How to clean the lens of a camcorder. Dmitry Evtifeev's blog How to clean the camera lens

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From time to time, lenses have to be cleaned - you have to put up with it. Only the lens that is never used does not need cleaning. However, there is nothing difficult in cleaning lenses - this is a routine procedure available to any clean amateur photographer.

Cleaning can be postponed

It may sound strange, but lenses should be cleaned as infrequently as possible. No matter how careful you are, cleaning optics always comes with the risk of scratching either the glass itself or the anti-reflective coating. Yes, you need to clean the lenses, but the urgent need for this occurs infrequently.

The fact is that a small amount of dust on the front lens of the lens does not affect image quality in any way. In order for the quality to begin to degrade in a noticeable way, the lens must become frighteningly dirty.

Prevention

A very good habit is to use protective filters. A high-quality multi-coated filter has absolutely no effect on the sharpness and contrast of the image, but at the same time completely eliminates dust and dirt from entering the front lens of the lens - its most vulnerable element. It is much easier to clean the filter from dirt, and an accidental scratch on the filter will upset you incomparably less than a scratch on the lens.

Another useful accessory is a lens hood, which not only fights against flare, but also protects the front lens well from mechanical impact (including from the photographer's dirty fingers).

The clarity of the lens largely depends on the shooting conditions. If you work exclusively in the studio, then, with some care, you can go years without cleaning the equipment. Here, filters are useless, the main thing is not to grab the lens with your fingers. Another thing is shooting outdoors, where dust, and sand, and rain, and snow, and in general, all conceivable misfortunes await you. What shall we say? Do not shoot at all? Nonsense! They are afraid of wolves - do not go into the forest. No real photographer will refuse to shoot in any harsh conditions, if they promise him a beautiful shot. Just be careful, use protective filters and a hood, and also try not to uncover your equipment unnecessarily.

Lens Cleaning Accessories

I usually carry a microfiber cloth and a small soft hair brush with me. In 99% of cases, this modest arsenal is enough for me. In addition, at home I keep an air bulb, an extra supply of tissues and a flask of medical alcohol. How to use all this will be discussed below.

Instead of ethyl alcohol, methanol, isopropanol, or a special alcohol-based optics cleaner can be used. In no case should you use vodka - glycerin and other substances are usually added to it that improve the taste, but worsen the cleaning properties.

Instead of a special air bulb to blow dust off the lens, you can use a regular medical enema or syringe.

Many photographers like the Lenspen, which has a dust brush on one end and a sponge soaked in cleaning agent on the other. However, I was somehow not impressed with the Lenspen, and microfiber remains my main tool for cleaning optics.

I do not advise you to use paper or cotton napkins. Compared to microfiber cloths, they have a rougher texture and are easier to damage the lens coating.

Front lens cleaning procedure

Don't think that the rest of the lens doesn't need cleaning - they do - it's just that the front lens has to be cleaned much more often, and therefore we will start the conversation with it. If the front lens is covered by a protective filter, then everything said below is also true for the filter. The complexity and duration of the procedure will largely depend on the degree and nature of the contamination.

Dust

As already mentioned, a moderate amount of fine dust on the front lens of the lens is quite acceptable and does not affect image quality. If there is a lot of dust, then it should be carefully brushed off with a brush or blown off with a pear. You should not blow on the lens yourself, because there is a risk of spitting on the lens, after which the dust will turn into dirt, which is somewhat more difficult to get rid of.

Minor pollution

By light soiling, I mean mostly splash marks and light fingerprints.

Before wiping the lens, it is necessary to get rid of the dry dust present on it with a brush or pear. If this is not done, the tiny grains of sand remaining on the glass can become a source of scratches.

After brushing the dust off the lens, take a microfiber cloth and gently wipe the lens. You need to act very delicately, almost without pressure. In many cases, the lens does not even need to be rubbed - just lightly dab it. Microfiber perfectly absorbs water, dirt and grease due to the capillary effect, and, unlike conventional wipes, does not leave behind fibers.

