with the whole process, that I made two more telescopes,
the largest with a sixteen inch main mirror and a two tonne
mounting. That 'scope is now at a high school here, as I have gone
on to do other things.
Click to expand...
--
pakety

 
HuiChook said:
I am a newcomer for the cameras world. What should i use and how to
clean the lens on my camera?
Click to expand...
Got a UV filter on my lens, so I don't have to worry too much about cleaning it :-). To clean the UV filter, if it's filmy, I use a damp plas chamois cloth I keep specially for that purpose, followed by a special cloth I got years ago for cleaning monitor screens. For visible grains like sand, I blow it off.

--
Brian Steele
http://www.usefilm.com/photographer/708.html
http://www.spiceisle.com/brian
http://www.pbase.com/uzgroup

 
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