-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
What to Use to Clean Lens of (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Losthwy
- Start date
Jason Bugay Reyes
Well-known member
Yeah should be ok with it
John Russell
Well-known member
First use a blower to remove any dust or sand.
Then put a drop of lens fluid (Baader Optical Wonder or similar) on a Q-tip and work from the centre to the edge. Use a new Q-tip for each surface.
If after drying there are any residues on the surface, breath on them and wipe gently with a clean microfibre cloth.
Microfibre cloths can be washed in the washing machine but avoid fabric softeners as these will leave a greasy deposit that finds its way back on to your lenses.
John
Thanks for the info. I did some online searching for lens cleaning and most threads echoed about the use of Q-Tips and microfiber cloths/cleaning the cloths. I found Baader OpticaL Wonder and Wonder Fluid according to M.S.D.S. are 25% Ethanol. Another product that got good reviews was Formula MC which is 15% isopropyl alcohol.
Have found Residual Oil Remover an excellent cleaner for lenses. See:
http://www.ror.net/
Do note that you may want to do a final polish cleaning after with isopropyl alcohol and distilled water.
A report from a while ago suggested that Zeiss was using fresh surfaces of polystyrene to remove any residual surface contamination on their lenses, but the mechanics of the method were not described. You could try to break some packing pellets and see if that works.
http://www.ror.net/
Do note that you may want to do a final polish cleaning after with isopropyl alcohol and distilled water.
A report from a while ago suggested that Zeiss was using fresh surfaces of polystyrene to remove any residual surface contamination on their lenses, but the mechanics of the method were not described. You could try to break some packing pellets and see if that works.
Mike Penfold
Well-known member
You may want to consider a multi-coated UV filter from Heliopan. They're not inexpensive, but you never need to clean the surface of the scope lens itself.
The less you need to clean a lens/filter surface, the better.
In rain or snow, blot off water with a tissue, or similar.
For cleaning, you can use a lens brush to remove larger particles from and around the lens/filter surface.
It's possible to remove all remaining grit with a Kinetronics Anti-Static Canned Air Ionizer, clipped to a Dust-Off (or similar) compressed gas duster.
Purosol lens cleaner (applied with a Q-tip, or similar) removes smudges without streaking. Residual Oil Remover takes care of remaining, difficult greasy spots.
Pec Pads are non-abrasive, non-reusable cleaning wipes.
Off-topic, but a LensPen FogKlear Dry Anti-Fog Cloth works nicely on a clean lens/filter in high humidity.
A kit of this stuff lasts a very long time.
Mike
The less you need to clean a lens/filter surface, the better.
In rain or snow, blot off water with a tissue, or similar.
For cleaning, you can use a lens brush to remove larger particles from and around the lens/filter surface.
It's possible to remove all remaining grit with a Kinetronics Anti-Static Canned Air Ionizer, clipped to a Dust-Off (or similar) compressed gas duster.
Purosol lens cleaner (applied with a Q-tip, or similar) removes smudges without streaking. Residual Oil Remover takes care of remaining, difficult greasy spots.
Pec Pads are non-abrasive, non-reusable cleaning wipes.
Off-topic, but a LensPen FogKlear Dry Anti-Fog Cloth works nicely on a clean lens/filter in high humidity.
A kit of this stuff lasts a very long time.
Mike
Last edited:
Have become less convinced about the benefits of a UV filter, even a good one that does not reduce the image quality, as has been noted in some earlier BF threads.
My experience has been that in damp/bad weather, the kind that is common in the UK and Ireland, the space between the UV filter and the objective fogs up. Use a decent flexible lens hood at least 2-3 inches deep instead, it protects the objective better and leaves the optics path clear.
Mike Penfold
Well-known member
Good point -- the same condensation behind the filter happened in a snowstorm here a couple of years ago, taking the scope in and out of the car trunk -- but after we saw the Snowy Owls.
You would think that clearing the condensation would be relatively easy, but Heliopan filter rings are thinnish, and unless you have a filter wrench, or a small amount of white lithium grease on the threads, they're somewhat difficult to remove.
Mike
Geoff Brown
Well-known member
If you habitually have an hip flask, then a small shot of whiskey works wonders, not only on you but also on cleaning the lens!!B 
If you habitually have an hip flask, then a small shot of whiskey works wonders, not only on you but also on cleaning the lens!!B
With a larger shot you won't care about cleaning the lens.
Mike Penfold
Well-known member
If you habitually have an hip flask, then a small shot of whiskey works wonders, not only on you but also on cleaning the lens!!B
Geoff,
Jameson? Dalwhinnie?
Mike
Last edited:
Geoff Brown
Well-known member
Mike - at the moment I am using Loch Fyne liquer, it gives added bite to removing deposits from the lens, tastes very nice as well!!B
Mike Penfold
Well-known member
Mike - at the moment I am using Loch Fyne liquer, it gives added bite to removing deposits from the lens, tastes very nice as well!!B
Geoff,
Not available in Ontario!
Enjoy!
Mike
Similar threads
