Is 70% isopropyl alcohol good to clean lenses with ?

[dan_hall4]

I got my first DSLR, Canon 40D, a month back. I am trying to figure out how to

properly clean it. Many mixed views on how to do this. I work in a hospital and

have access to 70% isoproply alcohol pads. That would be convenient for me to

use but I wanted to ask if there are any drawbacks to using them. I want to

care for my lenses properly and could use some insights from others. Thanks for

any thoughts on the subject.

[zigzag]

I have seen numerous reports of people using the 70% isopropyl that have found that it to be unsuitable as it leaves streaks on the sensor due to the 'other' 30% of additives. So - No. you want the Eclipse Cleaning Fluid or similar.

 

An oft recommended method of sensor wet cleaning is by the 'copper hill' method (http://copperhillimages.com/index.php?pr=products) but, again I have seen problems reported on the 5D with this method - mostly due to pressing too hard. There is a thread on flickr about this.

 

Here is YANO (yet another overview):

http://www.dmcphoto.com/Articles/SensorBrushes/

[fanta]

As Glen pointed out, you probably need something purer to clean the lenses. Good alteratives I believe are the Kodak cleaning fluid and the Residual Oil Remover. The latter leaves streaks more easly (that you can then take away with Kodak fluid), but looks very effective to me.

[ronald_moravec1]

Water is the first choice. Get a lens cleaning solution from the camera store if that does

not work.

 

Over cleaning lenses is he worst thing you can do to them. The only thing that should be

cleaned immediately is a fingerprint that can etch the lens.

 

 

Start with a hand blower to get the loose debris off. Then a brush with with clean brush

with hair that you have never touched and is kept in a clean place. Stop there 90% of the

time.

 

If there is more, then put the water ON a clean microfiber cloth and wipe the lens in a

circular fashion center out. If you need more, use the lens cleaner and finish with distilled

water. The cloth needs to be kept clean.

 

The biggest danger is having debris rubbed into the glass coating while you are cleaning

it. Therefore you get all debris off first with the HAND blower, then the clean brush.

Proceed to the lens cloth never used dry only if you must. The cloth must not be allowed

to accumulate dirt by lying around in the open.

 

Lens can carry a lot of dirt without it hurting the picture. Just learn to use your lens caps

and keep your fingers off the glass.

 

BTW, cars should be cleaned in a similar manner except you flood the car with water to

carry away the dirt while wiping very lightly. All the fine scratches in the finish come from

bad cleaning practices including what dealers do a favor when you bring it in for service.

Never let them wash your car with the dirty old crap they have or run it through a car

wash with brushes.

 

Pure alcohol and water can be used to clean lenses. The stuff in the hospital is NOT pure.

[kris]

I find (clear) Windex with microfibre cloth works best

[dan_hall4]

Thanks for all the responses. I can not tell you how much I have learned here on the forum. Sounds like I should get a camera cleaning kit. Or is are there better individually offered items. I am putting together an order on B&H now (RC adapter for Manfrotto and Hoya Pro 1 polarizing filter). If anyone has any specific things you would recommend as far as solution, microfiber cloths, or brushes, now would be a great time to chime in. I saw a Dot Line brand retractable brush that would be easy to stowe. I saw the Eclipse cleaning solution, but they will not ship it. Any other solutions you would suggest?

[mendel_leisk]

For lens or filters, Windex sounds like a good bet. Also, check with an optometrist or glasses making outfit: they may sell a cleaning solution. That's worked for me. The qualities you're looking for are safe, effective and streak-free.

 

I've just got a micro fibre cloth, but prefer disposable tissue, I think. It bothers me reusing a cloth: it's hard to keep track of what area you handle, and this likely results in your transferring skin oils to the lens/filter.

 

For sensors, I have the CopperHill wet cleaning kit, with Eclipse fluid.

 

It's not really clear from your post *what* you're cleaning. The various parts of the camera need different approaches. Also, consider a quality UV filter for your lens, they're much lower stress to clean.

[wayne_campbell]

The previous poster said "For lens or filters, Windex sounds like a good bet."

 

I'm not so sure about that. I remember a posting way back when someone said this cleaner had abrasives in it.

[wayne_campbell]

Further perusing the results of searching the word "Windex" in the search box on this page reveal a gazillion supporters of using it. I found two, however, that might give pause:

 

Edward Ingoldphoto.net patron prolific poster, Oct 19, 2007; 09:14 p.m.

 

Windex contains ammonia, which can etch glass, particularly soft optical glass.

 

and..

 

Simon Galballyphoto.net patron prolific poster, Aug 16, 2004; 04:04 a.m.

 

I wondered if anyone can tell me from experience what the best method is to clean old cameras' bright-work - the silver finish on top plates etc.? Is windex the best? I suppose one must be careful with abrasives. Thanks.

