Cleaning lenses/filters

Last weekend I decided to give my lens filter a good clean. I gave it a blow with my bulb blower and then after a little breath I gave it a gentle wipe with a micro fibre cloth. Looked spotless but just to make sure I shone my bright penlight across the surface just so and low and behold there was a small smudge near the centre and a few dust specs. I tried again with breath and microfibre still no joy.

Now when I first bought this lens after giving the front element a blow I fitted this brand spanking new fresh out of the box pristine condition filter to the lens thinking now the front element is protected; will always be virgin clean and I only ever need to clean one face of the filter.

This smudge that I could not remove with a gentle wipe of microfibre was bugging me. Must be on the inside surface. Oh no! I am going to have to remove the filter and risk evil light refracting dust particles attaching themselves to the front element ready to reek havoc with the lens coatings. Holding the lens down I unscrewed the filter and quickly attached the lens cap. Cleaned of course. I then gave the internal surface of the filter a little blow, applied a little breath and a wipe. No joy the smudge was still visible. Time for the lens cleaning fluid and lens tissues. One drop on the tissue a wipe removed the smudge. Success at last I thought but wait what’s this I see on the surface of the filter? Residue from the cleaning fluid. Try again with fluid still a residue is visible so just as I decide to try remove the residue with a lens pen the filter slips from my fingers landing edge first on the floor. Broken. After all this cleaning I have to buy a new filter. Aaagh!

One more thing. My idea that by fitting a new filter to a new lens and not removing it would mean that the front element of the lens would be kept perfectly clean was wrong. When I inspected the front element of the lens that had been protected with this filter from new for nearly a year, I discovered not only dust but all kinds of gunk on the surface.

How do you clean your filters/lenses.

Hears a link to a video for your amusement?


link

Sometimes its not worth it to be so precious with these things! Most dust won't have any effect at all on whats recorded by the sensor. Smudges like greasy fingerprints are a problem though, but I'd rather be careful and be prepared to clean the lens front element if needed rather than stick a filter on permanently. Filters should only be for a specific visual purpose I feel.

Yeah, ditto to what McGregNi said. I have about 50 lenses, don't have a filter on any and only clean if they look dirty. I store them in ziplock bags when not using, never had a problem with any.

A few years ago I bought a Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 off Ebay (now owned by another forum member) and it came with a Hoya pro filter attached. I tested the lens and just couldn't get decent results from it, sometimes it refused to lock focus and when it did the pictures were no better than my kit 55-200mm. I was just about to send off a scathing email when I decided to take the filter off ... you can imagine the rest of the story.


Yup, it was still bloody useless.




No, really it was like night and day ... 100% better and since that day I have never used a filter and only clean the front element if dirty or I have been near salt water.

If I didn't fit filters to my good lady's lenses they'd always be back at Pentax having the front element replaced, how she manages to chip and scratch them is beyond my ken.....

I just thought it was ironic that I should fit the filter so that I would not have to clean the front element and then after about a year when I take off the filter I find that the front element has become filthy despite this. I do not know how. Trapped dirty air or condensation but it means that for I do not know how many months I have been taking pics unaware that the lens had a dirty front element and not questioned the image quality.

It's bizarre - the pics from my Sigma 70-300 look no different with or without the uv filter

My Pentax m200mm f4 hates filters full stop

My kit lenses are ok either way

My Sigma 50mm macro works well with uv or polarisers and my Vivitar 28mm loves the polariser and cokin 'a's

I am yet to use filters with either my siggy 10-20 or pentax 28mm f3.5 as they arrived with uv filters and I immediately discarded them (to the not used shelf - I may get around to using them one day

I find that filters are often best cleaned with only a blower then lens cleaner and lens cloths and nothing more

It's been mentioned a few times that the DA 55-300 hates filters (I agree with this) yet certain other lenses don't seem affected. Does anyone know why this would be?

Regards
David

I have never read that some lenses did not work well with filters. I have heard that some filters are easier to clean than others. In the video link I posted earlier I think he is a bit heavy handed but maybe that is because I am too careful. This video link has good info about cleaning lenses but some people on line would disagree with the use of rubbing alcohol as suggested in the video.

I myself have fujifilm lens cleaner but when it dries it leaves a residue on the surface of the filter/lens and it is a real pain to remove. What do other people use?

breath and a bit of bog roll, but it's a erate occourance . No filters on my lenses either

I very rarely need to clean a lens, but always use a lens cap in the bag and lens hood when in use.

Cleaning is simple. Use a microfiber lens cleaning cloth, well washed and clean. Flick any dust off, breath lightly on the lens and when the moisture has evaporated wipe carefully with the cloth.

Done properly, works like a dream, although having cleaned a lens beautifully for my daughter she did make the ultimate insult of "You must have a very good cleaning cloth..." Hmmm.

How does the breath work? Does it make the bog roll softer and therefore basics bog roll can be used as opposed to super soft triple ply Andrex bog roll?