Now, please feel free to move this post to a more suitable area, but since the A1 is such a treasure to me, I'd like to ask these 2 silly questions:

1. With camcorders using touchscreen LCD (like the Sony HC1 that I used to have), the LCD was always dirty and full of my finger prints; now I'd like to keep the A1's LCD as immaculate as possible. What do I use to clean it? I just tried a soft cloth I use to clean my PC LCD monitor, but the result is awful - the LCD still looks dirty! I'm aware of special LCD cleaning kits; do you know what's so special about them? Any specific moistener?

2. The same with the lens glass: what is the best way of safely cleaning it from dust without specialized stuff, which tends to be pricey and not handy at all times? A cloth as soft as only possible will probably do, but should it be wet or dry?

3. I must admit I never was that cautious with my previous cameras - I'm now with the Canon; am I falling in love?

:)

I use lens cleaner and lens tissue or one of those lens cleaning cloths. Any camera store has them. It ought to be fine on the LCD too. You might want to get a UV1 or plain glass protective filter for the lens.

I have always used diluted "windex" or other window cleaner with water and a soft cloth. Mild alcohol solution will rid finger oils from the LCD.

Since I tried cleaning the LCD for the first time, it never got back to the clean looks it had when new. I tried everything, but the more I try, the more stainy it looks - almost as if the stains were actually under the glass...But no, they must be outside, as they change after each cleaning.

Anyway, if dust is the only thing you have on the LCD, never use wet tissues - it will only get worse!

In the English language manual, page 146 has the basic cleaning tips. In addition, for the lens I often use an inexpensive graphite-based Lens Pen. They cost about $7 US and are very quick and easy. For the LCD, a clean, lint-free, scratch-free cloth either dry or perhaps SLIGHTLY damp should reduce fingerprint marks and dust.

Pete, the fingerprints and dust can be done away easily, but what I'm worried about is that after cleaning, the LCD is not deep-black any more; instead it's got his violetish, matte looks. I didn't care so much with the HC1, bacause I was supposed to touch and press the LCD anyway, but here - well, I'll have to get used to it, I guess.

I'm waiting for someone who's got the answer for this too. On my Z1, I had it over a year and managed only one small fingerprint that I never wiped off. In a few months so far I've managed to not touch the A1 screen and I don't dare. Canned air for the dust, nothing else.

Try Hoodwipes from www.hoodmanusa.com. They are made especially for cleaning your LCD. They work great for me.

I've used the "iKlear" wipes on my PowerBook and other LCD screens and they worked great - it's a two step process using one wet cloth and a dry polishing cloth. They have a variety of products for this:

http://klearscreen.com/KlearScreenHD.aspx

For LCD screens I use a very high quality lens cloth with a little moisture from my breath. I have always steered clear of solvents on LCDs as choose the wrong one and they can play havoc with anti-reflective coatings.

As Tom says it can be better to live with a finger print than risk smearing it or worse.

TT

Tony, now you scared me! Do you think the violet tint that my LCD has after cleaning, my actually be the anti-reflective coating smeared?!

Please somebody assure me that nothing unrecoverable could happen to the coating just by wiping it with slightly moistured, soft cloth - even if it looks horrible now, or I won't be sleeping tonight!

Thanks:)

I use a cleaner made by Kensington that's for laptop, LCD's & any anti-glare screens for all of my LCD screens. It works very well. No smearing.

My 2 cents

Bill

Piotr, you probably just smeared whatever was on there and didn't really hurt anything. Get some proper solvent and do it again and you should be OK.

The recommendation from Boyd is very good.
I am an authorized Apple reseller and we use iKlear in-house as per instructions in the Apple service documents.
We use it to make the showroom models look like brand new.
Highly recommended.

Tony, now you scared me! Do you think the violet tint that my LCD has after cleaning, my actually be the anti-reflective coating smeared?!

Please somebody assure me that nothing unrecoverable could happen to the coating just by wiping it with slightly moistured, soft cloth - even if it looks horrible now, or I won't be sleeping tonight!

Thanks:)

Piotr

Definitely sounds like you are smearing something round on the LCD. It is important to use the right type of cloth so the grease/dirt is actually picked up rather than just spread around.

I might try some of those products that have been recommended myself. Cheers

TT

I always use the disposable LCD protectors, whenever it becomes uncleanable, I just replace it. Makes it much simpler.