Cleaning Precision Optics
Contents
1. There are ultra clean scratch free synthetic tipped swabs that can be used directly on lenses They tend to be expensive and difficult to find but can be a valuable tool Make absolutely certain that they are rated for use on lenses and compatible with lens cleaning solutions Gloves This is the one tip that you never hear mentioned in any discussion of lens cleaning Often we are out and about when we need to clean a lens and our hands are covered with particles and as always coated with natural skin oils The last thing you want to do is accidentally touch a lens with your finger while cleaning If you are wearing gloves you will be much less likely to transfer particles from your hands to the lens Any disposable latex or nitrile glove will work but make 2008 2016 UniqueTek Inc 4 Rev 5 01 16 UniqueTek Inc Ph 480 507 0866 540 W Iron Ave Suite 118 Fax 480 507 0867 Email info uniquetek com Mesa AZ 85210 Toll Free 855 507 0866 Web Sales www uniquetek com absolutely certain you are buying powder free gloves don t recommend vinyl or poly gloves as they are slippery and tend to hold a static charge that attracts particles My favorite is the nitrile gloves Keep several pairs in your lens cleaning kit and dispose of used gloves after EVERY cleaning session LensPen A few years ago a new lens cleaning product hit the market the LensPen The LensPen contains very fine particles of activated carbon The ac2. Cleaning A Lens whether it is eyeglasses camera binoculars or a rifle or pistol scope is a delicate matter It is very easy to do more harm than good But if you follow a few simple rules and use the right tools your optics can be maintained in perfect condition The Rules for Lens Cleaning Rule 1 Don t Get Your Lenses Dirty It seems like a snide thing to say but it is true If you protect your lenses from getting dirty you won t have to clean them And lens cleaning often causes more damage than anything else you do to your optics In fact this is such an important rule it should be the first 3 rules Rule 2 Less Is More When you do need to clean your lens less is more The less cleaning you do the less likely you are going to cause some kind of damage So if the lens only needs to have a few dust particles blown off do only that Rule 3 Use Only Specialized Lens Cleaning Products And Use Them Only For Lens Cleaning There are many specialty lens cleaning products on the market Their cost is negligible compared to the cost of replacing a scratched lens Keep them all together in a small zipper lock bag or other dustproof container and use them only for cleaning your lenses NEVER use household products for lens cleaning It is just begging for problems Window cleaner e g Windex has very strong chemicals that can damage or even remove certain lens coatings Never use Kleenex toilet tissue paper towels a
3. Inc Ph 480 507 0866 540 W Iron Ave Suite 118 Fax 480 507 0867 Email info uniquetek com Mesa AZ 85210 Toll Free 855 507 0866 Web Sales www uniquetek com One Shot Lens Wipes These are individually packaged disposable lens wipes pre saturated with lens cleaning solution and packaged in a tear open foil pack The big advantage is that they are much more compact than carrying a bottle of lens cleaning solution and microfiber cloth Let s face it there are times when it just isn t convenient to carry your full lens cleaning kit like when you are out hunting for the day Tuck a few of these in your pocket and you can survive for the day But on a rainy day you should still keep a microfiber cloth on hand just to soak up raindrops Lens wipes are handy especially for eyeglasses but recommend that you use the lens cleaning solution and microfiber cloth for serious cleaning and the lens wipes just for a quickie in the field Also keep in mind that you should still try to blow off or brush off any particles before using any type of lens wipe Tip You can use a disposable lens wipe to remove dust particles by rolling it into a wand or twisting it up into a flower shape and using just the edge of the material to gently sweep any particles off the lens Then use another disposable lens wipe for final cleaning Most manufacturers of lens cleaning solutions including Nanofilm Inc now offer one shot lens wipes Lens Cleanin
4. neatly away in your zipper lock bag so they are ready for the next 2008 2016 UniqueTek Inc 6 Rev 5 01 16 UniqueTek Inc Ph 480 507 0866 540 W Iron Ave Suite 118 Fax 480 507 0867 Email info uniquetek com Mesa AZ 85210 Toll Free 855 507 0866 Web Sales www uniquetek com time Don t include any waste materials Remember that this bag is only for clean materials or materials that can be used multiple times before discarding Tip Keep an extra zipper seal bag in your kit that can be used to hold trash for later disposal This is important as it doesn t just keep things tidy it keeps the particles moisture etc isolated so it can t contaminate your cleaning materials or other items Maintain Your Lens Cleaning Kit Your kit will quickly become useless if you don t keep it prepared for the next use This should be done as soon as possible after each use At minimum the trash should be discarded immediately and a clean zipper lock bag placed back in your kit Then refill lens cleaner bottles and replace the disposable items as needed If you are on a long trip make sure to pack an extra bag with additional supplies Also take out any microfiber cloths that have been used and allow them to dry assuming they are not too dirty for reuse This is especially important on rainy days as a soaking wet microfiber cloth will be of little help on the next day of your photo safari hunt or shooting match Just hang them up to