If the front lens is covered with condensation due to temperature changes, it is not necessary to wipe it. On clean glass, the condensate dries almost without a trace. However, if you do not have time to wait until the fogged lens dries, you may well use microfiber.

Serious pollution

A really dirty lens, on which fingerprints and dirty stains are clearly visible, needs to be wet cleaned.

In the field, I just breathe gently on the lens and then wipe it off with microfiber. In the vast majority of cases, this is enough to cope with any dirt.

At home, I prefer to use medical alcohol. microfiber should slightly moisten in alcohol, and then wipe the lens in a circular motion from the center to the edges, after which you can once again walk on the glass with the dry part of the napkin.

In the same way, I clean protective filters with an anti-reflective coating. I sometimes just wash filters without enlightenment with warm water and soap (of course, after removing the filter from the lens), and then wipe it dry.

scratches

What to do if you scratched the lens? Nothing. Continue shooting as you shot, but in the future, be careful with the optics. Small scratches on the anti-reflective coating practically do not affect the image. Large, deep scratches indicate gross negligence in work, but even they usually only show up in backlight.

Most often, scratches are the result of inept attempts to clean the lens, and not at all unnecessarily harsh shooting conditions.

Particular care should be taken with ultra-wide-angle lenses. Due to the large depth of field, scratches on the front lens can be quite noticeable. Worst of all, many ultra-wide angle lenses not only have huge convex front lenses that are very easy to scratch or smudge, but also do not have protective filter threads.

Cleaning other parts of the lens

With an excess of free time, you can not be limited to cleaning only the front lens of the lens, but pay some attention to its other details.

rear lens

Compared to the front lens, the rear lens is much more difficult to get dirty because it is hidden in the camera body most of the time. However, if you still managed to put a print on it, it is advisable to put the lens in order as soon as possible. The reason is that dirt on the rear lens of the lens affects image quality much more than similar dirt on the front lens.

The rear lens should be cleaned in the same way as the front lens, i.e. gently and without force.

Shank

The shank or lens mount (as well as the camera flange) should be wiped occasionally with a cloth. The presence of dirt on the shank does not affect the optical properties of the lens, but, firstly, this dirt can eventually get into the camera and settle on the matrix, and, secondly, sand and other abrasive particles accelerate the mechanical wear of the bayonet connection itself.

Frame

Again, just a good wipe of the lens body is enough. Basically, cleaning the hull is purely for aesthetic purposes. The only thing you should really be afraid of is sand, which has the unpleasant property of getting into the gaps between the moving parts of the lens (this is especially true for zooms). In especially advanced cases, you can use a toothbrush.

Lens interior

I categorically do not recommend you to climb inside the lens. A rare photographer has the skills and tools necessary to competently disassemble, clean, assemble and align a modern lens at home. Yes, and there is nothing special to clean in the lens. A moderate amount of dust is always present there and you should not worry about this. If things are really bad (for example, due to long-term storage in a damp place, mold has started in the lens), then the best solution would be to contact a service center. Under normal use, lenses generally never require cleaning of their internal space.

Thank you for your attention!

Vasily A.

post scriptum

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What determines a high-quality beautiful frame? Exposure, composition, lighting, skillful hands of the photographer, lens, camera and its parameters - all this together plays a decisive role. But do not forget about the cleanliness of the lenses. The slightest mote or a drop of water can distort the image, spoil the frame. In the article we will tell you how to avoid such situations, what means to use for cleaning photo optics and what is included in the list of prohibitions that pose a threat to lens lenses.

How pollution affects the image

The most dangerous types of pollution are solid grains of sand and dust particles. The risk is not only that there will be a foreign object in the frame. Everything is much more serious. Small, hard particles that get on the lens of the objective can scratch the protective layer, which is responsible for the uniform distribution of light. Such damage is not repairable, you will have to buy a new optic. Therefore, when cleaning the lens, you need to be as careful and accurate as possible.

