isopropyl alcohol for lenses? at DVinfo.net

Osmany Tellez · March 12th, 2010, 08:34 AM

hello all.

I need to clean lenses in my 5D and HVX...not dust..more like finger smuges and stuff that wont come out with air...so, I have 99.953% isopropyl alcohol at home and was wondering if this will be better than using water...since i don't have proper lense cleaning fluid at home nor able to get one soon....?????

thanks a lot.

Wayne Avanson · March 12th, 2010, 08:41 AM

No I wouldn't if I were you, it might take off any coating.

A lens cloth would be fine or a lens pen which has the right kind of 'gentle' solution in it.

Avey

Osmany Tellez · March 12th, 2010, 11:27 AM

so, if i don't have the "gentle solution" that is ideal for the job..what is the second best choice?

water?
the 100% isopropyl alcohol?
a mix of the alcohol with water?
nothing?

thanks..

Wayne Avanson · March 12th, 2010, 01:05 PM

A dry lens cloth is all I ever use Osmany.

Avey

Bill Sepaniak · March 12th, 2010, 01:10 PM

Any good camera store should have lens cleaning solutions, along with a micro-fibre lens cleaning cloth. Personally, I use a wet solution from the Schneider lens folks, along with a bulb-blower (to remove large dust/dirt particles) and a micro-fibre lens cleaning cloth. Also, where possible, I also use a clear glass (or other) filter in front of the lens.

David W. Jones · March 12th, 2010, 04:00 PM

A little breath on the front lens element and use a micro fiber cloth in circular movements.

Ilya Mamonov · March 12th, 2010, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David W. Jones

A little breath on the front lens element and use a micro fiber cloth in circular movements.

I second that. The best way to clean any lens.

Kin Lau · March 12th, 2010, 04:37 PM

99.9% isopropyl alcohol is fine. Modern lenses have very tough coatings. I'd be far more concerned about making sure that any grit is off the lens surface first, and that the lens cloth or lens tissue is clean.

The only lenses I have that have coating issues are over 50 years old.

Alex Hawt · March 12th, 2010, 06:06 PM

Just breath on the lens and use a cotton cloth to rub away smudges. If you don't have or want to buy a lens cloth a clean cotton t-shirt would be fine. Make sure its cotton tho because other cloth materials can be abrasive. A trick I learned from my father.

Osmany Tellez · March 12th, 2010, 10:01 PM

yes..breath and proper cloth did a very good job....amazing...later i'll get some lense cleaning solution...but for now it looks good.

thank you all for nice feed back..

peace

O

Marty Welk · March 12th, 2010, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kin Lau

99.9% isopropyl alcohol is fine. Modern lenses have very tough coatings. I'd be far more concerned about making sure that any grit is off the lens surface first, and that the lens cloth or lens tissue is clean.

The only lenses I have that have coating issues are over 50 years old.

I always avoided alcohol on the lenses myself because the "coating" it had a tendancy to look/act oiley as if it was an oil based dunk. Then a pro told me that it is much more sofisticated than some liquid substance smeared on the lens, and they were Right. the coating wasnt about to fall off because alcohol cleanings. i still dont like lens cleaning paper at all.

when you make a lens cleaning formula, remember to use distilled water, beings many of these formulas are 90% that :-)

Jeff Kolada · March 14th, 2010, 11:15 AM

Pancro Spray is just diluted isopropyl alcohol. It's right around the 91% mark, which you can buy at CVS or Wal-mart. It won't take the coatings off of the lenses, so just dab a bit on your lens cloth and wipe in circular motion. or the breath and a lens cloth works fine.

Bill Davis · March 14th, 2010, 05:16 PM

Just for gods sake don't make a mistake and purchase RUBBING ALCOHOL - whatever the percentage shown on the bottle.

It often contains PERFUME OILS that are great for promoting skin suppleness when used for massage - but will wreak cleaning HAVOC on any lens assembly.

100% isoprophyl without any oils is the target. You can also use DENATURED alcohol for many cleaning tasks - it's just basic ethanol that's had chemicals added to it to create a HORRIBLE taste so as to render it undrinkable and therefore not subject to alcoholic beverage consumption taxes, etc.

Bottom line, alcohol isn't always just alcohol. So be a bit warry.

