I took a lens brush and tried to brush off some dust inside the rear element of my 50 summicron. I ended up getting some grease (oil?) from the lens onto the brush and then onto the rear element. Now there's a bit of a film on the glass. I did try using a lens cloth to get rid of the film, but it didnt' work. Before I try using liquids or other cloths, any recommendations for getting the lens clean?

Thanks.

-- victor (danzfotog@yahoo.com), April 29, 2002

Answers

any recommendations
Don't sweat the small stuff.

-- Douglas Herr (telyt@earthlink.net), April 29, 2002.

Try dampening a Q-Tip swab with alcohol to remove the oil from the rear element. Don't get it too wet, just damp. It may take several tries. Follow with dry lens tissue.

-- Ben Hughes (ben@hughesbros.com), April 29, 2002.

Whatever you do, when wiping an inset rear element do *not* wrap a microfiber cloth over your fingertip and wipe. Unless you are a nail- biter you may very well mark the coating, cloth or no. Been there, done that :o(

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 29, 2002.

I'm with Douglas Herr on this. - Regarding the Q-Tips, they can be harder than we think, due to wood 'fibres' in them, so I'd be careful. Btw, my favourite cleaning liquid is 90 per cent isopropanol. It does remove anything.

-- Oliver Schrinner (piraya@hispavista.com), May 02, 2002.

Oops--it does not remove the coating, just to avoid misunderstandings.

Whenever you worry about lens cleaning, read this.

-- Oliver Schrinner (piraya@hispavista.com), May 02, 2002.

Victor,

I use sterilized cotton; you can get it at any drug store in a roll, and grain or isopropyl alcohol and then finish up with condensation from my breath, i.e., distilled H2O. All of this is done very lightly. This is my routine for both front and rear elements. Of course, I try to avoid ever touching anything to the rear element. This works for me. I hope this helps.

Regards,

J.

-- lexx-1 (james.kuhn-1@kmail.ksc.nasa.gov), May 02, 2002.