Professional photographers approach the process in detail: before proceeding directly to cleaning, they carefully remove the lens from the camera and examine its outer and inner parts.

Drops and stains from water are no less harmful to lenses. They create various effects in the frame: a correctly set exposure turns out to be blurry, sharpness and contrast are lost, glare, colored veils appear, multilayer halos around light sources. Drops, which in essence perform the functions of lenses, greatly distort the image. Proper cleaning can help prevent this.

• Attention!
  Mistakes are not allowed here. Inaccurate cleaning will lead to stains that occur after drying. Such pollution poses a serious threat to images: photographs are overexposed, dark and light circles form in places of spots, sharpness and contrast disappear. Therefore, it is important to use high-quality liquids, soft microfiber cloths and strictly follow professional recommendations for cleaning optics - we will talk about this a little later.

The rating of dangers is completed by the most difficult to eliminate - fat traces. A vivid example of such pollution, which every photographer tries to avoid, is fingerprints. Why are professionals so sensitive to tactile contact with objective lenses? Fat particles that get on the optics become serious enemies of the frame.

Fat changes the refractive index of light in lenses, distorts the silhouettes of objects, leads to image light, makes the picture foggy, out of focus. The lens optics loses its working balance, ceases to synchronize the signals specified by the camera parameters.

When choosing cleaning products, you must be extremely careful, because there is a danger of damaging the top anti-reflective coating.

How to keep your lens clean

The lens is one of the most important elements of a camera, its eyes. In order for the photos to be beautiful and of high quality, the lenses must be clean and transparent, free of smudges, streaks and dust. If the optics are not contaminated, you do not notice visible flaws on its surface, you should not carry out the procedure once again. Lenses should be cleaned as needed.

The most important rule is to clean the external and internal surfaces quickly and accurately.

1. Turn off the camera and point it down.
2. Disconnect the lens and remove dirt using special tools (the next section of the article will be devoted to them).
3. Do not leave the lens in an open area for a long time - this way it will accumulate new layers of dust. Contaminants are removed - dock the camera with lenses and close with a protective cap (hood).

Professionals who care about their photographic equipment buy protective filters that are put on the outer ring of the lens and reliably protect against all types of contaminants: water, sand grains, grease stains, etc. It is especially important for reportage shooting, photo shoots in nature, when the risk of damage to the optics is especially high.

Lens cleaners

A professional photographer's arsenal must have special cleaning solutions and tools. Complete the kit with products for various situations and degrees of pollution. You will need:

• Soft brush that brushes fine dust particles from lenses and lens barrel without damaging the surface of the optics.
• Several dry soft microfiber cloths. Avoid exposure to the lenses with paper and cotton napkins - they can scratch the brightening layer.
• A miniature air bulb that will remove a layer of accumulated dust without contact with the lenses. A great option is a children's medical enema or douche.
• Liquid for cleaning optics. The tool can be bought at any specialized store. Some photographers use regular ethyl alcohol. Under a strict ban - vodka containing glycerin and other additives that can harm the anti-reflective layer of the lens.
• Lenspen pencil. They can replace the use of an alcohol-containing solution and a microfiber cloth. On the one hand, the tool is equipped with a brush with soft bristles, on the other hand, with a sponge impregnated with a cleaning agent.

How to clean a camera lens

Now we will tell you in detail about how to clean various contaminants from objective lenses and what to use. Let's break down the recommendations into categories:

Dust

At first glance, it may seem like the most minor flaw that can be easily dealt with. But therein lies its wickedness. The army of microparticles can contain small glass fragments and other hard elements that are a potential threat to the surface of the lenses.

• Improper removal of dust often leads to mechanical damage, scratches. Therefore, it is better to try to avoid direct contact with the optics and use an air blower, which will brush off the layer of dust with a directed air jet.

