What are your preferred lens cleaners?

What About Bob · Dec 8, 2024

Thought I would throw this question out there. I know there are a handful of posts related to this topic but I haven't come across one that is aimed toward which cleaner would be recommended, or not, with certain types of lenses .Are there specific cleaners for certain types of multicoatings? For example: what would be a good lens cleaner for a Rolleicord, Yashicamat, Hasselblad, and so forth. Does it really matter?

I have microfiber cloth but am thinking of going with lens tissue, something like PEC Pads, Kimwipes, Rosco, etc. So many choices.

Thanks!

Taylor Nankervis · Dec 8, 2024

My bag has a Giottos rocket ball-blower (bought in the UK in 2004, and I have never seen it available anywhere since), multiple HOYA microfibre lens cloths, and a pencil atomiser filled with 100% isopropyl alcohol.

There are pre-packed individual ZEISS lens wipes in the bag too, but I prefer these for tidying up my prescription specs!

baachitraka · Dec 9, 2024

I have this and this does some wonders in cleaning...

snusmumriken · Dec 9, 2024

Rocket blower, soft brush, isopropyl alcohol, lens tissues, and a very light touch.

Romanko · Dec 9, 2024

snusmumriken said:
Rocket blower, soft brush, isopropyl alcohol, lens tissues, and a very light touch.

When these measures are insufficient I resort to q-tips and window cleaner (Windex).
You need to add a lot of patience (and a box of q-tips) for cleaning lenses inside old shutters where oil and grease migrated to the glass surfaces.

Fungus can be cleaned with 3% hydrogen peroxide or Ammonia-Hydrogen-Peroxide for pathological cases

Dilutions of amonia and oxide hydrogen peroxide for fungus cleaning?

so I need to clean some fungus, everybody points to this and say "half-half" without saying exactly the original dilution of each liqui. But there are a lot of comercial amonia dilutions. Some are

www.photrio.com

None of these should be required for new or clean lenses. Lens hoods and lens caps are recommended to keep your fingers away from the glass.

RalphLambrecht · Dec 9, 2024

What About Bob said:
Thought I would throw this question out there. I know there are a handful of posts related to this topic but I haven't come across one that is aimed toward which cleaner would be recommended, or not, with certain types of lenses .Are there specific cleaners for certain types of multicoatings? For example: what would be a good lens cleaner for a Rolleicord, Yashicamat, Hasselblad, and so forth. Does it really matter?

I have microfiber cloth but am thinking of going with lens tissue, something like PEC Pads, Kimwipes, Rosco, etc. So many choices.

Thanks!

My favorite is the Leitz cleaner for eyeglasses, but it costs 5x as much as the standard lens cleaner from Walmart (a Hilco brand and, from what I can tell, pretty good)

brian steinberger · Dec 9, 2024

I’ve been using Tiffen lens cleaner and Tiffen lens tissue for over 20 years. Works great. I try to clean my lenses as little as possible.

Ian C · Dec 9, 2024

Occasionally, I’ve encountered a tough smear that was likely oily, greasy, or waxy and that standard lens solution won’t properly clean. In this case, you can place a single drop of lighter fuel (naphtha) onto a wadded lens tissue to remove the smear. You might have to repeat with a second, uncontaminated tissue. Then use a fresh tissue and standard lens cleaning solution to finish the job. Use only moderate pressure between the tissue and lens.

Dave Ludwig · Dec 9, 2024

Air, makeup brush, Isopropyl Alcohol and cotton rounds used for makeup removal. Rounds hold a good amount of alcohol and if you pull them apart the inside surface is even softer. Q-tips for the edges.

Ben Hutcherson · Dec 9, 2024

The Zeiss lenses wipes tend to be my favorite. Sam's club charges $10 for a box of 250 in the US, so they're cheap enough.

For gentler or more stubborn stuff, I like Kimwipes, usually with high grade methanol(equivalent to Eclipse fluid that's sold to clean sensors).

Barring actual glass damage or something living(like fungus) I've yet to encounter something that one of these two options wouldn't tackle.

DaveNJ · Dec 9, 2024

Giottos rocket blower. Eclipse fluid with Kimwipes and Pec Pads. Why both? Kimwipes are more absorbent than Pec Pads but they leave a little residue/shedding. For more stubborn stuff ROR (Residual Oil Remover) fluid with Kimwipes and Pec Pads.

I did not like Zeiss lens wipes one bit. They leave a residue because they are too wet and if you let them dry too much they start shedding. There is a sweet spot using them but it was too much of a PITA for me.

Petrochemist · Dec 9, 2024

snusmumriken said:
Rocket blower, soft brush, isopropyl alcohol, lens tissues, and a very light touch.

It depends on the lens & what needs to be removed but the above would cover most things.
There have been times I've resorted to acids or other solvents, but these can cause more harm than good if you don't mind the lenses materials, or leave them in the wrong place...

Sirius Glass · Dec 9, 2024

Rocket blower, soft lens brush,lens fluid alcohol, lens tissues, and a very light touch.

wiltw · Dec 9, 2024

Ian C said:
Occasionally, I’ve encountered a tough smear that was likely oily, greasy, or waxy and that standard lens solution won’t properly clean. In this case, you can place a single drop of lighter fuel (naphtha) onto a wadded lens tissue to remove the smear. You might have to repeat with a second, uncontaminated tissue. Then use a fresh tissue and standard lens cleaning solution to finish the job. Use only moderate pressure between the tissue and lens.