March 12th, 2010, 08:34 AM	#1
Osmany Tellez Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Panama City Posts: 190	isopropyl alcohol for lenses? hello all. I need to clean lenses in my 5D and HVX...not dust..more like finger smuges and stuff that wont come out with air...so, I have 99.953% isopropyl alcohol at home and was wondering if this will be better than using water...since i don't have proper lense cleaning fluid at home nor able to get one soon....????? thanks a lot. __________________ FCPS2, G5 Dual core 2.0 GHz, 2.5 Ram, Dell 2408, M-audio DX4, DVX 100A, Sachtler DV6, Manfrotto 561B, Zoom H-4, RE-50, AT890 shotgun, steadicam Merlin,

March 12th, 2010, 11:27 AM	#3
Osmany Tellez Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Panama City Posts: 190	and if not? so, if i don't have the "gentle solution" that is ideal for the job..what is the second best choice? water? the 100% isopropyl alcohol? a mix of the alcohol with water? nothing? thanks.. __________________ FCPS2, G5 Dual core 2.0 GHz, 2.5 Ram, Dell 2408, M-audio DX4, DVX 100A, Sachtler DV6, Manfrotto 561B, Zoom H-4, RE-50, AT890 shotgun, steadicam Merlin,

March 12th, 2010, 04:00 PM	#6
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	A little breath on the front lens element and use a micro fiber cloth in circular movements. __________________ David W. Jones www.joneshdfilms.com

March 12th, 2010, 10:01 PM	#10
Osmany Tellez Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Panama City Posts: 190	got it yes..breath and proper cloth did a very good job....amazing...later i'll get some lense cleaning solution...but for now it looks good. thank you all for nice feed back.. peace O __________________ FCPS2, G5 Dual core 2.0 GHz, 2.5 Ram, Dell 2408, M-audio DX4, DVX 100A, Sachtler DV6, Manfrotto 561B, Zoom H-4, RE-50, AT890 shotgun, steadicam Merlin,

March 14th, 2010, 11:15 AM	#12
Jeff Kolada Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 78	Pancro Spray is just diluted isopropyl alcohol. It's right around the 91% mark, which you can buy at CVS or Wal-mart. It won't take the coatings off of the lenses, so just dab a bit on your lens cloth and wipe in circular motion. or the breath and a lens cloth works fine. __________________ Jeff Kolada http://www.jeffkolada.com

March 12th, 2010, 08:41 AM	#2
Wayne Avanson Major Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lancashire UK Posts: 496	No I wouldn't if I were you, it might take off any coating. A lens cloth would be fine or a lens pen which has the right kind of 'gentle' solution in it. Avey

March 12th, 2010, 01:05 PM	#4
Wayne Avanson Major Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lancashire UK Posts: 496	A dry lens cloth is all I ever use Osmany. Avey

March 12th, 2010, 01:10 PM	#5
Bill Sepaniak Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 62	Any good camera store should have lens cleaning solutions, along with a micro-fibre lens cleaning cloth. Personally, I use a wet solution from the Schneider lens folks, along with a bulb-blower (to remove large dust/dirt particles) and a micro-fibre lens cleaning cloth. Also, where possible, I also use a clear glass (or other) filter in front of the lens.

March 12th, 2010, 04:37 PM	#8
Kin Lau Major Player Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 385	99.9% isopropyl alcohol is fine. Modern lenses have very tough coatings. I'd be far more concerned about making sure that any grit is off the lens surface first, and that the lens cloth or lens tissue is clean. The only lenses I have that have coating issues are over 50 years old.

March 12th, 2010, 06:06 PM	#9
Alex Hawt New Boot Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Richmond Virginia Posts: 23	Just breath on the lens and use a cotton cloth to rub away smudges. If you don't have or want to buy a lens cloth a clean cotton t-shirt would be fine. Make sure its cotton tho because other cloth materials can be abrasive. A trick I learned from my father.

March 14th, 2010, 05:16 PM	#13
Bill Davis Trustee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Posts: 1,538	Just for gods sake don't make a mistake and purchase RUBBING ALCOHOL - whatever the percentage shown on the bottle. It often contains PERFUME OILS that are great for promoting skin suppleness when used for massage - but will wreak cleaning HAVOC on any lens assembly. 100% isoprophyl without any oils is the target. You can also use DENATURED alcohol for many cleaning tasks - it's just basic ethanol that's had chemicals added to it to create a HORRIBLE taste so as to render it undrinkable and therefore not subject to alcoholic beverage consumption taxes, etc. Bottom line, alcohol isn't always just alcohol. So be a bit warry.