Reader's Comments - Index of - Free

Cleaning Cameras
-- M. Huber, August 25, 1998
Reading from the Nikon F5 User Manual, page 151, it says: "Clean lens surface with a
blower brush. To remove dirt and smudges, use a soft cotton cloth or lens tissue moistened
with ethanol or lens cleaner"
-- Rick --, October 25, 1998
On microfiber lens-cleaning cloths, two recommendations. First, Herbert Keppler, who's
been doing and writing about photography for more years than most of us have been alive,
has some interesting thoughts (in the Dec. 98 Popular Photography, p. 25), in his brief
piece entitled "Microdear microfiber cleaning cloths finally available in the U. S." Keppler
says, "For years I have been raving about what I think are the best lens- and cameracleaning
cloths anywhere--the Microdears, made in Japan by Etsumi Co. They are
generously large and thick" but have been obtainable only in Japan. Now Adorama is
importing them, in two sizes: 11"x11" for $10, and 14"x17" for $15. Keppler's piece also
gives his own directions for their proper use: "Dust and light smudges are easily wiped
away. To remove pronounced fingerprints or heavy, mucky stuff, breathe lightly on lens
surface and immediately clean lens with light, circular motion of single-layer Microdear.
Better yet, slightly moisten the edge of the Microdear cloth with lens-cleaning solution,
alcohol, or, in an emergency, vodka. Then do your circular motion bit. Microdears are also
great for cleaning outside surfaces of camera bodies and the like." Keppler claims that dirty
Microdears "can be washed in soapy water" and when rinsed thoroughly and dried, "they'll
be as good as new."
Second, I like and recommend the Contax MicroStar microfiber antistatic lens-cleaning
cloth, which is also generously large and thick. This is a top-quality lens-cleaning cloth. I
bought mine for $15 from an Asian selling them at a camera show (mine is light green in
color and says "CONTAX/Carl Zeiss T* Lenses" on the cloth; directions are in Japanese
only). Sorry I can't tell you where to buy one.
-- Dave Kemp, November 28, 1998
Whenever I buy new shoes for my kids I grab the little silica gel pack from the shoe box
and put it in my camera bag. I always have three or four of the little packs floating around
in there. They lay flat in the bottom of the bag, so they don't take up space. The cameras
stay dry and I have never had one tear or break open. Best of all they are free and easily
replaceable.
-- Dan Fordice, February 5, 1999
I have had very dissappointing results with the cleaner that Phil recommends, Residual Oil
Remover (ROR). I purchased a bottle recently, along with a pair of Wiko Microstar
http://www.photo.net/learn/cleaning-cameras (6 of 19) [5/15/2002 7:15:53 PM]