Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/01/10

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Cleaning Rear Lens Elements
From: Gaifana@aol.com
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 20:51:00 EST

If you can't touch it with your finger, it probably doesn't need to be 
cleaned, since you couldn't have grabbed it by mistake. Cleaning a rear 
element can have much worse effects than the front - since scratches here 
bring the problems right to the film.

Lens pen - false sense of security. Will not only dust your lens with a 
strange but harmless black powder, it is also susceptible to collecting 
grease and hard debris that can scratch the lens. Fun for one or two tries, 
though. Just think that if you only have to clean that element every once in 
a while, it's $7 well spent.

Q-tip - ok, but these come apart fairly easily when wet. They can also carry 
too much liquid to the edges of the element.

Microfiber - just don't. They work once, then they become very efficient 
glass-scratchers.

Suggestion: kodak lens tissue and that unidentified lens-cleaning fluid. Then 
throw the tissue away. Sometimes you can get away with touch of aerosol glass 
cleaners (Chrysler auto glass cleaner works for this). Because it's ethanol-ba
sed, it evaporates without residue. Or Windex. These are also good for 
cleaning your scanner glass.