Problems with Zeiss Lotutec coating... (1 Viewer)

[gunut]

all this talk about grinding, blowing, licking, and gooey messes....had me thinking I had somehow gone to the wrong website.......

 

[Binastro]

No. It is the right website, different topic.

 

[berryns]

I clean mine only once or twice, at most, a year and only when they absolutely need it. My Zeiss T*P Dialyts (10x40 and 8x30's) have held up very well.

Sequentially, I start by cleaning the body, blowing off the lenses, rinsing with D.I. water, blotting with Zeiss lens cleaner, and delicately wiping clean with a high end cleaner. I use Pec-Pads for blotting and wiping. One wipe or blot then I discard the Pec-Pad for a fresh one that way i'm not scratching the lens with imbedded abrasives.

I always use ocular covers to protect the lenses and keep unwanted debris from falling into the ocular / eye cup cavity. Every binocular that I have purchased without ocular covers have need replacement lenses. Go figure.

Attached picture: Dirty Dialyt 8x30 with eyecups removed.

 

[gunut]

Iv heard that its always best to clean lenses as soon as you see they are any kind of dirty...because some types of contamination can cause more possible damage to the lens coatings if left on the lens for any length of time......

 

[etudiant]

Iv heard that its always best to clean lenses as soon as you see they are any kind of dirty...because some types of contamination can cause more possible damage to the lens coatings if left on the lens for any length of time......

That probably is referring to the gunk that rains down from some trees, stuff that hardens into little lumps on the glass. Leave it for a couple of days in the summer heat and it really bakes onto the glass. Not easily removed after that other than with lots of lens cleaner fluid and even more patience.

Fortunately that is not common and most dirt will be just as readily removed after a month as immediately. Cleaning is always a threat to the lens surfaces, so doing it less often is probably the least risky course.

 

[Vespobuteo]

No joke, it works very well for me. The technique is especially useful in the New York winter, when snow and such are likely to mess up the oculars.

Actually it is a joke, see this hilarious lens cleaning video from Edmund Optics:
o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdNS2mGSTfI

 

[Binastro]

Using compressed air isn't as good as suggested in the video.

The camera shop guy squirted the compressed air onto a lens and a whole lot of gunge came out on to the lens.
It took him ages to get it off.
It was really hilarious to watch.

I used a large jewellers bulb with a valve.

It is experience that counts.
Living by the sea means you have to be more aware of salt.
I clean optics as little as possible.
But if I need to do it I am careful.

Except with my glasses and the barmaid called Salty.

P.S.
Front surface mirrors even with silican dioxide overcoats, as in the Edmunds video, are more delicate than hard multicoated modern lenses.
Although water repellent coatings may be softer than hard anti reflection coatings.

Without an overcoat a front surface mirror is very delicate. They traditionally had aluminium coatings but nowadays maybe enhanced silver?

 

[Glimmer]

Perhaps you don't use those bins in the same places as your Zeiss or take them on long days out or many other different reasons.

And on the same basis as your question one could ask why only you has reported this problem.

I strongly recommend you use a lens brush rather than blowing on the lens. Your breath contains moisture (which you can see on the lens) and although you may well blow away larger particles it is very likely that tiny particles that you can't see become stuck on the lens with the moisture in your breath and then act as a grinding paste when you wipe the lens.

Lee

I use a blowing bulb..

You all are true, but when I see People cleaning the bins with a t shirt..

Enviado desde mi LG-E430 mediante Tapatalk

 

[gunut]

I use a blowing bulb..

You all are true, but when I see People cleaning the bins with a t shirt..

Enviado desde mi LG-E430 mediante Tapatalk

this wasn't much of a problem B4 lens coatings.....just wonder if with all the new technologies why they could'nt come up with coatings that only needed to be applied on the inside glass surfaces, that would give good contrast/transmission without always having to worry about scratching the outside lens coatings.....because there wouldn't be any.....

or is it just like anything else....don't want to make them to long lasting....

 

[NDhunter]

this wasn't much of a problem B4 lens coatings.....just wonder if with all the new technologies why they could'nt come up with coatings that only needed to be applied on the inside glass surfaces, that would give good contrast/transmission without always having to worry about scratching the outside lens coatings.....because there wouldn't be any.....

or is it just like anything else....don't want to make them to long lasting....

There is still need of good coatings to help prevent scratches to
the outer glass lenses.

Also many coatings are "AR" anti-reflective coatings, they need to
be on the outside surface, just common sense.