[tommyinca]

"70% isoproply alcohol pads" seems to me are very good for the outside (non-glass part bellow, mount and etc)) of the lens. Not strong enough to effect rubber yet cleans well.

[gdanmitchell]

Don't get too carried away with trying to "sterilize" your lens, particularly the front element. A

damp lens cleaning cloth will normally do the trick when the dust/smudges become

excessive. (Small amounts of front element dust really won't be visible in your photos - rear

element smudges can be a different story.)

[ken_schuster]

"Is 70% isopropyl alcohol good to clean lenses with?" In a word, NO.

 

How about Windex? If you're cleaning glass, Windex with ammonia or vinegar is very good. If your lens has any coating left on it, Windex will eventually remove that too. Good stuff!

 

On the other hand... if you're cleaning a lens with its coating intact, consider the following step-by-step approach, in order of intensity:

 

Always use crumpled-up (not nicely flat-folded) lens tissue by Kodak or branded by one of the lens manufacturers such as Canon, Olympus, Nikon, etc. Lens manufacturer-branded microfiber cloths are okay, but people tend to use them over and over. With each use, they pick up debris, oil and whatever else you're trying to clean off the lens, and it's still there when you use it again. The advantages of tissue are that they are one-time use and cheap.

 

Next, consider the severity of the problem. Don't clean your lens just because Saturday is lens-cleaning day. If your lens looks clean, but you're as anal as I and like to just be sure it's pristine before a shoot, start with the least abrasive method... a rubber bulb-type blower brush.

 

Cans of compressed air are good for many things, but not your lens. The propellant in most cans is easily disturbed by motion, and it can exit the nozzle at very cold temperatures, and carry along with it the gas and moisture. Compressed air from mechanical pressure tanks are okay if the filters are fresh and trap 100% of the moisture and oil.

 

If just blower-brush air won't dislodge some dust particles, use the brush to gently move the particle, then hit it with the air again. Point the bristles at the culprit and push it backwards. Don't use the brush like you're painting a wall. Some of the little dust particles could hold oil and abrasives, and smooshing them around with your brush isn't a good idea.

 

DON'T blow on the lens! It's perfectly natural, and really hard to refrain from doing, but don't do it. You can always tell when someone has succumbed to their instincts and blown on their lens. To see the coating, hold the front of the lens about 8 inches from your face, and at an angle to the light. Some coatings are blueish, others are yellowish or pinkish. Whatever the overall color, look closely for little dots of a different color, or no color. Almost always, they are caused by saliva.

 

If the blower and brush don't do the job, go to the next level... lens tissue and moisture. Never use lens tissue without moisture. The handiest clean moisture that you can always count on is free. In most cases, if you're alive you can open your mouth wide and exhale (not blow) onto your lens, and moisture will condense on it. With one sheet of crumpled-up lens tissue, gently apply the tissue in little overlapping circles. You might have to exhale onto your lens several times to keep the tissue damp, and you should swap your tissue for a fresh one at least once. Finish with blower-brush air.

 

Don't fold your lens tissue nice and neat. If it picks up tiny bits of abrasive material, a flat sheet will become microscopic sandpaper. With crumpled tissue, the nooks and crannies will trap the little bits like butter on a muffin.

 

If there's STILL something on your lens, go to the next step... lens cleaner. Kodak's lens cleaner has been around forever, and for good reason. Other companies, such as Rexton Photographic make good alternatives. Put one drop on a crumpled lens tissue and apply the tissue to the lens in small overlapping circles. Probably, you will have to repeat that one more time. Then, exhale onto the lens and with a fresh crumpled lens tissue, clean it again. Finish with blower-brush air.

 

Always apply lens cleaner to your cleaning tissue, not to your lens. One drop of cleaner can travel around the edges of your front element by capillary action, and can start an unpleasant chain of events.

 

If none of the lens-cleaning steps above work, your lens needs professional attention.

[glenn nk]

I have purchased 99 percent pure iso at drugstores on at least two or three occasions - the latest in March 2007.

 

Don't use anything less pure.

 

It is often recommended for use to clean tape recorder heads and is one of the ingredients in Eclipse E-2:

 

http://www.photosol.com/documents/MSDS%20-%20E2.pdf

[JDMvW]

Just how do you "get" those pads from the hospital? Last time I went in I think they charged me about $10 a packet on my bill.

 

Buy the freakin' lens cleaner for the few buck it costs. You spend hundreds of dollars for the lens, and then you cheap on the cleaner?

[JosvanEekelen]

For cleaning lenses: Lenspen or in case more difficult to clean spots use pure methanol/ethanol/isopropanol. No need to use the ultrapure stuff, a regular industrial or laboratory quality will do the job. The special lenscleaners are probably just isopropanol, sold at a premium price.

