lens cleaning

Have anyone tried single use cleaning wipes intended for spectacles on camera lenses? and if so did you have any problems.

I recently bought some for my glasses and was amazed at how simple it was to get my glasses clean and smear free with the minimum amount of effort.
I have never been very good at cleaning lenses, hence my addiction to UV fiilters (I thought it better to use sandpaper on the filter than the lens )

I am seriously considering removing all my filters and using these lens wipes, I'll probably start with one of my older lenses to make sure it doesn't have any adverse effect, just thought I'd get some opinions here first.

When I first took up photography in the early 80's, Lens tissues were the thing I used. I can't remember what the paper was impregnated with, but they always worked well. (Use once and throw away).

Later I purchased some Pentax microfibre cleaning clothes, which are excellent, the downside is that they do need regular washing.

SMC coatings are very durable and I still have my original 50mm F1.7 which has been cleaned countless times and the coatings are still there as good as new.

Steve

The first rule of cleaning lenses is don't. At least, unless absolutely necessary.

Personally I would not use spectacle cleaning wipes because they are impregnated and may have an adverse effect on the lens coatings.

I use the Pentax microfibre cleaning cloth and this seems to be totally satisfactory.

Personally I have often used the Kodak lens cleaning paper (lint-free) and the Kodak lens cleaner fluid, with excellent results. (Good for spectacles as well).

I do agree that lenses are best left alone when it comes to cleaning, but sometimes it is unavoidable!

For cleaning my lenses I use a Lenspen, it has a retractable soft brush at one end for removing dust and debris and a small chamois pad impregnated with carbon which is great for removing smudges and greasy fingermarks:

http://www.lenspen.com/?cPath=1&products_id=LP-1&tpid=146

least agressive first:
blow on it.
if that fails:
rocket blower.
if that fails:
brush from lenspen.
if that fails:
chamois side of lens pen.
if that fails:
microfiber cloth and lens cleaning solution.

if you need to get agressive, spend some time reflecting on what you might do differently next time to keep it clean when shooting.

what about hama lens tissue

Are good? are they to be used dry?

Lens tissue are rubbish compared to a microfibre cloth. Even better is a LensPen: http://www.lenspen.com/

These mop up grease with dry carbon powder on a soft felt tip. Brush beforehand to remove loose dust/grit. Brush again afterwards to remove excess carbon powder.

Those are with chemicals I believe.
Most of the time that's really not needed and you can harm the coating with that.

A clean moist dishwash cloth works fine to remove smears (I don't know if it's a good idea to use a tiny bid of dish was soap?) but all the other times I've a special dry lens cleaning cloth.
You can also use those free cloths for you glasses that they have at specsavers, they use Penta glass in the glasses so they should provide you a cleaning cloth for your pentax lenses

I've tried using single use spectacle tissues, but without success. Maybe because they were cheap ones, but they smeared like hell.
Had to pinch one of my daughter's ( funnily enough, Pentax) cleaning cloths that she got with her spectacles.

We get those dry cloths made of very fine cotton(? I believe) with your spectacles, they work fine to clean your lens.

I use a couple of lens pens which work great but try to steer clear of lens cleaning as much as possible

I used to use Pentax Micofibre Cloths, but the JML Micofibre Cloths are much better. Brilliant when wet for cleaning vinyl inside cars etc.

Lens tissues should be used with cleaning solution if the lens is dirty, if only slight, breath on the lens and then use the tissue.

shim

I fully concur John, and as for removing filters, I always fit a UV filter at the time of purchasing a lens.

A scratched filter, is easy, and fairly cheaply to replace, not so with a scratched lens!

Thank you guys, I'll buy this or this and the lenspen