Francesco said:
Many thanks Tom. I hope to have my 455 Nikkor appropriately attired. As far as the operation of using the pouch is concerned, is it simply yank (carefully of course) it out after the darkslide is removed, count the seconds, replace back on lens and return darkslide? You have no problem with some residue from the fleece being left on the lens?
I don't like to use the term "yank," Francesco. A gentle, continuous, smooth pulling movement is best. The sock material is "stretchy" enough that it stays on the lens until you pull it, then it slides easily and smoothly off the lens body with very little force required. When the exposure is completed, I reverse the procedure and "cap" the lens with the sock. Then I return the darkslide. My negatives made by this method are biting sharp! A little "dry run" practice is required to learn the moves.
The polar fleece is chemically inert and does not outgas under normal usage conditions. Since polar fleece does not absorb water, and there are two layers of the material, it will provide a fairly effective moisture barrier - but it is not waterproof. The sock normally does not contact the lens glass. Even if it does, it should not cause a problem unless the polar fleece becomes contaminated.
Polar fleece is a dielectric material and taking it on and off the lens body will charge it with static electricity - especially under dry conditions. This has not caused a problem for me, because the static charge attracts and holds dust particles to the cloth - not the lens.
When the sock gets too dirty/dusty, you can wash it in cold water containing a few drops of mild detergent and rinse thoroughly. That will get rid of the dust, dirt and any residual static charge.