5. on the package Canned Air Instead of a lens blower you can use one of the many canned air products But you must be very careful If any comes out as a liquid the extreme cold can instantly damage lens coatings To prevent this from happening always keep the can upright and use only short puffs never a long blast Tip You may want to also keep a lens blower in your kit as it will never run out just when you need it the most Never blow particles off with your mouth Even if you can t see it you will always blow micro droplets of saliva onto the lens The chemicals naturally in your saliva can do nasty things to lens coatings Lens Brush Lens brushes are simple camel hair or synthetic fiber brushes The handiest type is called a lipstick brush because the brush can be retracted into the housing and a cap placed over it The cap protects the brush from getting dirty or the bristles getting bent My favorite is the ORION Ultra Brush which has synthetic bristles and runs about 6 Lens Cleaning Solution There are many quality lens cleaning solutions available The instruction manual that came with the optics will usually tell you the manufacturer s recommendation If no recommendation is given or if the recommended product is not readily available any lens cleaning solution manufactured by a reputable company should fit the ticket Just make sure to read the ingredients list and avoid any lens cleaning solutions tha
6. dry in as clean a location as possible If that isn t possible plan ahead and have enough clean dry microfiber cloths in your spares kit to cover your needs Tip A few paper clips kept in your bag of tricks can be used as clothespins to hang up the microfiber cloths while they dry Actually the best way to use them is more like a fishhook than a clothespin That way the microfiber cloth does not contact any other surface while drying A small coil of monofilament fishing line makes a handy clothesline o0o PROMASTER is a registered trademark of PROMASTER ORION is a registered trademark of Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars Clarity is a registered trademark of Nanofilm Inc CLEAN It is a trademark of Nanofilm Inc Q Tips is a registered trademark of Unilever LensPen is a registered trademark of Parkside Optical Inc 2008 2016 UniqueTek Inc 7 Rev 5 01 16 UniqueTek Inc Ph 480 507 0866 540 W Iron Ave Suite 118 Fax 480 507 0867 Email info uniquetek com Mesa AZ 85210 Toll Free 855 507 0866 Web Sales www uniquetek com
7. et dirty quickly It is amazing just how quickly portable electronic devices have permeated every aspect of our lives The list of portable electronic devices that have LCD displays has expanded far beyond cellphones and now includes Clocks Printers GPS Navigation Fish Finders Game Camera Viewers Marine Radar Metal Detectors etc Regardless of the type of device all LCD displays will need frequent cleaning especially those that have touchscreens Generally speaking all the same rules will apply including not spraying cleaner directly onto them There are just too many pathways for excess liquids to get inside and wreak all sorts of havoc Although many of the devices mentioned above are fully waterproof check the user manual there are still many that are not my smart phone certainly isn t So it is good practice to apply cleaner to a cleaning cloth and then use it to wipe the LCD surface Tip Don t forget a screen protector LCD displays can be exposed to a lot of abuse In fact they are so vulnerable that a screen protector is highly recommended just like using a 1A Skylight filter on a camera lens nearly ruined a digital camera by carrying it around my neck while driving on a dusty desert road The dust on my clothes acted like sand paper and scratched the display as the camera swung back and forth But a button or zipper tab could do as much damage or more If a custom screen protector isn t available for your device ju
8. g Cloth In the old days the only choices in this department were a high quality cotton cloths which often came with binoculars scopes and cameras or lens tissue If you have an old package of lens tissues just toss them out The new microfiber lens cloths are now the best way to go One Is often included with a bottle of lens cleaning solution When it gets too dirty don t bother trying to wash it Just toss it out and get a new one This may seem wasteful and expensive but it is a whole lot cheaper than replacing scratched optics You may be able to get a deal from the seller if you buy several or even a whole box at a time Tip Carry more than one microfiber cloth I ve dropped mine on the ground more times than care to admit so a spare is handy Multiple spares is even better Tip On rainy days you may want to keep an extra microfiber cloth just for drying water off the lens and reserve the others just for use with lens cleaning solution NEVER use paper towels napkins toilet tissue or facial tissue as they are likely to scratch the lens Cotton Swabs A small supply of cotton swabs e g the proverbial Q Tips swab is very handy Don t ever use one directly on a lens but you can use them to clean areas adjacent to the lens rather than get your lens cloth dirty Tip You can wrap a microfiber cloth around the tip of a cotton swab and use it to reach into small spots that are difficult to get to with a finger
