Lens cleaning fluid, recommendations

[DaveOttawa]

has anyone tried the polymer cleaner OPTI-CLEAN? I've read you brush it on like nail polish & after it cures you pull the film off leaving an ultra clean lens.

I've tried a similar product on precision optical surfaces, IMO while it might work for camera lenses it would be far too fiddly for most people. It is a way to absolutely avoid scratches but the scratch risk is low using most of the techniques people have already described in this thread.

 

[Qoph]

No: Canned air Isopropyl alcohol Many other things Yes: Naphtha Denatured alcohol Distilled water Canned air, besides having a risk of blowing propellant on the lens, cools and creates condensation. It also moves very fast and any minute particles in the way will be rushing by your lens at breakneck speeds. Do you really want that? Isopropyl alcohol is not pure. 99% pure is still not pure. It's also rather harsh and can do damage to the lens. Naphtha is found in Zippo lighter fluid. Dead Link Removed Anyway, this is a far more comprehensive guide to lens cleaning. Most of what I've already said is pulled from here - Dead Link Removed

 

[DaveOttawa]

Most of what I've already said is pulled from here - Dead Link Removed

There is a certain amount of nonsense in the link (particularly: "The haze is oil and grease that has been hydrolized (made water soluable). ") but some sense as well in the actual recommended technique. Another point made in the comments is that older cameras may have coatings on the lenses that are much softer and more prone to damge than modern coatings, in the case of an old(probably pre-1970s) camera you would want to proceed very carefully indeed and ideally stay with just brushing or blowing off dust to avoid removing the coating.

 

[Qoph]

Sorry about the poor formatting on my last post. I was stuck using the "wap" site theme which is very much inoperable. Anyhow, naphtha does that to fingerprints (hydrolyses them). That's what he's talking about. I don't know if you thought he meant something else, but I've been assured by multiple sources that this is what it does.

Incidentally, I do have very old lenses (and cameras). Fujica ST801 and Mamiya/Sekor 500 DTL. However, I would expect people to be careful regardless of the age of the lens. No sense in marring the elements with "too much love" just because it's made to be more durable.

By the way, Charles (the person in my previously provided link) is a vintage and antique camera restorer. He has over 100 pieces in his collection. In case anyone is interested in his qualifications.

 

[DaveOttawa]

...Anyhow, naphtha does that to fingerprints (hydrolyses them). That's what he's talking about. I don't know if you thought he meant something else, but I've been assured by multiple sources that this is what it does.

"Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which one or more water molecules are split into hydrogen and hydroxide ions, which may go on to participate in further reactions."

Source: Wikipedia, citing the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (IUPAC).

Saying naptha causes hydrolysis is therefore nonsense since naptha isn't water. But it doesnt matter that his explanation is bogus if the method works despite that, I just wouldn't go to him for chemical advice! What in fact he is seeing after the napha cleaning step is possibly the more polar fraction of an orginal mixed soil (such as a fingermark) that is left undissolved by the non-polar naptha. This more polar fraction might well be soluble in a polar solvent such as water. If I see evidence of a fingermark on an optical surface my preference is to just use Windex or similar near-neutral, water based glass cleaner that contains a surfactant in aqueous solution that makes it effective on mixed soils in one step.

 

[Mike1234]

Windex has ammonia in it doesn't it? At least the blue variety does, I think.

 

[DaveOttawa]

Windex has ammonia in it doesn't it? At least the blue variety does, I think.

That's why I used the term near-neutral. I would be very cautious using it on older (pre-1970s say) coated lenses, I have had the unpleasant experience of watching simple magnesium fluoride type coatings wipe off a surface as as I tried to "clean" them at work.

 

[Qoph]

Saying naptha causes hydrolysis is therefore nonsense since naptha isn't water.

I don't see how water itself would cause hydrolysis. Regardless of what it (naphtha) does, it still leaves spots and streaks. I've been trying really hard to rid my filter of water spots. I've tried three different cleaners and naphtha. It's really ticking me off. Will a lens pen get rid of that or does it just work on oils?

What I've tried is Dynax brand, Carrot brand, and Leland Power Clean. I've also tried lens tissues and Q-tips. Then as a last resort, breath and a microfibre cloth. It always ends up with streaks. I'm not over-saturating my tissues or Q-tips either. I've tried them from damp to hardly wetter than dust. I'm thinking of just getting another one and never touching it. I mean, I didn't TRY to touch this one, but apparently I did.

 

[DaveOttawa]

I don't see how water itself would cause hydrolysis. Regardless of what it (naphtha) does, it still leaves spots and streaks. I've been trying really hard to rid my filter of water spots. I've tried three different cleaners and naphtha. It's really ticking me off. Will a lens pen get rid of that or does it just work on oils?

What I've tried is Dynax brand, Carrot brand, and Leland Power Clean. I've also tried lens tissues and Q-tips. Then as a last resort, breath and a microfibre cloth. It always ends up with streaks. I'm not over-saturating my tissues or Q-tips either. I've tried them from damp to hardly wetter than dust. I'm thinking of just getting another one and never touching it. I mean, I didn't TRY to touch this one, but apparently I did.

