Any good lens cleaning paper/tissue suggestions?

kl122002

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Recently I got some old japanese TLRs from a collector who passed away. Most of the TLRs were made between 1950-60s. Since the original owner's health gone bad in last 2 years, he could not manage to keep up the cameras condition. And now the cameras come to me and some of them seems interesting, like Koniflex and Olympus Flex.

I roughly checked most are serviceable, like some simple optics cleaning. I need lens cleaning tissue that comes in larger quantity rather than the 50-sheets pack .

Any good brand suggestions?

THank you
 

wiltw

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Use microfiber cloths, which you can throw into the washer! Modern Phototgraphy editor Herb Keppler did a test published decades ago, showing microfiber lens cloths did less harmful abrasion than even Kodak Lens Cleaning tissues.
 

Sirius Glass

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BrianShaw

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wiltw said:
Use microfiber cloths, which you can throw into the washer! Modern Phototgraphy editor Herb Keppler did a test published decades ago, showing microfiber lens cloths did less harmful abrasion than even Kodak Lens Cleaning tissues.
Click to expand...

Which microfiber cloth type, or does it matter? There were the very fine-weave microfiber that I remember getting with lenses and eyegalsses, and now there is a lot of terrycloth-type microfiber. Will either work?
 

Sirius Glass

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BrianShaw said:
Which microfiber cloth type, or does it matter? There were the very fine-weave microfiber that I remember getting with lenses and eyeglasses, and now there is a lot of terrycloth-type microfiber. Will either work?
Click to expand...

Yes
 

wiltw

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BrianShaw said:
Which microfiber cloth type, or does it matter? There were the very fine-weave microfiber that I remember getting with lenses and eyegalsses, and now there is a lot of terrycloth-type microfiber. Will either work?
Click to expand...

The original test was using very tight weave cloth that was available only in Japan at the time of the test. I purchased my Photo Clear (now by Schneider) about 3 decades ago. There are microfiber cloths by Zeiss, Nikon, Leica and other brands available from places like B&H

I have no idea about the suitability of cheapo fuzzy microfiber that you might find in rag bags at the auto supply store.
 

wiltw

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monopix said:
I recommend the Kimtech Science wipes.

Delicate Task Dry Wipes

www.kcprofessional.com
Click to expand...
A quote from Kimberly-Clark
"The Kimwipes EX-L are manufactured from 100 % virgin wood fiber and are designed exactly for​
the purpose for which you are using them - cleaning lenses. You may continue using the product safely.​
​
"Allen Clark​
Kimberly-Clark Professional​
Customer Solution Center​
888-346-4652​
770-587-7074"​

What are Kimwipes? - Harmony Lab & Safety Supplies

Paper towels leave lint. Kimwipes by Kimberly Clark are ideal for cleanroom, lab, and controlled manufacturing environments. Read more at ...
blog.harmonycr.com
Kimwipes’ material is developed from soft and non-abrasive virgin wood pulp, making them ideal for delicate and sensitive surfaces like eyeglass lenses.​

Yet conventional wisdom has been, for decades, "Avoid wood pulp-based cleaning cloths, such as paper towels, Kleenex, toilet paper, etc"
 
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Dan Daniel

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Cleaning Eyepiece and Telescope Optics

Tele Vue Optics, founded in 1977, has been thrilling amateur astronomers since 1979. It is our mission. It's in the materials we choose, the designs we create, the craftsmanship we demonstrate...the images we deliver. Creating <i>goodies</i>for the observing enthusiast has been founder Al...
www.televue.com

Telescope people can be a bit obsessive. I've seen high end refractive telescopes listed for sale saying that the lens has NEVER been cleaned, meaning no chance of microscratches.

Cotton swabs. And PecPads, always with liquid. Constantly rotating, applying clean surface. Light wiping with a moist cotton swab is very effective as first cleaner- AFTER blowing off surface to displace any grit or dust. The liquid is debatable- I know a repairman who uses a Windex/Ammonia 50/50 mix he makes himself and has no problems (oh boy, I can't wait for the reaction to this...). Depending on the lens condition, Eclipse liquid can be good, alcohol works best on some dirt. I use ROR from habit as much as anything else as my least-residue last wipe before microfibers. Microfiber as final clean, with moisture from breath, and dry lightly.

 
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Steven Lee

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There was an old thread here, maybe even from the APUG times, where I discovered Kimwipes. At the time, I obtained several non-functioning leaf-shutter lenses for next to nothing specifically to practice shutter DIY repair. So I decided to use those lenses to try different cleaning suggestions I found online. Here's what I found:
  • Kimwipes are great at picking up (via absorption?) oil diluted in the cleaning fluid. Most (all?) other materials simply re-distributed the oily residue around. PecPads were the worst at this. They don't seem to absorb anything.
  • ROR left the least amount of residue out of several cleaning liquids I tried.
  • Microfiber was the best to get rid of the final faint streaks of cleaning liquid.
  • Microfiber cloth accumulates oily goo over time from your hands, not from your lens.
So my process now is very similar to what Dan Daniel describes above. It consists of 4 steps: washing hands, rocket blower, followed by ROR+Kimwipes, finished by a dry microfiber swipe.

But most importantly, not being obsessive is probably the best advice here. Minor dust specks here and there don't do anything to your image. The situations I can recall where full wet cleaning was needed was the ocean mist residue near the beach, or an accidental full-contact oily fingerprint.
 

eli griggs

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PEC PADS, are the best I've used and that's with several cleaners, including Eclipse, alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Kodak lens cleaner.

