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[OM] How I clean lens surfaces

Subject: [OM] How I clean lens surfaces
From: Matthias Wilke <Matthias.K.Wilke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1998 10:43:40 +0200
Hi all,

with this message, I want to pass on my personal experience how to clean
lens glass surfaces without producing even slight scrapes (of the coatings
for example). I have used this technic many times with Zuiko and other
metal lenses, and even a plastic Pentax-FA 1:4 28-70mm seems to endure the
procedure, but use it at your own risk. And dont clean a lens to often.

Material:
-Pair of bellows (like these with an useless small brush, you can cast away
such a brush)
-Clean natural hair cosmetic brush (middle size) (if it gets greasy or
dusty, you have to wash the brush with hair shampoo or similar detergens
and many water and let it dry (needs hours to dry))
-Soft paper handkerchief or similar toilett paper
-Benzine for lighters

Procedure:
-First remove dust from the glass surface with the pair of bellows, then
with the brush (circular movement). Touch the surface only with the hairs
of the brush.
-Then fold one handkerchier or 3-4 pieces of the toilett paper in such a
way, that the edges of the paper come to the inner (because the edges may
produce dust). The width of the folded paper should be a little broader
then the half diameter of the glass surface. The paper should not be to
thick after folding (5-10 millimeter).
-Drop some benzine onto the folded paper. The paper should become humid at
the folding angle, but not to wet (of course not dropping, but to dry is
also not good, because then there is too much resistance against the
cleaning movement)
-Breath upon the lens surface, till it looks matte (I know people say, one
should not do so, but I have never made the experience, that water reached
the inner lens)
-Clean the humid lens surface with the folding edge of the benzine soaked
paper. Use only slight pressure and move the paper relativ slow in circular
form. Ideally one round is enough. If you have to clean a second round,
refold the paper, so that another area of the paper touches the glass
surface.
-When you take down the paper with the benzine, reduce the area of contact
to the glass surface steadily (to avoid drying marks of the benzine).

With this technic you can avoid any scratch and the surfaces look like new,
even if they were very dirty before the cleaning. Because of the benzine
and the breathing upon the glass, use it at your own risk. But the use of
usual lens cleaning sets looks more destroying to me.

Matthias








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