Residues accumulated around the edges can be carefully removed with a soft brush. In no case do not blow on the lens - drops of saliva can get on the lenses, which are much more difficult to remove than dry dust.

water spray

An outdoor photo shoot implies the mandatory use of protective ultraviolet filters. Splashes from fountains, raindrops and other possible dangers to your lens will not be terrible. It is much easier to clean the nozzle than the photo optics. If water gets on the lens, you must act very delicately.

Take a microfiber cloth and gently wipe the surface in a circular motion, allowing the liquid to be completely absorbed. To avoid streaks, repeat the procedure using the dry side of the napkin.

There is condensation - do not rush to wipe. If time permits, wait for it to disappear on its own. If the situation does not tolerate delay, wipe the optics with a dry microfiber cloth as described above.

Fingerprints and grease marks

These pollutions are of the most complex type, requiring a thorough approach.

• Advice.
  Before proceeding with the removal of stains, it is necessary to prepare the surface and remove dust particles from it. That is, the first thing we do is blow off the microparticles with the help of an air pear. Then we apply an alcohol-containing agent and wipe it with a soft cloth in a circular motion (from the center to the outer edges). The finishing touches are to wipe the surface of the lens with a dry microfiber cloth.

Cleaning the lens elements

Not only lenses should be in order. The lens consists of other parts that also require care.

rear lens

This part of the lens is much more difficult to get dirty than the outer lens. Often, photographers inadvertently leave fingerprints on its surface. Such contamination must be removed immediately. If a soiled external lens distorts the image slightly, then spots on the rear optical glass can significantly deform the image and lead to defocus.

The cleaning procedure is no different from cleaning the outside: blow off the dust particles with a rubber bulb, brush off the residue with a brush, apply the product and wipe it with a soft cloth, then dry it with microfiber.

Shank

Bayonet or shank - an element that connects the lens to the camera. As a preventive measure, experts recommend periodically wiping it with a damp cloth.

• Advice.
  This must be done both from the outside and from the inside. Dust accumulated over time can get on the camera's matrix and become a real threat to accelerate the wear of the part and lens.

Inner space

Without good reason, you should not disassemble the lens piece by piece and try to clean each of the parts. This is only possible for professionals. The natural accumulation of dust inside the case is natural and does not harm the operation of the device at all.

The only reason that requires disassembly and cleaning is the formation of mold, which can occur under improper storage conditions, in poorly ventilated rooms with high humidity.

But even in this case, one should not independently intervene in the internal structure of the case. Trust the professionals, take the lens to a service center.

Frame

A soft microfiber cloth is enough to clean the case. Cosmetic wiping will give the camera a neat, well-groomed appearance. The only serious threat is grains of sand that can get into the moving elements of the lens. In this case, professionals use a brush.

At the end of the article, we will summarize and give 5 professional tips to help keep your lens clean and safe:

1. Be careful when removing dust. Before taking a napkin, brush off the microparticles with a special brush or use a non-contact method - an air jet from a rubber mini-pear.
2. Remove stubborn dirt with a soft, oil-free brush. A rough paper towel will cause scratches on the brightening layer.
3. When cleaning dust with a brush, the movements should be quick and short, without pressure.
4. Drops should be removed from the surface of the optics as soon as possible, until they are completely dry.
5. When working with alcohol-containing solutions, make sure that the agent does not flow into the places where optical components are glued together. Doing so may damage the lens.

The lens is the eyes of the camera, a key element responsible for the quality and semantic expressiveness of images. Keep the lenses clean and be careful - the optics will serve you for a long time and will allow you to realize the most complex photo ideas.

cleaning lens your cameras It's part of her maintenance. This should be done regularly, but not constantly. You have to be very careful during this process, but don't be afraid to touch it. It is necessary to clean the lens as it becomes dirty, and not in accordance with some other prerequisites. Excessive intrusion will do more harm than good. But when it really comes time to clean your lens, here are a few tips to help you:

Use a UV or colorless transparent filter

Before moving on to cleaning methods, let's dwell on one important point. This applies to all owners of DSLR cameras. We recommend that you purchase a dedicated UV or colorless clear filter for each lens. It is better to do this when buying a camera and screw it on right away. So you protect the lens from dust, dirt, water splashes and mechanical damage. In this case, speaking of cleanliness, we are no longer cleaning the lens, but only the protective filter. Keep in mind that filters come in different qualities. If you decide to buy a high-quality lens, then it is preferable to purchase a high-quality protective filter as well.