[alan_myers]

Hi,

 

No. Don't use that stuff on your lens optics. (It can be useful to clean electronic contacts on the back of the lens and the corresponding ones inside the camera, also battery contacts. Search for Error 99 posts.)

 

Go get a book on care and feeding of your camera and lens. The manual that came with it and other books like the Magic Lantern Guides give a lot of pointers in this regard. (As a relatively new model, I don't think there's a Magic Lantern for 40D yet, but there will be soon I'm sure.)

 

Here are some guidelines:

 

1. Clean your lenses as seldom as possible. A lens cap is your lens' best friend. A lens hood is also helpful. It helps keep stray, oblique light rays from refracting off those dust specks, for one thing.

A few specks of dust on the front element will not show up in your images anyway.

 

Dust on the rear element of a lens is actually of more concern. It's more likely to have an effect on images and can even get transfered to the surface of the imaging sensor.

 

Thankfully the rear element is pretty well protected so long as the lens is mounted on the camera. When it's removed, be sure to immediately install a rear lens cap and a body cap on the camera itself.

 

Other precautions: Change lenses as little as possible. Turn off the camera when changing lenses (there's some dispute about this, but what the heck, it's no biggie). Hold the camera face down while changing lenses, to reduce the chance of dust getting inside.

 

2. When you must clean lens surfaces, dust gently first. Get the grit off the surface or any rubbing can and will scratch the lens. Often dusting with a blower or very soft brush is all that's needed, anyway.

 

3. If there are smudges or smears or sea spray on your lens, some wet cleaning may be needed. But first go back to step 2! Now try fogging the surface with your breath and gently wiping with a micro fiber cloth. That works surprisingly often.

 

Micro fiber cloths are sold by camera stores. But, they are also often available where ever eyeglasses are sold, for a lot lower price.

 

4. If fogging doesn't do the trick, apply a few drops of a good quality optical lens cleaning solution to a clean corner of a micro fiber cloth and gently wipe the lens, then dry off with the micro fiber cloth. (Never use alcohol or ammonia-based household or medical cleaners, or any cleaner that is at all abrasive.)

 

Don't drip cleaning solution directly onto a lens. There's too great a risk some might seep in around the edge and get inside, where it can do damage.

 

5. There are paper swabs made especially for optical cleaning, but many "tissues" made from wood pulp have abrasive particles in them and are not very highly recommended. The cheap little packets of "lens tissues" sold over the years caused a lot of those "cleaning marks" and swirls we see on vintage lenses. Today there are products like single-use "Pecs Pads" that are specially made for coated optical glass and are safe.

 

But, IMHO, micro fiber cloths are even better in many instances.

 

Micro fiber cloths can be washed and reused. Just don't use any fabric softener on them, let them air dry.

 

6. The rest of the exterior of the camera and lens can be cleaned with computer keyboard wipes, or "Endust for Electronics" type cleaner sprayed onto a clean rag. Keep these off optical glass (lens elements and the viewfinder window, primarily).

 

7. Rubber and plastic parts can be refreshed with "Mother's Preserves", available at auto parts stores. It's sort of like the more commonly known Armor All, but that product dries slippery and glossy and isn't a very good choice for cameras. Mother's dries to a natural finish and is non-slippery. Keep this stuff off all optical glass, too.

 

8. You might want to install a filter to protect the front of your lens. However, if you do be sure to get a good quality multi-coated one (Hoya Pro, B+H, Heliopan) to keep from degrading images. A cheap, single or uncoated filter will do more harm than good. At least with a filter installed the lens itself will less often need cleaning. But, good quality filters aren't cheap and need to be cleaned just as carefully as lenses.

 

9. Generally, don't try to clean the mirror or the focus screen inside your camera. They are very easily scratched and damaged, and may be expensive to replace. Better to have them professionally cleaned. If needed, it may help a little to dust things off with a bulb blower.

 

Don't use "canned air" to blow in there. It can spray out fluid, and can be too strong for fragile shutter blades, etc. Dust specks on the mirror or the focus screen will not show up on images, anyway. They are more just a nuisance than a problem.

 

10. With digital SLRs, the image sensor is behind the mirror and the shutter. The mirror must be flipped up and the shutter must be propped open to clean the sensor. This must be done carefully, with a fresh battery or by plugging in to AC power, to prevent the shutter closing onto any cleaning tool and getting damaged and needing expensive repair.

 

Generally, do not use the same cleaning solutions for sensors, that you use for lenses. Many sensors (actually the filter fitted in front of them, which is what you are cleaning) have delicate anti-reflective coatings that call for special cleaning fluids, if wet cleaning becomes necessary. Often dry cleaning, a puff of air from a bulb blower or dusting with a special brush, is all that's really needed. See camera manual and cleaning kit suppliers instructions for more info, before trying to clean the sensor. There's also a lot of info online and here on Photo.net about sensor cleaning.

