Subscriber Discussion

What Do You Use To Clean Camera Lenses?

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Trisha (Chris' wife) Dearing
•Feb 01, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Besides the standard hot breath steaming and shirttail polishing that is...

  • Alcohol, windex, or photographic lens cleaner?
  • Microfiber cloth, lint free pads, Bounty or chammois cloth?
  • On removable lenses, do you clean both ends?
  • What if the mechanical IR cut filter has some specks on it?
  • What if the sensor has some specks on it?

Can you (accidentally) affect the lens coating by cleaning too often? Does it have to be perfect or is some streaking ok?

Does it really make a difference anyway?

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Jon Dillabaugh
•Feb 01, 2015
Pro Focus LLC

Microfiber cloth is usually enough, but if needed, a bit of hot breath / spit will work as well.

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Carl Lindgren
•Feb 01, 2015

We use the premoistened alcohol-based hand wipes. They're free at our restaurants...

And yes, we clean both ends of C/CS-mount lenses. For the sensor area of cameras, we just blow off any dust.

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Ricardo Souza
•Feb 01, 2015
Motorola Solutions • IPVMU Certified

Microfiber cloth with a couple sprays of isopropyl alcohol.

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Mike Dotson
•Feb 02, 2015
Formerly of Seneca • IPVMU Certified

For optical elements inside, start with blowing dust off the lens. Never touch the silicon chip image sensor as that will probably damage it.

An inside lens cleaning device I have used is a simple 'Q-tip/cotton swap' with a bit of alcohol on it. This works on the outside as well.

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