OK to clean lens glass and filters with rubbing alcohol?

12 years 7 months ago #134962 by Gene.Culley
I was just reading about someone keeping a small bottle of rubbing alcohol in their camera bag and cotton balls to clean their filters and glass in lenses.

I might be wrong, but doesn't rubbing alcohol have some amount of oil in the solution? And wouldn't this be enough to screw up some sharpness to the photo? Or am I over analyzing this? I don't know if I would want to clean my lens and filters with rubbing alcohol. That alcohol can't be good over and over again on the rubber seals that go around lenses and filters? Right?

I recall reading a few weeks back about putting Rain X on your lens glass? How about that one. Again just something I read, that I'm not sold on.


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12 years 7 months ago #134969 by Henry Peach
A bit of breath and clean cotton or microfiber cloth has served me well. I've never needed anything stronger.
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12 years 7 months ago #134974 by photobod

Henry Peach wrote: A bit of breath and clean cotton or microfiber cloth has served me well. I've never needed anything stronger.


:agree: :agree: :agree:

www.dcimages.org.uk
"A good photograph is one that communicate a fact, touches the heart, leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective." - Irving Penn

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12 years 7 months ago #135007 by Cruso
I wouldn't trust rubbing alcohol on lenses. Never know what would happen. I always just use my breath...always worked.


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12 years 7 months ago #135019 by Henry Peach
I tried lens cleaning solution once. It left more film and smudges behind than I had when I started. It ended up taking me about 10 min to get the filter gunk free. Tossed that bottle, and never looked back.
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12 years 7 months ago #135070 by rmeyer7
For filters, I like Zeiss lens cleaning wipes . They work great and leave no residue or film behind. For lenses, breath and soft cotton or microfiber cleaning cloths are my go-to cleaner ;)


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12 years 7 months ago #135142 by James L
Not a chance would I use anything like that on my lenses or filters.


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12 years 7 months ago #135167 by icepics
Good that you trust your instincts when you read suggestions like that; I'm not planning to go near my cameras w/rubbing alcohol! Same cleaning technique for me + sometimes a soft brush.

Sharon
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12 years 7 months ago - 12 years 7 months ago #135275 by SJM
You don't use the rubbing alcohol alone, you use it with these





LOL I'M JOKING! I wouldn't use anything but hot air and micro fiber

Country guy living in the big Apple!
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12 years 7 months ago #135370 by Moe
:rofl: matter of time before some one cracked a joke!


Another vote for breath on the glass, and wipe off with lens cloth


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12 years 7 months ago #135374 by MLKstudios

Matthew L Kees
MLK Studios Photography School
www.MLKstudios.com
[email protected]
"Every artist, was once an amateur"

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12 years 7 months ago #135385 by chasrich
The question I have been waiting for has still not been posed.

Is it OK to breath on your lens IF you have been drinking rubbing alcohol? :woohoo:

“Amateurs worry about equipment, professionals worry about money, masters worry about light, I just make pictures… ” ~ Vernon Trent
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12 years 7 months ago #135523 by Addicted2Photos

rmeyer7 wrote: For filters, I like Zeiss lens cleaning wipes . They work great and leave no residue or film behind. For lenses, breath and soft cotton or microfiber cleaning cloths are my go-to cleaner ;)


I had not seen these before. I just ordered some, thanks for the tip.


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12 years 7 months ago #135604 by Pixelchix

chasrich wrote: The question I have been waiting for has still not been posed.

Is it OK to breath on your lens IF you have been drinking rubbing alcohol? :woohoo:

And I was waiting for you to come up with something!! I was going to say we have a lot of heavy breathers on here! (Not as good as yours)


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12 years 7 months ago #135628 by icepics
Good one PixelChix! Probably OK Charles if you've been drinking Hairy Buffalos (grain alcohol). :rofl:

Sharon
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