For such cleaning I use my bottle of R-O-R (Residual Oil Remover), and still have the same bottle which I purchased 3 decades ago!

Ordinarily I simply use a huff of breath followed by a wipe using a tight weave microfiber cloth originally written up in a test by Modern Photography as being more effective and less damaging than even Kodak Lens Cleaning Tissue.

Sanug · Dec 9, 2024

The most important thing is: Never wipe a dirty lens with a dry cloth! Dry "polishing" of a dirty lens will lead to scratches.

Always first blow the dust away with a ball blower. Only if dirt remains, use a fluid (a mix from alcohol and destilled water, or commercial lens cleaner) to remove remaining dirt gently with a clean cloth.

Generally people tend to clean lenses too often. Mostly it is enough to blow the dust away. If you don't have a fluid and need to remove e.g. a fingerprint quickly from the glass, you can simply use your saliva for moisturizing. Again the warning: Never wipe or even polish a dirty lens with a dry cloth!

dpurdy · Dec 9, 2024

Scotch Tape and Vodka. I have had problems getting some sort of residue using Isopropyl. I find no residue after Vodka, whiskey works too. Scotch tape does a great job. just put some on the lens and gently push it flat then pull it back off. There used to be some brand of miracle lens cleaner that was just repackaged scotch tape. The Vodka idea came from the old Rollei Forum.

Pieter12 · Dec 9, 2024

Blower such as a Rocket, a soft brush and a gentle touch with a good microfiber cloth, like the Zeiss. I use liquid cleaners only if there is a smudge on the lens, and sparingly. I have had Zeiss lens wipes containing alcohol ruin eyeglasses, and seen the coating on some eyepieces damaged from over-enthusiastic use of liquid lens cleaners. Nowadays, I use a rechargeable blower instead of a Rocket. I can get a gentle breeze or a blast like canned air without the risk of residue. I have seen ads for some sort of lens pen cleaner, not sure I want to risk something like that--seems like it could be a kind of polish.

Melvin J Bramley · Dec 9, 2024

Dare I ask, does anyone use a lens pen?

snusmumriken · Dec 9, 2024

What About Bob said:
Are there specific cleaners for certain types of multicoatings? For example: what would be a good lens cleaner for a Rolleicord, Yashicamat, Hasselblad, and so forth. Does it really matter?

I notice that we are all repeating our contributions to earlier threads on how to clean a lens, and not actually addressing this part of the opening post. I’m not competent to answer it fully, but FWIW I have used isoprop on everything I’ve owned, from uncoated, through single coated, to Zeiss T* and current Leica coatings. But be careful neither to scratch the lens with too dry a tissue, nor to flood it.

wiltw · Dec 9, 2024

Ben Hutcherson said:
The Zeiss lenses wipes tend to be my favorite. Sam's club charges $10 for a box of 250 in the US, so they're cheap enough.

For gentler or more stubborn stuff, I like Kimwipes, usually with high grade methanol(equivalent to Eclipse fluid that's sold to clean sensors).

Barring actual glass damage or something living(like fungus) I've yet to encounter something that one of these two options wouldn't tackle.

Caution in the selection of a Zeiss product: at one time Zeiss had different divisions offering 'lens cleaning' products, and only two of five contained nothing except ethanol and water (what was recommended by the divisions making photographic and scientific lenses) ...the others had chemical soup. One person reported that their use of one of the Zeiss lens cleanng products ruined the coatings on their eyeglasses..

Any good lens cleaning paper/tissue suggestions?

Recently I got some old japanese TLRs from a collector who passed away. Most of the TLRs were made between 1950-60s. Since the original owner's health gone bad in last 2 years, he could not manage to keep up the cameras condition. And now the cameras come to me and some of them seems...

www.photrio.com

And Kimwipes are made from WOOD PULP! Evidence of that in the link below, from a representative of Kimberly-Clark, the manufacturer. That is not good for photographic coatings, and my nose can attest to it being extremely abrasive to runny noses.

Any good lens cleaning paper/tissue suggestions?

Recently I got some old japanese TLRs from a collector who passed away. Most of the TLRs were made between 1950-60s. Since the original owner's health gone bad in last 2 years, he could not manage to keep up the cameras condition. And now the cameras come to me and some of them seems...

www.photrio.com

From both Kimberly-Clark and from Harmony Lab & Safety Supplies

"Kimwipes’ material is developed from soft and non-abrasive virgin wood pulp, making them ideal for delicate and sensitive surfaces like eyeglass lenses."

Tell my nose how soft and non-abrasive Kimwipes are...NOT! ...in my first post-college job at a major semiconductor manufacturer, we used Kimwipes in the semicondutor fabrication area, so they were extremely handy when I had a cold. My nose was so sore at the end of the first day, I avoided it after that!

DREW WILEY · Dec 9, 2024

3M dimpled microfiber lens cloths are the best. For solution, I generally use ROR.

What are your preferred lens cleaners?

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency