eugenio_cellini Posted July 23, 1999 Share Posted July 23, 1999 Hi all, I used canned air to blow the back glass of my lens, but unfortunately a few of that liquid stuff came shooting out on the glass. It was cold and white, it dried after a few seconds but left a stain mark. I removed it just after a few seconds and nothing seems to be changed in the coating. Do you know if this kind of stuff (CO2 I think)can damage the coating of my lens? Thanks Eugenio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Smith Posted July 23, 1999 Share Posted July 23, 1999 I doubt it can damage the coating (they are actually pretty tough), but I have to say that it can stain negatives. For this reason I never use these things. A much better option is a hand operated bulb blower. Cheaper and much more eco-friendly. Robin Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_hughes Posted July 23, 1999 Share Posted July 23, 1999 Read the label! Just to set the record straight, "canned air" (such as Dust Off) is neither air nor non-toxic carbon dioxide (CO2). Rather, it is a toxic hydrocarbon selected to be a substitute for the even more toxic fluorinated hydrocarbon that was used years ago, before such chemicals were generally banned, as they are thought to be destructive to the ozone layer. There are CO2 products on the market, although they are not widely available and refills may be difficult to obtain. Probably the best solution would be to install a small compressor in the darkroom. http://www.ravenvision.com/rvapeter.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_c._miller Posted July 23, 1999 Share Posted July 23, 1999 There are CO<sub>2</sub> blowers available. They cost around $20-$30. They take standard CO<sub>2</sub> cartridges, and those are widley available. <p>The freon replacement might damage the coating if it was repeatedly sprayed onto the lens in its liquid state. Otherwise, I would doubt it has any negative effect on the coating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_obenaus1 Posted July 24, 1999 Share Posted July 24, 1999 Hi, Just read your experience with the CO2. I recently used a Carsen dust gun (CO2 can) on the front element of my 400 mm Tamron F4 ld lens and had a similar experience. I was using the can in the upright position as per instructions when a what I can only describe as a "blob" of the propellent shot out and hit the front element cracking the lens from the cold and lifting the coating in a couple of other spots. Needless to say I was just chocked especially since the can says "safe for cameras, lenses, and other fine instruments." I wrote the company a letter concerning their advertising on the can and let them know how I felt since it is going to cost about 400 $ US to replace the front element. That was 2 months ago and I have yet to recieve any kind of a response from them. I would not personally ever us that garbage again and would advise anyone I can to get a good soft brush and leave the spray air cans on the shelf! It was a very expensive painfull lesson. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.martin___ Posted July 24, 1999 Share Posted July 24, 1999 About 2 weeks ago, I had a similar experience with a can of Carsen "canned air" or whatever. (I've tossed the can and cannot remember the name, aside from the brand-name) Fortunately, I was cleaning a negative, not a lens. It did leave residue on the negative. I have switched, at least temporarily, to a squeezable bulb blower. I never had this problem before, and had been using such canned sprays for about 4 years. If I do go back to canned air, which I probably will, I would spray it first on my hand or another surface before using it on a slide or negative. But I would never use it on a lens. And I would avoid Carsen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_wilson1 Posted July 25, 1999 Share Posted July 25, 1999 Try a huff of breath and a VERY soft chamois with a bulb blower and THROW everything else out. Save some lens cleaner and tissue for the BIG mess. 20 years plus and NOT a single problem. I would not used canned air on ANY of my good lenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken schwarz Posted July 25, 1999 Share Posted July 25, 1999 Get a big air bulb. I've got one the size of a large lemon and it blasts dust away with zero operating costs and zero risk to gear. It's also the lightest weight solution when you are on the road. If that doesn't work, a soft brush followed by another puff of air from the bulb will do the trick. Beyond that, some kind of solvent (alcohol, acetone) is necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_c. Posted July 25, 1999 Share Posted July 25, 1999 I have a lot of lenses, in all formats. A few years back, I bought a small air compressor from B&H for around $225. It comes with an air gun. It needs neither maintenance nor lubrication. It might seem like overkill, but I haven't bought a can of air since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don___5 Posted July 26, 1999 Share Posted July 26, 1999 I second Dave's "Try a huff of breath and a VERY soft chamois with a bulb blower " advice. Seems the best way to take care of your investment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeknobloch Posted April 26, 2002 Share Posted April 26, 2002 printed on the "Dust-Off" can: NEVER USE ON CAMERA MIRRORS. not sure if it's because of the force of the air, or because of the liquid-junk coming out, but either way, i'm switching back to bulb/ brushes for good! m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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