Blenda also helps protect your camera lens, as does a special protective lid for the front and back of the lens. Always use them.

Lens Cleaner

You can find an alcohol-based cleaning fluid at any photo accessories store, which you should have on hand. This good product will remove fingerprints or other smudges from your lens or filter without leaving streaks or marks. Keep in mind that such a tool is spent very sparingly. As a rule, a couple of drops are enough. Do not pour liquid directly onto the lens or filter. Always use a special cloth. With gentle circular motions, easily remove unwanted dirt.

Alternatively, many photographers find breathing on the lens and wiping it with a cloth is enough. And do not take risks by exposing the technique to liquid cleaning. We advise you to start by breathing and wiping, and then move on to using liquid for difficult stains.

Cleansing wipes

These are special wipes that must be moistened with cleaning fluid. They are made of very thin paper, which will allow you to process the lens and not leave scratches. These wipes are disposable. Throw them away immediately after use. Do not use regular cosmetic wipes. They are made from coarse fibers and can scratch the camera lens.

Cleaning cloth

An alternative to cleaning wipes is the more modern microfiber cleaning cloth. This fabric is washable. It will perfectly get rid of dust and greasy traces of your lens. The main thing is to be aware of the proper care of such a fabric and keep it clean by washing it regularly. Or you can easily change it to a new one, as they will not cost you much.

Before using the cloth, inspect the lens carefully to make sure that there are no large particles of dirt left on it. Remove any coarse dust with a blower or brush before wiping. You don't want to scratch your lens.

Special pear for cleaning optics

Most photographic equipment stores sell various pears for cleaning optics. We recommend using them very carefully inside your camera. You can create a dust storm. Such blowers can be great for cleaning the camera body as well as lenses. Before using the bulb, point it in a safe direction and make sure there is nothing inside it.

brushes

If your camera collects a lot of dust, then we recommend a good tool that will work great. This is a cleaning brush. Get a special piece made of fine and soft camel hair so as not to scratch your camera lens. Similarly, you could buy a special tool that has a retractable brush on one end and a cleaning swab on the other.

silica gel

Another preventive measure. Take a few sachets of silica gel with you to put in your camera package. The small bags will absorb excess moisture from the space, thus protecting both the camera and the lens from the harmful effects of increased moisture. Remember to change these bags from time to time. After absorbing a certain amount of moisture, they become useless.

All of the above equipment will not cost you very much. You you can to find all these facilities in one bundled. Do not buy too cheap components, but be aware that the high price is not always justified. Always prioritize quality. This guarantees a good result from the use of funds.

Over time, the lens of a digital SLR camera inevitably becomes covered with dust, various grease stains or prints. You can’t take pictures with such contaminated optics anymore, since various impurities can affect the quality of photographs. However, this should not scare a real photographer, because lens cleaning is a common thing, it is available to everyone and does not require special skills.

The need to clean the optics also often arises when buying a used lens, because most sellers, as a rule, do not bother to perform this procedure. The main thing when cleaning the lens is to be extremely careful and use only the appropriate products for cleaning, and not what comes to hand. Otherwise, there is a high probability of damaging or scratching an expensive lens. How to properly clean the lens of a SLR camera, we will tell in this article.

Lens protection

Cleaning the lens from dirt and dust is a procedure that should not be done constantly, but rather regularly. That is, it is recommended to clean the optics only as it gets dirty, so that an extra intrusion does not lead to any negative consequences. Too often, the lens cannot be cleaned, since there is a high probability of damaging the special protective layer that is applied by the manufacturer to the glass. When the dirt on the lens of the lens is already visible, then it's time for cleaning. The very process of cleaning optics should be approached as carefully and carefully as possible, at the same time, you should not be too afraid to touch the glasses of an expensive lens.