First, the water spots you describe may well have next to no effect on image quality (unless the filter is on a very short focal length lens the spots will totally out of focus, worst ase they would contribute a small amount of additional flare) so one option is to leave them especially everytime you try and clean there is the risk of a scratch. If they are something that was dissolved in water and precipitated out then Windex may be effective at removing them, it is unlikely to be harmful to the coatings if it is a modern coated filter.

PS, if you want another perspective on cleaning precision optics take a look at this link:

Dead Link Removed

 

[Qoph]

The lens is a 28mm. I've gotten along without the filter. If anything happens, though, I have a bare lens. I know it's liable to scratch, but spots and streaks really bother me. Of course, all that was on it before is a fingerprint. Which I found out later a lens pen will easily cure. The pen doesn't work on water spots, does it?

 

[pentaxuser]

I've tried a similar product on precision optical surfaces, IMO while it might work for camera lenses it would be far too fiddly for most people. It is a way to absolutely avoid scratches but the scratch risk is low using most of the techniques people have already described in this thread.

I seem to recall Roger Hicks using it with some scepticism but being converted once he had done. The problem with Opti-clean as I now recall is its price due to the quantitiy it is sold in. You'd need an awful lot of lenses to clean before it would be worthwhile buying.

pentaxuser

 

[DaveOttawa]

I seem to recall Roger Hicks using it with some scepticism but being converted once he had done. The problem with Opti-clean as I now recall is its price due to the quantitiy it is sold in. You'd need an awful lot of lenses to clean before it would be worthwhile buying.

pentaxuser

Yes, it is a bit spendy; I actualy do have a lot of lens to celan at work and even so I don't ike it!
This is the one I have tried:

http://www.photoniccleaning.com/

Re fingerprints: this is a mixed soil (i.e. polar & non-polar contaminants), it will not be entirely removed easily with a purely non-polar solvent (e.g. naptha) or a polar solvent (water), it will need at least both, used sequentially, or a cleaning agent containing a surfactant (e.g. Windex).

 

[Ektagraphic]

I use to use the Kodak stuff which was made by Tiffen. Kodak stopped offering it an Tiffen now sells it under the Tiffen name so I use that. Great stuff.

 

[DaveOttawa]

I use to use the Kodak stuff which was made by Tiffen. Kodak stopped offering it an Tiffen now sells it under the Tiffen name so I use that. Great stuff.

Which I believe consists of ammonium carbonate in water, so a mildly alkaline solution which should all evaporate or decompose leaving no soldi residue.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I sand blast my lens!

Jeff

 

[Mike Kennedy]

I agree with Jeff!!

This baby will remove........................everything.

I've seen lenses that appear to have been cleaned with this method.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Does anyone use those lenspens?

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Does anyone use those lenspens?

Yes they do.
I have used mine for 20 years now, and is looking in need of replacement!
B+W and Hoya Super HMC filters come with a warning never to use lens cleaning fluid. Maybe the chemical minds amongst us here on APUG can explain why (i.e. damage to coating). The lens pen is quite sufficient for most purposes. Otherwise, a breath on the glass and wipe with microfibre is fine.

 

[largeformat pat]

Guys,
A very big word of warning in regard to lens clothes. If you reuse these you can have trapped dust build up. This could scratch. An old guy told me 30 years ago and I still use tissues. Have fun
Pat

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Never experienced that in decades of photography. But then all my lens cloths are in sealed bags.

 

[2F/2F]

Condensation from my breath and the end of my t-shirt, after brushing, blowing, and not worrying about it for quite some time. I only do this to take off finger oil smudges or fluid spots from water, drinks, sweat, etc. I never press anywhere near hard; just use more condensation for stubborn spots.

 

[kingbuzzie]

I try to clean my lens only when necessary. While blowing my lens with a bulb and brusing away debris with a camel's-hair brush most often gets the lens reasonably clean, sometimes lens cleaing fluid is in order. I have been using Kodak lens cleaning fluid, with the Kodak lens cleaning tissues. I find that, at least with my technique, the Kodak fluid tends to leave a thin smeary residue, and I wipe the lens surface more than I want to to try to get the lens clear. I would appreciate your recommendations on a safe lens cleaning fluid that does a good job, and of course your techniques for cleaning lenses. Thanks. John

I know this is an old thread, but I was digging through to see if I was the only one with the problem. I have a bottle of kodak lens cleaner that is about 20 years old now, and every time I try to use it it deposits the ugliest white film. Does it go bad? I tried to use it with pec pads, but the pads don't seem to work nearly as well as the cheap zeiss individual packets.

 

[dpurdy]

I know this is an old thread, but I was digging through to see if I was the only one with the problem. I have a bottle of kodak lens cleaner that is about 20 years old now, and every time I try to use it it deposits the ugliest white film. Does it go bad? I tried to use it with pec pads, but the pads don't seem to work nearly as well as the cheap zeiss individual packets.

I have always had the same problem with Kodak lens cleaner. I have some other brands that don't have that problem but what I most often use to clean lenses now is .. vodka. Works well with no residue.

 

[psmithp]

Does anybody know what lens cleaning fluid is made of? Distilled water and dishwashing detergent?

 

[Arthurwg]

I use Zeiss. But only on my eye glasses. No usual need for fluid on my camera lenses.