What is your lens cleaning workflow?

JohnC said:

A US camera tech by the name of Tomosy, the author of several books on how to fix Nikon, and Leica, and others, uses and recommends..... wait for it..... are you ready....... deep breath..... Windex !

I tried it and it works, and the lense still has its coatings.

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There is no risk in using Windex for cleaning any class, certainly not coated and/or multicoated lenses (I clean my Pentax 67 focusing screen and mirror with it). I have had bigger trouble using Kodak's proprietary one-drop lens cleaner. For several decades I carried a small atomiser bottle of it around in my pack until losing it . I switched to single-use pad cleaners (ethanol + water); work the same. The B+W filters are the easiest of all to clean, with HMC Hoya glass not far behind. The biggest mistake I see people make is rubbing any filter without first brushing off any visible surface dirt. Coated or not, dirt will scratch the filter, so that brushing step is first and foremost.

skorpiius said:

Me too, and I almost lost my mind tonight, this was a UV filter which had a couple of finger prints on it AFTER being cleaned using Optex LensMate cleaner and then after that I tried a small bottle of Kodak with similar results:

The only thing that got it mostly clear again was going around it for 5 mins with a Lenspen. I can't understand how cleaners can do this.

I guess I'll try the Zeiss, or just go with microfiber since I kind of get the feeling the pad on the end of a LensPen is a small swatch of microfiber.

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Just a reminder...this posting is over One Year Old.
But this ie EXACTLY the problem i was noticing when cleaning ALL of my UV Filters. I have been using Eclipse and those PEC Pads.
I finally just got the PEC Pads wet with water and a small drop of Hand Soap, then i used straight water and dried them with the PEC. The UV Filters are now crystal clear.
I have now made my own concoction with mostly distilled water and a bit of Ammonia.

yashima said:

So I'm one of those who have been using professional cameras for 15 years and still have not figured out a proper way to clean lenses.

I have tried everything under the sun, however still leave myself dissatisfied and frustrated. I have to say torch light can be very unforgiving.


Currently, I'm using what is supposed to be standard, pecpad and eclipse solution. However most of the time it still leaves a very faint haze, that I just have to clean and clean again.


Any advice of proper cleaning equipment and technique is greatly appreciated.

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Put a filter on, and clean the filter. I have lenses the surfaces of which haven't been touched in years.
It's better to keep your lens clean, than to keep cleaning your lenses.

I use tissue and lens cleaning fluid (Kodak. Yes, I stocked up some years ago.) Brush the chunks and grit off first.

yashima said:

So I'm one of those who have been using professional cameras for 15 years and still have not figured out a proper way to clean lenses.

I have tried everything under the sun, however still leave myself dissatisfied and frustrated. I have to say torch light can be very unforgiving.


Currently, I'm using what is supposed to be standard, pecpad and eclipse solution. However most of the time it still leaves a very faint haze, that I just have to clean and clean again.


Any advice of proper cleaning equipment and technique is greatly appreciated.

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I have had your exact same Thought/Concern/Experience.
I THINK it is the Pec Pads more than the Eclipse, but.....I switched to ROR and those Kimwipes or is it Kimtech.? They have been around a long time...white and green box.
It seems like the Pec Pads have almost NO Absorbancy, and just move the "stuff" around the lens. The Kimwipes are Very Absorbent and do a MUCH BETTER job of cleaning the lens.
99% of the time, if you buy a "new" lens, it will be used...right.?
Who does not clean a lens that you just got from Ebay, or even a new filter.? It is just natural to clean it first. I was looking back and all my Filters looked Just Like the picture in post #22.....so i did some reading and made the switch.
good luck

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