Before talking about how to properly clean the lens of a digital camera, it is necessary to give a few recommendations that every owner of a SLR camera should be guided by. First, care must be taken when changing lenses to reduce the chance of contamination of the optics. When changing the lens, you need to turn off the camera, point both the camera and the lens down, and then quickly change the lens. Try to do this as quickly as possible, and then you will have much less problems with dust on the lens. Secondly, there is a way to protect expensive optics from unwanted external influences, including dust, grease and dirt. The method is to use an ultraviolet or colorless transparent lens filter (UV or skylight filter).

By attaching such a filter to the lens, you will protect its lens from scratches, water splashes and grease marks. In this case, when cleaning the lens, you only need to clean the protective filter itself, and not the lens (until dust gets inside). Therefore, do not skimp on buying a decent protective filter for a quality lens. If you are going to shoot where there is a real danger of dust or water splashes on the lens, it is better to immediately screw on the protective filter. As a way to protect against pollution, you can also use a lens hood, which, in addition to its direct functional purpose, is also able to protect the lens from dust and dirt.

Lens cleaners

Now let's go directly to the cleaning procedure. Cleaning the lens of a DSLR camera requires the use of special cleaners. They are usually sold in a set, and the equipment of each such set may be different. There are a lot of professional cleaners on the market today, they are represented by companies such as Hama, LensPen, PhotoSol, Marumi and many others. We list the most popular means for cleaning optics:

- Lens cleaner

Alcohol-based cleaning fluid is widely used in lens cleaning. It copes well with fingerprints or grease stains on the lens without leaving streaks or marks. At the same time, a couple of drops of such a product are enough to fully clean the lens of an objective or a protective filter. The liquid is not poured directly onto the lens, but squeezed onto a special cloth or napkin. Then, with careful circular movements, quickly clean the surface of the objective lens from various contaminants. As a simple alternative, many amateur photographers choose to breathe on the lens and then wipe it off with a tissue. However, this cleaning method is less effective.

- Napkins

Together with the cleaning liquid, wipes are used, which are made of thin paper. These disposable wipes, slightly dampened with liquid, allow you to clean the surface of the objective lens without leaving scratches. Regular facial wipes should not be used when cleaning optics, as they are made from coarser fibers and can easily scratch the lens of an SLR camera.

– Microfiber

An alternative to lens cleaning cloths is the modern microfiber cloth. This is a washable fabric that perfectly collects accumulations of dust and grease stains from the objective lens. Microfiber cloth, unlike wipes, can be used for cleaning several times, you just need to keep such a cloth clean by washing it regularly. Before using a microfiber cloth, carefully inspect the objective lens for large particles of dirt and abrasive materials. They must first be removed with a pear or brush, otherwise you risk scratching the lens when processing with a cloth.

- Pear for cleaning the lens

A special lens cleaning blower is used to blow the lens surface and remove dust from the lens. To apply the blower, you only need to crush it several times to effectively remove the dust particles. Extreme care is required, because with the help of such a pear you can arrange a real dust storm, as a result of which dust particles can get into the inside of the optics or camera. In photo shops, you can currently find a fairly wide range of pears, including pears equipped with a brush through which blowing is performed.

- Brush / brush

To remove dust, a brush made of soft and natural bristles is used so as not to scratch the surface of the objective lens. On sale you can also find special pencils, at one end of which there is a retractable brush, and at the other - a cleaning pad.