 

Never, ever use a cotton swab (Q-Tip) inside a camera. These shed tiny, tough cotton fibers that can totally jam a shutter or other mechanisms, and that usually means an expensive repair.

 

I've heard of, but haven't tried, cheap vodka as a lens cleaner. Apparently, it's more heavily filtered than the expensive stuff, and very pure. I suppose it would be handy to take a swig of, too, if you drop the lens or screw something else up.

[dan_hall4]

Thanks for all the information folks. I now know how to take care of my camera and lenses. I have bought a few books in the last few weeks since getting my camera. However, none of them clearly told you how to care for the lenses. Not even the manual with the camera would give specifics. I appreciate you taking the time to help me out!

[William Michael]

Mr Hall:

 

I am with Mendel Leisk:

 

>>> It's not really clear from your post *what* you're cleaning.<<<

 

[A lens has many parts.]

 

WW

[dan_hall4]

I did not specify intentionally. Did not want you to know what I wanted to clean. Ha ha. I wanted to know how to clean the lenses. The circular glass exterior surface of the lens.

[William Michael]

>>> The circular glass exterior surface of the lens. <<<

 

I have always used watered (damp) disposable lens cloths.

 

However, I always (almost) have a filter on all lenses from their birth: hence if ever there is grit, which is unseen and subsequently driven into the filter, I have fewer worries, and expenses: though one might argue what effect a scratch on the outside of the front element of a lens does actually exhibit in real terms; but it does lower the $ value.

 

I would not use 70% isopropyl alcohol pads, as I am unsure what effect these would have on the multicoating.

 

I have used a mild soap solution for dried items (like salt spray), but again that is on the filter.

 

WW

[William Michael]

p.s. I was NOT being smug, just in case it was interpreted so.

 

A lens does indeed have many parts, the outside face of the front element:

 

op cit [`The circular glass exterior surface of the lens`],

 

is only one of those parts

 

We need to sometimes clean the outside of the barrel too, for example.

 

Regards,

 

WW

[dan_hall4]

William,

Just having fun with you man! I appreciate the time you spent sharing some info with me. Lord knows I need it. With all the input from you and the others, I was able to get on B&H and order some proper cleaning supplies. I got the Zeiss cleaning solution (to put on the paper/microfibre, not the lens) and take along wet wipes, Hakudo (or similar name) paper wipes pack of 150 (I will crumble not use flat!), a couple different microfibre clothes (that I will keep clean and replace frequently), and a Giotto cleaning kit that has a small retractable brush (not nylon) and "rocket" blower (so I wont blow saliva on the lens) along with cleaning solution (non ammonia) and papers (to be crumpled). Thanks to you and the others I should be able to clean my camera and lenses in 3-4 days. I also ordered a Hoya DMC Pro 1 polarizing filter. I have most the basics as far as equipment goes. Now I just need to learn how to take pictures! Ha ha ha. Thanks for all the input folks. This site is extremely valuable to newer guys/gals like myself.

[William Michael]

>>> William, Just having fun with you man! <<< (DH)

 

Fun is good; I like fun a lot.

 

It is sometimes difficult to tell what is humour . . . and how one`s words are read:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Nsr3

 

the above was happening at the same time, hence my comment here.

 

CU

 

WW

 

>>> This site is extremely valuable to newer guys/gals like myself. <<<

 

Politically correct, too. :)

 

(me having fun with you)

[dan_hall4]

William,

I can certainly see where you are coming from after reading the post you attached. Words can be taken out of context. Some people seem to have made an art form out of it infact. I am an ER nurse and had a patient come in to the ER in the middle of the night one time a few years ago. Her worried husband carried her in passed out. She was like a bag of potatos. She wakes about an hour later screaming and yelling. Threatening to this and that. Reaches to her neck and says "Where is my necklace, I had it on when I came in". Remember line three! What do you say to people like that? Reading the post you linked reminded me of that situation. Some people just like being angry. Want to argue about that? Ha ha ha.

[jorge_o.]

I have the Tiffen lens Fluid (the actual brand name of Kodak lens fluid), and sometimes uses Isopropyl pure (amazing me), and sometimes, I use the traditional "breathing method"...and sometimes, two of them, at once. The multicoating of my 500 f4 P is still there. I think....

 

In my opinion, no one of these product is the final solution. The Tiffen cleaning solution leaves a lot of smudges in that very big piece of glass, and after using it with one or two Tiffen tissues, I have to use the "old method" to clean the smudges: Breathing on the lens and with the microfiber cloth wipe soft till the lens gets clean. Not easy at all, belive me

 

I know that the best way to preserve the lenses is avoid cleaning, but in nature photo you have to walk inte places with a lot of dust, or polen, or branches, or water, or bees, or flies, or...and with the blower alone.....