Jump to content

how to keep m lenses clean


stump4545

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 70
  • Created
  • Last Reply
I've decided to put my money where my mouth is and I'm making a video showing my 35mm Summilux FLE being cleaned with a green Scotch Brite pad. I'll put it up in the LUF "Video" sub-forum as soon as I get my new M10. :D

 

Don't do it for my sake!:cool:

Link to post
Share on other sites

sweat contains sodium, potassium chlorides (salts), urea, hydrogen ion (acidic), sebum (grease) - all of which can damage protein coatings and cotton can harbour fungus, mold, bacteria and other nasties such as grit or dust, washing or conditioner residues that will remain on and eat away at a lens coating over time. dry sweat chrystalizes.... that's why i never use a tee-shirt to clean the front element of a lens. one drop of human saliva at body temperature contains a million bacteria, it's alkaline, meaning it will denature (damage) the protein coating and can affect the optic so i don't blow on it either:rolleyes:

Link to post
Share on other sites

sweat contains sodium, potassium chlorides (salts), urea, hydrogen ion (acidic), sebum (grease) - all of which can damage protein coatings and cotton can harbour fungus, mold, bacteria and other nasties such as grit or dust, washing or conditioner residues that will remain on and eat away at a lens coating over time. dry sweat chrystalizes.... that's why i never use a tee-shirt to clean the front element of a lens. one drop of human saliva at body temperature contains a million bacteria, it's alkaline, meaning it will denature (damage) the protein coating and can affect the optic so i don't blow on it either:rolleyes:

 

I'd honestly no idea that at least some lens coatings were protein based - can you give more details?

Link to post
Share on other sites

They are not - they are inorganic compounds that are vaporized onto the lens, usually MgF

for the first layer and assorted oxides and fluorides for the following layers.

 

This is the USA patent for multicoating

 

Patent number: 3185020

Filing date: 7 Sep 1961

Issue date: 25 May 1965

 

http://www.google.nl/patents?hl=nl&lr=&vid=USPAT3185020&id=z44aAAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=coating+magnesium+fluoride&printsec=abstract#v=onepage&q=coating%20magnesium%20fluoride&f=false

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

They are not - they are inorganic compounds that are vaporized onto the lens, usually MgF

for the first layer and assorted oxides and fluorides for the following layers.

 

This is the USA patent for multicoating

 

Patent number: 3185020

Filing date: 7 Sep 1961

Issue date: 25 May 1965

 

THREE LAYER ANTI-REFLECTION COATING - Google Patents

 

Many thanks Jaap - that is pretty well what my understanding was.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just use the lenses and don't worry too much about a bit of dust or grime....I clean mine maybe once a year at most..and then with whatever is at hand as long as it is clean and soft.

Have never used any liquid apart from my own breath and all is well.

If you are paranoid about it just stick a filter on each lens and you will never have to clean them.

 

In short don't over clean...much worse than not cleaning at all.

I have same approach to the sensor....must be 3 years now and have never cleaned it....never seen the need to be honest and "if it ain't broke don't fix it" is good advice, others will tell you differently of course...just my opinion.:)

Andy

Link to post
Share on other sites

Now for something completely different. When I got my M9 I cleaned the sensor with a sample of a cleaner I got from Crizal for use on AR coated glasses. Crizal makes AR coatings for glasses. The cleaner seems to have some sort of wax-like ingredient in it that was evident to me when using it on glasses. It sort of polishes glasses like waxing a car. I thought this would be perfect for protecting the sensor from dust and oil. So, I tried it on my M9 and haven't had to clean the sensor since. It did take a bit of "polishing" to get it right. I remember being a little worried at first when it streaked the sensor. But, I used a Dacron tip applicator (Q-tip) and carefully polished the sensor. That was over a year ago. I really think I'm on to something.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'd honestly no idea that at least some lens coatings were protein based - can you give more details?

 

sorry, i'm not 100% sure, to be honest either but hopefully people would consider suggesting different options to wiping the front element of their noctilux with something other than the corner of a tee-shirt.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, could anyone identify if this is dust on front lens element? There are 3 birds and 2 dark spots in this picture, and I could not see any spots in pictures taken earlier that day. It was taken against the sun at f/13 :(

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Link to post
Share on other sites

You better start a NEW thread with this photo, Ellie.

 

You could generate hundreds of replies, because this would most likely

lead away from lenscleaning and more to sensorcleaning. Or bird-stamping,

whatever you like best.

 

No dust at all on the lens, as far as I can see.

 

 

best

GEORG

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, could anyone identify if this is dust on front lens element? There are 3 birds and 2 dark spots in this picture, and I could not see any spots in pictures taken earlier that day. It was taken against the sun at f/13 :(

 

You will NOT see "dust on the lens." It's far too out of focus to ever be seen unless you've got a large (and I mean large) chunk of something sitting there.

 

What's in your photo is dust on the SENSOR.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Many microfiber cloths instructions mention washing them periodically, which I do in order to remove what might be trapped in the cloth.

 

Remember not to put in clothes conditioner (Comfort etc) or use a detergent already containing these products. I washed my micro fibre cloths (Zeiss and 3M mirror cloths) in with the normal wash. I use these for all sorts of things, like the glossy glass front on our flat screen TV, our various Macs, iPad and iPhones as well as camera purposes. After a wash with Comfort, they were absolutely useless and left a smear on everything they touched. It needed two plain washes at high temperature before they were of any use again.

 

For those occasions, when you get something grungy or sea spray on the front of one of my lenses, I like Zeiss lens fluid.

 

Wilson

Link to post
Share on other sites

[...]one drop of human saliva at body temperature contains a million bacteria, it's alkaline, meaning it will denature (damage) the protein coating and can affect the optic so i don't blow on it either:rolleyes:

 

Take my tip: rinse your mouth thoroughly with Vodka, swallow, then blow. :eek:

 

I lucked out and got a case of 12" square microfiber cloths from a vinyl collector (that's LP records). I throw them away when dirty. You can find such in some industrial supply houses.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...