- Pencil Lenspen (Lenspen)

Lenspen cleaning pencils are currently very popular among professionals and amateur photographers. Such a pencil does a good job of removing oily fingerprints and dried spots from the surface of the objective lens. There is a soft brush on one end of the pencil, and a special coating on the other to eliminate greasy prints. Lenspen Pencils are very compact and lightweight, easy to use, safe on the lens surface and more effective than a cloth soaked in cleaning fluid. For cleaning, remove the cap from the pencil and clean the lens in a circular motion from the center to the edges without pressure. If necessary, you can repeat this procedure several times.

cleaning

All of the above tools are available and work quite effectively. However, even with such tools, care and accuracy are required, since cleaning the lens is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. It is recommended to start the cleaning process by cleaning the lens barrel and bayonet using wipes moistened with a special alcohol liquid. In hard-to-reach places, you can use cotton swabs. Next, we proceed to a more delicate procedure - cleaning the lens of the lens from dust.

It is important to get rid of the dust first. After all, the anti-reflective coating applied to the front and rear lenses of the lens is not so easy to damage with liquid or abrasive substances. But the dust itself can contain hard microparticles, which naturally increase the risk of damage to the lens during cleaning. You can remove large microparticles of dust with a pear - they are simply blown off the surface of the lens with a stream of air. After that, you can use a special soft brush or Lenspen pencil, through which you need to sweep away the remaining dust particles with light, circular movements.

The next step is wet cleaning to remove grease marks or dried stains. Grease stains are the most unpleasant, as they significantly affect image quality and, moreover, are quite difficult to remove from the surface of the objective lens. For wet cleaning, moisten a lint-free cloth or microfiber cloth with a special alcohol-based liquid and clean the lens surface in smooth circular motions, without pressing from the center to the edges. If necessary, you can turn the napkin over and walk over the lens one more time.

After wet cleaning, it is recommended to treat the lens surface with a dry cloth to remove excess liquid. You can also use the Lenspen to remove oil stains, drip marks or fingerprints. Finally, the final step in cleaning the lens is to remove the remaining particles of the cleaning compound with a blower or soft brush.

Lens cleaning at home

In addition, it is worth talking about the old, "old-fashioned" way to clean the lens at home, which many photographers have been successfully using for decades. And this method, I must say, is no less effective than the use of many modern cleaning products. An ordinary paraffin candle, a tablespoon and a soft cloth (preferably microfiber) are taken. The candle is lit, and the spoon is turned upside down and the flame of the candle is covered with it in such a way that soot (soot) begins to appear on the spoon after a while from the side of the flame. A small part of this soot must be collected with a microfiber cloth, napkin or cotton swab, after which it can be wiped over the lens of the lens. In the presence of severe dirt and grease stains, the surface treatment of the lens with soot can be repeated again. When using this method, the coating on the lens does not deteriorate. By the way, the same popular Lenspen pencils use a cleaning agent similar to soot (soot) from a candle.

Even the most "advanced" and "intelligent" camera will not allow you to get high-quality shots if its lens is dirty. I would venture to say that today the most common reason for the poor quality of amateur photographs is the banal contamination of the lens.
The popularization and simplification of cameras, which today can be found almost anywhere - in a jacket pocket, in a handbag, in the "glove box" of a car, in a teenager's backpack, on a beach towel - have deprived the camera of a halo of mystery. As a result, they are treated, both film and digital, very, very casually. Sometimes this leads to camera damage, but more often to lens contamination and, as a result, poor quality pictures.