9. handkerchief the tail of your shirt etc to clean a lens as they can scratch or add contaminants Rule 4 Clean A Dirty Lens ASAP When anything does get on a lens you should clean it off immediately This is especially true with liquids as once they have dried any residues they leave behind will be more difficult to remove The only exception to this rule is if cleaning the lens immediately could potentially expose the lens to more contamination or damage If you are in the middle of a dust storm or rain storm you better wait and clean the lens later Keeping Lenses Clean OK So in accordance the Rule 1 just what do you need to do to keep your lenses clean Well that depends on what the lens is on Camera Lenses Of course you should always keep the lens cap on any time you are not actually taking a picture But as an extra layer of protection you should screw on a 1A Skylight filter They are only 10 to 30 depending on size and are cheap insurance Just buy one at the same time you buy the lens install it immediately before the lens ever has a chance to get dirty and leave it on for the life of the lens Any cleaning will be done to the filter and you may never have to clean the actual camera lens And if you ever do scratch the filter it is easily and more importantly cheaply replaced 2008 2015 UniqueTek Inc Rev 4 06 15 UniqueTek Inc Ph 480 507 0866 540 W Iron Ave Suite 118 Fax 480 507 0867 Email info un
10. iquetek com Mesa AZ 85210 Toll Free 855 507 0866 Web Sales www uniquetek com Tip A collapsible rubber sunshade also works well on a rainy day to minimize the number or raindrops that hit the lens Plus it adds a bit of extra protection against accidental impacts to the lens Binoculars and Scopes Keep the lens caps on any time you are not actually using binoculars and scopes Some come with flip up lens covers that flick open in an instant and close just as easily The best thing about these is that they can t be dropped in the dirt or lost If your binoculars or scope didn t come with these you can also buy them separately Earlier versions were just black plastic but new versions are available with polarizing and or contrast enhancing filters so you get the equivalent effect of the 1A Skylight filter mentioned above You don t even have to flip them open to use the scope so you won t miss that quick shot Plus if the filter gets dust or raindrops on it you can just flip it up in an instant These run about 10 a set so once again are cheap insurance Eyeglasses Not much can be done to prevent eyeglasses from getting dirty as you are wearing them or handling them constantly You will need to clean them much more frequently than any other type of lenses If you have the option for hard coat when they are being made it will help them survive the frequent cleanings LCD Displays Like eyeglasses LCD displays are going to g
11. l Make sure the one you buy is an original Anti Fog Products have saved discussion of anti fog products for last as they are not really part of lens cleaning and are most frequently and most effectively applied after the lens has been cleaned But some lens cleaning solutions have anti fog agents added to the formula In particular avoid any that contain silicones as these can permanently attach to certain lens coatings leaving a smeary film that can t be removed always avoid lens cleaners that contain an anti fog prefer to use a dedicated cleaner when cleaning the lens and then apply an anti fog after cleaning if and only if feel the need to apply an anti fog When you do need an anti fog always purchase it from a reputable manufacturer starting with the manufacturer of your lens cleaning solution 2008 2016 UniqueTek Inc D Rev 5 01 16 UniqueTek Inc Ph 480 507 0866 540 W Iron Ave Suite 118 Fax 480 507 0867 Email info uniquetek com Mesa AZ 85210 Toll Free 855 507 0866 Web Sales www uniquetek com Cleaning the Lens Step 1 Blow Blow off any particles or water droplets with the blower or canned air If you use canned air make sure to hold the can upright and only use short puffs Step 2 Brush Use a lens brush to gently dislodge any particles that didn t come off with the blower When using the brush start in the center of the lens and work in a spiral pattern toward the edge DON T use the bru
12. ng sunglasses and safety glasses since there isn t really any damage that excess lens cleaning solution can do there is no place for it to seep into Many lens cleaning solutions come in a metered spray bottle You can take advantage of the spray to help dislodge any remaining particles and float them off the lens surface Give each lens surface a couple of squirts making sure that the entire lens surface is wetted Then let the lens cleaning solution work for several seconds Allow the excess to drip off taking most of the particles and grunge with it before using the microfiber cloth Allowing the excess to drip off also means less solution and dirt will be soaking into the microfiber cloth so it will stay cleaner longer and dry faster to be ready for the next use Step 5 Clean The Lens Cap This is often the most overlooked part of the lens cleaning procedure can t tell you how many times I ve watched photographers spend a lot of time to clean a lens then waste all their effort by putting on a dirty lens cap The lens cap must also be cleaned or it will transfer particles to the lens Since the lens cap isn t sensitive you can resort to more extreme measures including washing it under running water if needed But the same basic cleaning tools and techniques described above can also be applied Step 6 Put All Your Lens Cleaning Tools Away Now that you are done cleaning the lens place all lens cleaning tools and materials
