Basics... cleaning your lens

[scejas]

What does everyone use for lens cleaning? lol -- I'm bored -- just ordered a new Tamrac backpack for all my gear! lol

 

[boBQuincy]

Basic Kodak lens cleaning fluid and tissue. Lately I have been using ClearSight fluid, seems to work well.
I have been caught at WDW occasionally using my t-shirt (microfiber) for quick cleaning but it can't be good for the lens.


boB

 

[manning]

If you can put a filter on the lense then put on a UV filter. It's cheaper to replace a $15.00 scratched filter than a lense.

 

[ducklite]

If you can put a filter on the lense then put on a UV filter. It's cheaper to replace a $15.00 scratched filter than a lense.

How true! Last Saturday night I managed to smear greasy pizza fingerprints all over one of my lenses--don't ask. Anyhow, I cleaned it with a soft lint-free cloth and some lens cleaner.

I've got a HOYA UV filter on every one of my lenses for protection.

Anne

 

[Magix]

I just use a lens pen (available at most camera stores). Has a brush on one end for sweeping off the big stuff and then a soft, moist pad on the other end for actual cleaning. Works really well. I've been using them for a good number of years now. Very good for on-the-go cleaning, which I need to do frequently with racecar tire rubber flying around! Like the others above, I also have a UV filter on my lens.

 

[npealer]

I have been using my eyeglasses cleaning cloth. Figure if it was meant to clean my glasses it was probably safe for my camera

 

[manning]

One thing you want to be careful of is to make sure there are not any hard particles of dirt on the lense. Those you want to gently remove before you start wiping the lense with a cloth. No matter how soft the cloth is, that hard piece of dirt will be the one that will scratch the glass.

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

If you can put a filter on the lense then put on a UV filter. It's cheaper to replace a $15.00 scratched filter than a lense.

Ok, I am "new" to all the camera lingo. I am used to "point and shoot" but I recently went crazy and bought the Canon Rebel XT. I too was worried about scratching the lens. So you are saying get 2 filters to put on the lense? I am currently looking for someplace to take a crash course on digital photography but have had no luck as of yet

 

[boBQuincy]

There are two distinct camps on the use of protective filters, and they will defend their choice with almost religious fervor.

On the one side are those who would never put a cheap piece of glass in front of a high quality lens, and they are right.

On the other side are those who would never walk out of the house without a filter over that expensive lens, and they are right.

Filters (at least non-multicoated ones) have been shown to degrade the image, sometimes very noticeably. Scratches do the same.

I decided to not use a filter (except a polarizer, and then a multi-coated one) in front of my lenses so I could get the best image quality possible. I realize that some fine day I may get a nice scratch or worse on my lens and I accept that risk as part of the quest for better images. I always use a lens hood so at least the lens is somewhat protected.

What's your choice?


boB

 

[manning]

I will use a filter if it can be put on a lense. Of course where I come from is I am taking pictures for my pleasure and not for profit, so the effect of a filter does not bother me. As a pro I would think differently.

As a matter of fact in the days of film, and I am talking the corner drug store, it would not make any difference if you used a filter or not. The processing wasn't that great. If you remember the pictures that came back with a bluish look, that was processing error. And a lot of them came back that way. You knew when the operator was Cyan blind.

 

[tigger795]

There are two distinct camps on the use of protective filters, and they will defend their choice with almost religious fervor.

On the one side are those who would never put a cheap piece of glass in front of a high quality lens, and they are right.

On the other side are those who would never walk out of the house without a filter over that expensive lens, and they are right.

Filters (at least non-multicoated ones) have been shown to degrade the image, sometimes very noticeably. Scratches do the same.

I decided to not use a filter (except a polarizer, and then a multi-coated one) in front of my lenses so I could get the best image quality possible. I realize that some fine day I may get a nice scratch or worse on my lens and I accept that risk as part of the quest for better images. I always use a lens hood so at least the lens is somewhat protected.

What's your choice?


boB

I agree on the two camp issue and agree with not using them for important work. However, I use them when I am in a crowded location, such as, just pulling this one out of thin air, say anywhere in WDW. I am always paranoid that some oblivious child(or parent) will crash into me and my camera while I am standing there composing my shot, it seems to happen a lot to me for some reason. Add in the fact that there is a lot of sticky/greasy food being carried around and you have a recipie for disaster and some really inappropriate words expressed loudly in the Happiest Place On Earth. Just my $0.02.

 

[tigger795]

What does everyone use for lens cleaning? lol -- I'm bored -- just ordered a new Tamrac backpack for all my gear! lol

I clean my lenses with Lava soap and a steel brush.(JUST KIDDING).

I was considering a Tamrac Backpack too. What model did you get?