Remove contaminants?
Any lens cleaning must begin with dust removal. As mentioned above, dust does not cause significant deterioration of photographs, but its inept removal can permanently ruin expensive optics. It is best to remove the dust that has settled on the lens with a jet of air: this method is quite enough if the dust particles do not stick to the surface. But in no case do not blow on the lens! With this "cleaning method", instead of dust particles, you will put tiny drops of your own saliva on the lens. It is better to use a special rubber pear-syringe, which are now sold in photo stores (both separately and as part of kits for cleaning optics). If you can’t buy a special pear, get a small pharmacy syringe, just squeeze it several times before use. to remove all the talc that is sometimes sprinkled on douches during transport and storage. You can also use compressed air cans, which are offered for cleaning hard-to-reach places in system units.
To remove adhering dust particles that cannot be blown off, a soft, fat-free brush can be recommended. Many pears sold in photo shops are equipped with such a brush through which air is blown.
Movements when cleaning lenses with a brush should be soft and short. The fact is that from the movement of dust on the glass, scratches are formed, the more noticeable and numerous, the more actively the dust particles scraped the lens. For the same reason, it is not recommended to use cleaning wipes to remove dust. Over time, they turn into micro-grained sandpaper, covering even a clean lens with a grid of small scratches.
Drops should be dealt with before they dry, otherwise, instead of liquid, either crystals of salts contained in water or a film of essential oils will have to be removed from the lens. To remove drops, it is best to use a sterile cotton swab (made of natural cotton), not wound too tightly around an ordinary match, or take cosmetic cotton swabs. Cotton wool absorbs liquid well and contains less dust than cloth wipes. But you should not press hard - this will not absorb drops better, and dust particles that accidentally appear on the lens can begin to scratch the surface. Yes, and a match, on which a cotton swab is wound, can damage the lens. Movement should be smooth and directed along the radius - from the center of the lens to the lens barrel.
If the drops have already dried, then you can first try to breathe on the lens so that it fogs up. And then, without waiting for the evaporation of the conrensat. Wipe the glass with a dry cotton swab with movements already known to you from the center to the edge. In most cases, this should be enough. But, if the trace of the drop does not dissolve in water, you will have to use ethyl alcohol.
Starting the "alcohol" cleaning, you need to stock up on two cotton swabs. One of them is left dry, while the other is slightly moistened with alcohol. The main thing here is not to overdo it: cotton wool should be only slightly damp. Excess alcohol can seep into the lens at the junction of the lens and frame and dissolve the bond between the optical components, resulting in permanent damage to the lens. From a damp fleece on the glass, a light trace should remain, evaporating within a few seconds. Then breathe again on the lens and wipe it with a dry swab. So you will eliminate the slight coating that may remain from not too pure alcohol. Do not use alcohol or perfume to clean the optics. In them, in addition to the alcohol itself, there are too many aromatic additives and other impurities, which, after the evaporation of alcohol, will remain on the surface of the lenses as an equally strong "pollutant".
As an alternative to alcoholized cotton wool, you can recommend cleaning wipes, which are offered by many companies (Olympus, Hama, Defender and others). Napkins are wet and dry. Moreover, Defender sells them in pairs - a package with a wet wipe is fastened with a dry one. I was convinced of the effectiveness of this approach from my own experience when my camera was doused with splashes of sea water. Successive wiping with dry and wet wipes made it possible to get rid of traces of drops not only on the optics, but also on the body of the device. And how chemically aggressive sea salt is, I think, there is no need to tell. The disadvantages of wipes include the difficulty of cleaning them with small lenses deeply recessed into the frame, and areas near the frame. In fact, getting there with a finger with a napkin is difficult, but with a swab on a match - easily. But you can wind a napkin on a match ...
To remove grease stains from glasses, you cannot do without any solvent. With a dry cloth, you will only smear the grease over the entire surface of the lens. Traditionally, alcohol is used to clean optics, only medical alcohol is required here (96%). But the fat may not succumb to him right away: in this case, the cleaning will have to be repeated - but with a new tampon. To complete the procedure, as before, it is necessary to wipe off the condensate from your breath with a dry swab, which will eliminate all traces of "wet" cleaning.
Old photographic manuals recommended using a mixture of equal parts ethyl alcohol, ether and carbon tetrachloride to clean lenses. I have no doubt that such a composition will dissolve any contamination. But due to the aggressiveness of this mixture, I would not dare to recommend it for modern "soap dishes" with plastic optics or a lens mount.
Important: Do not use any solvents, including alcohol, to clean plastic lenses! Some types of optical plastics can become dull from this. Do not use wet wipes, as it is not known what chemical components are included in their impregnation.
As you can see, cleaning the lens is a rather complicated task. Preventing this problem is easier than dealing with its consequences.