13. sh if the lens is still wet as you will just contaminate the brush Step 3 Blow Blow off the loosened particles with the blower or canned air This is not an accidental repeat Particles once dislodged by the brush should be blown free from the surface before proceeding Tip Use the blower or canned air to blow particles off the lipstick brush before putting it away Don t forget Rule 2 If the lens is clean after just blowing off the particles stop If there is a fingerprint or other residues that can t be blown off or brushed off proceed to Step 4 otherwise skip to Step 5 Step 4 Clean Use a few drops of lens cleaning solution on a microfiber cloth Wipe the lens gently You don t need to scrub hard Work from the center of the lens to the edge Tip If you are removing a fingerprint or other localized spot of contamination use an isolated corner of the microfiber cloth just for that spot and then switch to a clean part of the cloth to clean the rest of the lens This way you are less likely to spread the contamination around the lens Tip Don t apply lens cleaning solution directly to the lens You can easily over apply lens cleaning solution and it can become trapped around the outer diameter of the lens and lens retaining ring and possibly seep into the lens housing If you apply it to the microfiber cloth the possibility of this is virtually eliminated The one exception to this rule is for cleaning eyeglasses includi
14. st trim down one for a larger display Tools of the Trade OK So you reach a point where you absolutely must clean a lens First you need the correct tools for the job Lens Blower A lens blower is the best way to remove loose dust particles It is the first and often the only step you need to clean a lens find the small blowers with a brush attached are too small to make much of a puff Larger blowers work much better e g the PROMASTER Hurricane Blower about 8 00 Give it a few squeezes each time before you use it to ensure there are no particles inside Lastly keep in mind that the rubber can dry up with age and eventually start releasing particles so plan on replacing it every year or so 2008 2016 UniqueTek Inc 2 Rev 5 01 16 UniqueTek Inc Ph 480 507 0866 540 W Iron Ave Suite 118 Fax 480 507 0867 Email info uniquetek com Mesa AZ 85210 Toll Free 855 507 0866 Web Sales www uniquetek com Tip An ear syringe works great They are inexpensive come in several sizes and are available at any drug store If nothing else they make a great emergency backup if you lose your Hurricane Blower Before you use it for the first time squeeze it repeatedly to eject any particles that may be inside There is often a powder inside that helped release it from the mold when it was manufactured This can also be true for puffers made specifically for cameras so don t think you are safe just because it says for camera lenses
15. t contain Ammonia or Silicones used as an anti fog The best lens cleaning solution have found is Clarity CLEAN It by Nanofilm Inc Never exhale on a lens to fog it over for cleaning The chemicals naturally in your exhaled breath can do nasty things to lens coatings Superhydrophobic lens coatings have made lens cleaning more difficult Many lens cleaners will simply bead up and run off so they can t effectively clean the lens Newer products have been specially formulated to wet and effectively clean superhydrophobic lens coatings Read the product label or call the manufacturer Clarity CLEAN It by Nanofilm Inc has been formulated specially for this purpose and has proven to be very effective Gel Lens Cleaners have recently hit the market and just about every manufacturer has jumped on the bandwagon They serve only one purpose to appease customers who complained about lens cleaner dripping off their eyeglasses and onto their lap or floor The manufactures add chemicals e g carbomer to thicken the solution into a gel It is my recommendation to avoid using them for cleaning anything other than eyeglasses The gel is just one more thing that needs to be wiped off the lens and question if the gel reduces the efficiency of the cleaning agents if for no other reason than making it more difficult for them to interact with the lens surface and lift the crud 2008 2016 UniqueTek Inc 235 Rev 5 01 16 UniqueTek
16. tivated carbon is capable of adsorbing fingerprints and other oily substances from the lens surface You must still be diligent about first removing any particles that might scratch the lens before using a Lens Pen In fact use of a lens brush is recommended in the LensPen instructions Due to the cupped shape of the LensPen tip it works best on convex lens surfaces like those commonly found on scopes binoculars cameras and the front face of eyeglass lenses It doesn t work quite so well on flat or concave lenses such as the backside of eyeglass lenses In the case of eyeglasses this is not only because of the shape of the LensPen tip but also because the back side of eyeglasses get very dirty very quickly You may get better results faster with conventional lens cleaning techniques e g the disposable lens towelettes described earlier Finally the LensPen comes in two different sizes for different diameter lenses So you may need to carry two of them to cover the various lens sizes of your optics At the 2009 Shot Show LensPen was demonstrating new products designed for cleaning small flat LCD displays e g digital camera view screens cell phones and PDAs large CRT and LCD displays e g desktop and laptop computers and even the CCD and CMOS sensors inside digital cameras Definitely worth taking a look at CAUTION There are now a lot of cheap imitations of the LensPen on the market Most don t work as well or at al
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