Let’s start with a fact that a dirty lens will definitely affect image quality, and just to be clear, not in a good way. It is necessary to keep your lens clean, also, if you take care of your lens, there are more chances that it will last longer. However, camera lenses are not just a piece of glass. They have advanced coating and chemicals on them as well. The cleaning will do more damage to the lens if not done properly or without proper tools. Read along to find out how to clean camera lens with the tools designed specifically for it.Â
What Should a Lens Cleaning Kit Include?
First of all, you need to invest in a good cleaning kit for your lens. Cleaning a camera lens will be simpler and easier if the kit includes the following supplies:
Air Blower
It is a very basic, yet extremely useful device for cleaning a lens. As the name suggests, it basically just blows air on the lens for removing any dust particles. However, you must never breathe on your lens for this purpose. Not only will this increase condensation on the lens, but it can also damage the coating on the lens.Â
Lens Cleaning Brush
The next must-have thing is a lens cleaning brush, these sometimes come in the shape of a regular brush or even a pen. The thing that makes them ideal for cleaning a camera lens is that they are made of camel or goat hairs. So the hairs are soft and do not scratch the lens.
Cleaning Cloth
A microfiber cleaning cloth should be included in every kit as it allows you to remove those stubborn specks of dust. The good thing is that they can be washed, however, remember not to use a fabric softener. You can also use moist lens cleaning wipes for this purpose. But they must be discarded after every use.Â
Lens Cleaning Solution
The last thing that you need for cleaning a camera lens is an alcohol-free cleaning solution. Just put a drop or two on your lens and see how smoothly it removes the fingerprints and smudges off of your lens. The best part is that it does not even leave streaks behind.
Photo edited in Lightroom.
How to Clean Camera Lens?
Now that you have all the essentials tools, let’s see how you can use them for cleaning your lens.
Step 1:
The first step is to use the air blower to remove any dust particles that might be sitting on your lens. An important thing that you must remember here is that if there are any molds on your lens, then it is best to get professional help.
Step 2:
After the blower, use the lens brushto remove any particles that might still be on the lens. However, if there are smudges or fingerprints on the lens, add a drop of two of the cleaning solution. Alternatively, you can even use the cleaning wipes.
Step 3:
The last step is to use the microfiber cloth to wipe off the solution. The best way to do this is to start from the outer part. Then, clean in a circular motion and move towards the center. This will also remove any persistent smudges or fingerprints.
How to Keep the Lens Clean?
In just three simple steps, you learned how to clean camera lens properly. However, the real question is how to avoid getting it dirty or how to keep it clean once you have cleaned it.
- The first step is not to let dust build-up on the lens mount. Always keep it clean.
- When changing lenses, keep both the camera and the lens facing downwards. This way dust will not land on the lens or even on the camera sensor. When you remove the lens, quickly attach another lens or put the camera cap on.
- When not in use, always keep the lens cap on. Also, keep the cap on when placing it in your bag.
- Always store the lenses in a clean place and use a clean bag for traveling.
Cleaning a camera lens is necessary, however, as they say, prevention is better than the cure. Therefore, try to remember these steps to prevent the dust from building up on your lens.
Can you clean a lens without a kit?
The last question you might ask is how to clean camera lens without all these tools. Well, of course, you can clean your lens with things already available in your home. But you should know that it is not recommended and not even safe. It is not wise to save a few bucks on these tools and then damage your expensive lens by doing it improperly.
Conclusion - How to Clean Camera Lens?
As mentioned above, it is necessary to learn how to clean camera lens properly to increase its life span and image quality. However, it is equally important that you should not just pick up your cleaning kit every hour. Doing it too much can also damage the lens. Clean your lens only when it is necessary.
Keep practicing and never stop learning.
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