Jerry

 

[Troubador]

Jerry is dead right. 4% loss of light due to reflection at each glass/air surface.

Lee

 

[Binastro]

There were plenty of problems before lens coatings.
Certain lens types were easily scratched. Some old Leica lenses are notorious with the outer surfaces very bad.
That is how we came to todays lens types. Trial and error.
Some of the modern exotic lens types must be coated immediately they are made as they deteriorate straight away.
There is a lot going on that the end user just doesn't realise.
Modern lens coatings on outer surfaces are often harder than the glass underneath.

 

[Vespobuteo]

Meopta have "scratch-resistant" coatings

"MeoShield TM ion-assisted coating protects external lens surfaces and delivers enhanced resistance to scratching or abrasion in extreme conditions. MeoShieldTM meets military specifications for durability and surface hardness."

http://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/shop/us/42-mm-hd-series/meostar-b1-42mm-hd-binoculars/ctgBus.html

 

[gunut]

so our friend Glimmer just pushed the envelope to far for the conditions he uses his bin in....he should of given up a little on view side for a much more durable coating......

BTW...do any independent labs post a listing of the hardness of the coatings on modern binoculars.....

BTW...I rarely see pre coating Zeiss lenses that are cleaning scratched....same goes for ww2 pre coating US binoculars.....they even put stickers on the bins warning users to be careful cleaning the lenses on the late 42 and later coated lenses.....

 

[jan van daalen]

Meopta have "scratch-resistant" coatings

"MeoShield TM ion-assisted coating protects external lens surfaces and delivers enhanced resistance to scratching or abrasion in extreme conditions. MeoShieldTM meets military specifications for durability and surface hardness."

http://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/shop/us/42-mm-hd-series/meostar-b1-42mm-hd-binoculars/ctgBus.html

What's in a name?

As you can't put a HDR coating/MeoShield/Swarodur on top of a AquaDura/Lotutec/Swaroclean or any other Nanocoating, otherwise these wouldn't work......:smoke:

Jan

 

[Vespobuteo]

What's in a name?

As you can't put a HDR coating/MeoShield/Swarodur on top of a AquaDura/Lotutec/Swaroclean or any other Nanocoating, otherwise these wouldn't work......:smoke:

Jan

Correct,
but how deep are the "marks" seen in Glimmers photos above?

Would rubbing off the Lotutec layer only leave any visible marks?
I would say no...those marks are deeper since they affect the transmission/reflective properties obviously.

So scratch-proof coating below the hydrophobic might help a bit still.

And btw, Meopta S2 HD have both MeoDrop and MeoShield,

http://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/s...-s2-82-hd-angled/ctgSSus.html?interestTopic=2

 

[jan van daalen]

Correct,
but how deep are the "marks" seen in Glimmers photos above?

Would rubbing off the Lotutec layer only leave any visible marks?
I would say no...those marks are deeper since they affect the transmission/reflective properties obviously.

So scratch-proof coating below the hydrophobic might help a bit still.

And btw, Meopta S2 HD have both MeoDrop and MeoShield,

http://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/s...-s2-82-hd-angled/ctgSSus.html?interestTopic=2

It seems that even Glimmer couldn't see how deep they were:eek!:
Even if they were on the in- or outside of the objective lens, but you are absolutely right about the profit that a scratch-proof coating offers.

Jan

 

[ceasar]

The oculars on my 7x42 Victory FL T* aren't that hard to clean. The eye cups screw off giving open access to them.

Bob

 

[NDhunter]

Correct,
but how deep are the "marks" seen in Glimmers photos above?

Would rubbing off the Lotutec layer only leave any visible marks?
I would say no...those marks are deeper since they affect the transmission/reflective properties obviously.

So scratch-proof coating below the hydrophobic might help a bit still.

And btw, Meopta S2 HD have both MeoDrop and MeoShield,

http://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/s...-s2-82-hd-angled/ctgSSus.html?interestTopic=2

It seems Meopta like to copy Swarovski with their coating names.

Swarovski has Swarodur, Swarotop, Swarobright and Swaroclean.

Swaro. has been using many of these terms for many years.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Jerry

 

[NDhunter]

The oculars on my 7x42 Victory FL T* aren't that hard to clean. The eye cups screw off giving open access to them.

Bob

Bob:

Are yours Lotutec coated? Zeiss Lotutec coatings started in 2007 and those
FL's have that emblem near the ser. number.

Jerry