Mainly I've used PEC Pads for lenses that are disassembled for repairs, and my Hasselblad and Canon FD lenses, but, by keeping good filters on all, the lens first optic is mainly insolated from dirt and oils.
 

BrianShaw

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The Zeiss lens wipes are really good. Other brands… not as good.
 

DREW WILEY

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The 3M dimple-style microfiber lens cloths are by far the best I've ever used. Of course, if you want to use them along with PEC 12 liquid solution, like I do, or ROR, that's fine. But these cloths work much better and longer than any disposable lens tissue.

Dan - are you actually talking about cleaning lenses, or writing a plot to a murder mystery series? There are different kinds of lens coatings, and different kinds of Windex, some of which don't get along together well. Of course, if you want a dramatic fatal ending, throw in some Clorox too - the ultimate no-no with ammonia solutions.
 
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Pieter12

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Paul Howell said:
This is what I use

View attachment 346229
Click to expand...
I have had mixed results with Zeiss wipes. I lost a pair of eyegalsses because I used the wipes to clean them and they removed the anti-glare coating in patches, leaving an ugly mottled surface. The optician said it was because they contained alcohol. These were the wipes that come in a white foil pouch. I think the ones in the silver pouches may be different.
 

wiltw

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Zeiss has multiple divisions offering lens cleaning stuff, and they do not always have ingredients that the other division endorses. This issue first came to light in 2009.

The MSDS for Zeiss Lens Cleaner containg nothing but
  1. isopropyl alcohol and
  2. water

The MSDS for Zeiss Lens Cleaning Sheets contain
  1. AQUA Water
  2. Propan-2-ol Propanol
  3. Ethanol Ethanol
  4. 5-CHLORO-2-METHYL-2H-ISOTHIAZOL-3-ON
  5. Methylchoroisothiazolinon 2-METHYL-2H-ISOTHIAZOL-3-ON Methylthiazolinon
The MSDS for Zeiss Lens Wipes contain
  1. Glataral
  2. Magnesium Nitrate
  3. 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate
  4. reaction mass of: 5-chloro-2- methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one [EC no. 247-500-7]and 2-methyl-2H -isothiazol-3- one [EC no. 220-239-6] (3:1)
The MSDS for Zeiss Lens Cleaner Towelettes contain
  1. Isopropyl alcohol
This is the list of ingredients on the Zeiss website for its current (Jan 2023) lens cleaning solution MSDS, and Lens Cleaning Spray MSDS
  • AQUA
  • BUTOXYDIGLYCOL
  • DIMETHYLOL GLYCOL
  • GLUTARAL
  • METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE
  • METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE
WHICH ONE is anyone buying?! I would only use the first product and the fourth product listed above, as they meet Zeiss Photographic and Zeiss Microscope divisions' recommendation:

Here is what the Ziess microscope division currently (Jan 2023) says
"First use distilled water or breath on the front lens and clean with a cotton swab to remove water-soluble dirt.​
...Repeat using a solvent such as 70% ethanol to remove oily or greasy dirt"​
Does anyone see mention of any other chemical apart from plain ethyl alcohol and water?!
 

DREW WILEY

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Just keep in mind that many older (antique) lenses were cemented in with shellac, which is alcohol soluble!

Microscope applications are somewhat different than ordinary cameras because immersion oils are sometimes used between a lens and slide, and must be routinely cleaned off afterwards using a solution specifically meant for that.

For a large selection of lens cleaning options, consult Edmund Scientific's INDUSTRIAL catalog or website.
 
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eli griggs

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Everclear is a produced in about four proofs, up to 190 (92.5%), a very high proof, clear grain ethyl alcohol and is a very good solvent for Shellac, so take care when using it.

Wear eye protection using this stuff or chance a chemical burn to your eyes.

I've used it I'm my artist 'studio' for more than a decade and for mixing shellac or cleaning old shellac from old fountain pens, especially when replacing ink sacs, and to clean my hands as well as some modern lenses.

It's no available in every state but the lower percentage proofs will be in most cases.
 
OP
OP

kl122002

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monopix said:
I recommend the Kimtech Science wipes.

Delicate Task Dry Wipes

www.kcprofessional.com
Click to expand...

And how about this one : KIMTECH Science Precision Wipes Tissue Wipers


I see it on Amazon. Is it go better ?

And thanks for all replys. Previously I mainly use lens cleaner papers from many brands but they seems not that reliable . I also afraid of microfibre cloth as their quality varies.
 
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OP
OP

kl122002

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Thanks for the tip. It happened to me once and now I understand why that happened to my old box camera.
 

JensH

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Hi Drew,

as a microscope guy, I can confirm that. (Not shellac, but canada balsam btw.)

I never trusted cleaning papers or washed t-shirts...

What I use most for non micro optics is surgical spirit (Wundbenzin or Petrolether 30-60 in german) combined with eye cotton (Augenwatte). Good to remove immersion oil, too.
Zeiss (their microscope department) recommands to add some (15%) isopropanol.
See https://hcbi.fas.harvard.edu/files/hcbidoug/files/50-1-0025_the_clean_microscope_e.pdf

The eye cotton prevents potentially scratchy particles form damaging the glass or coating.

Best
Jens
 

monopix

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Can't see your link but if that's the 7552 wipes then that's what I use now as last time I needed some I couldn't find the 34155 type. I can't see a difference in them but I guess there is.
 

monopix

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Here's another for consideration that no one's mentioned. Opto-wipes. Expensive but this is what we used to use when I worked for an ophthalmology company to clean lenses and mirrors inside very high end retinal laser scanners where a single speck of dust could cause problems. Note they have a right and a wrong side to them. We used 99.9% pure isopropyl alcohol with them.

 
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