purfumeheadache Posted January 11, 2011 Share #1 Posted January 11, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Wondering about peoples thoughts on how to clean a fingerprint off the front of a Leica Lens? So far it seems that breath and brand new micro-fibre cloth is the go. Thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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jaapv Posted January 11, 2011 Share #2 Posted January 11, 2011 Fingerprint. I tend to use Eclipse, but there are many brands of lens cleaner - ask your camera dealer. Don't apply too much solution. If the front lens element is a cemented one, the fluid may damage the cement. And beware you do not create rub marks or scratces by being overenthusiastic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
01af Posted January 11, 2011 Share #3 Posted January 11, 2011 First, remove lint and particles from the lens element's surface with a soft brush and/or an air blower. Soak a cotton cloth in warm water with a dash of dish-washing detergent (no soap). Squeeze until the cloth is just damp, not dripping wet. Clean the lens element with it, then wipe with a clean, lint-free, dry cotton cloth. Finish with breath and clean micro-fiber cloth. Never use lens-cleaning paper! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richfx Posted January 11, 2011 Share #4 Posted January 11, 2011 I find that holding the lens upside down - with the element being cleaned facing downward, prevents cleaning solution / liquid (however light) from dripping into the barrel / element edge and results in applying it exactly where you want it. Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 11, 2011 Share #5 Posted January 11, 2011 I have been using photo lens tissues which are already moistened with cleaning fluid, they work very well and no risk of applying too much fluid. Sorry but I can't recall the brand, but Zeiss make them too. Just ensure they are OK for photographic lenses (some types for reading glasses can damage the lens coatings). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted January 11, 2011 Share #6 Posted January 11, 2011 Breath and a micro-fibre cloth. The coating on modern Leica lenses is very resilient. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 11, 2011 Share #7 Posted January 11, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) I find that holding the lens upside down - with the element being cleaned facing downward, prevents cleaning solution / liquid (however light) from dripping into the barrel / element edge and results in applying it exactly where you want it.Rich Doubt that - the fitting is narrow enough to produce capillary effects. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgenper Posted January 11, 2011 Share #8 Posted January 11, 2011 I find that holding the lens upside down - with the element being cleaned facing downward, prevents cleaning solution / liquid (however light) from dripping into the barrel / element edge and results in applying it exactly where you want it.Rich Doubt that - the fitting is narrow enough to produce capillary effects. Yes, once the drop reaches the periphery/fitting.... With a convex front surface, the drop will stay in the center if held upside down (won´t work with the Summicron 35 Asph.... ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted January 11, 2011 Share #9 Posted January 11, 2011 Breath and a micro-fibre cloth. The coating on modern Leica lenses is very resilient. Entirely agree. If it's just a fingerprint, it will be gone in seconds. Someone once told me that Leica used to test their coatings with an old fashioned typewriter eraser (the kind with the fine abrasive material mixed in the compound). If the coating showed scratches after 20 strokes, the coating was not adequately robust. This story may be apocryphal. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! Next step up in my book would be the Zeiss lens cleaning kit, which itself has various options for different degrees of contamination. I got mine from Rober White (who advertise here). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted January 11, 2011 Share #10 Posted January 11, 2011 Has anyone used Purosol Optical? I wonder if it is perhaps just snake oil. Their website here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted January 11, 2011 Share #11 Posted January 11, 2011 For modern lenses I just use a lens cleaning cloth and breath on the mark. If the mark is really stubborn I use a LensPen. But its rare that I get to that stage because I use protective filters on all my lenses and tend to leave the lens caps off (less likely to loose them and quicker to change lenses). A filter is much easier to clean when out and about, especially if you are wiping rain off the front and scrubbing dirt away. The coating on good filters is as good as on the lens itself, but if it did get scuffed its just a case of throwing it away and getting a new one (which I have never needed to do in thirty years). The use of a filter on old lenses with a soft coating is even more important, and means you never need to clean the front element apart from maybe blowing dust off. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
epand56 Posted January 11, 2011 Share #12 Posted January 11, 2011 Anyone has suggestions on how to clean small dust inside a lens? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 11, 2011 Share #13 Posted January 11, 2011 Anyone has suggestions on how to clean small dust inside a lens? Depends which lens and where the dust is - on some lenses it's easy to unscrew the front lens assembly for example, the old Summar f2, but if you're talking about a newer lens then my advice would be to leave it alone. Small amounts of dust aren't going to affect the performance of the lens. It's unlikely that you'd send a lens for a CLA and not find any dust inside on its return. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdtaylor Posted January 11, 2011 Share #14 Posted January 11, 2011 I guess I don't worry enough. I have been cleaning lenses 35 years with just my breath and lens paper, or more recently a micro fiber cloth. I have always been careful, but never paranoid. Now just a slight drop of a good lens cleaning solution and a micro cloth, gentle touch and amazing, a clean lens (won't even venture into sensors). I feel many would have a coronary if they saw me cleaning my Nikon 600 or 200 VR- both in excellent, mint condition after all these years. I will note I blow the lenses first, to remove particles, and always take a had look to see that what is being cleaned will not scratch. I have also witnessed a Leica rep absolutely abuse a lens purposely while cleaning, and it was not damaged....maybe it was a parlor trip. Those who know more than I, have fun.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted January 12, 2011 Share #15 Posted January 12, 2011 When I bought my M8 at Minderman & Pisa in The Hague and asked what they could suggest as a microfibre cloth or whatever I got the look of scorn & pity. (Oh, my god an amateur:D) After mr. Minderman recovered he suggested I get a chamois leather from the local supermarket ("zeemleer" in NL). Real leather obviously not fake chamois. He claimed that was much better than any microfibre cloth and would last me the rest of my life. The leather had to be thoroughly washed first to remove any remaining tanning & softeners (final rinse in boiling water). Indeed it works like a charm as I can confirm (including some hot breath, which is basically freshly distilled water). About ½ year later we had a Nikon service guy at the university to service a Nikon polarising microscope and I noted he was using a chamois leather for all the final lens cleaning...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted January 12, 2011 Share #16 Posted January 12, 2011 Depends which lens and where the dust is - on some lenses it's easy to unscrew the front lens assembly for example, the old Summar f2, but if you're talking about a newer lens then my advice would be to leave it alone. Small amounts of dust aren't going to affect the performance of the lens. It's unlikely that you'd send a lens for a CLA and not find any dust inside on its return. Yes it is not unknown for a lens to come back with more dust than it started with, a clean room is realy necessary, to get to factory delivery conditions. Only worth while dismantling for water ingress, fungus, fog or iris blade problems, anticipate Saudi sand storm afterwards Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 12, 2011 Share #17 Posted January 12, 2011 I summer it is easy, I just use the edge of my T-shirt... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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