RKD Photographic
Posts: 2,989
Iserlohn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
As long as you don't do it twenty times a day, I think they're overstating the risk TBH...
When I sit down to 'clean' my lenses, I use proprietary cleaning products as per their advice.
When I'm on a shoot and I get a drop of spray or put one of my fat fingerprints on the lens, a bit of 'hrrrrr' and the corner of my t-shirt often gets the job done.
But then I do use UV/Protection filters and swap them out every year or so, so the actual lens' front element gets cleaned maybe once a year, if that.
As long as I haven't been eating onions or gargling with vinegar I think a once in a while emergency breath isn't going to hurt. But I do carry Kodak lens cleaner and lens tissues for the stubborn things. My repairman, who has been fixing my equipment for 30 years and whom I respect, once told me for the really stubborn things use the industries secret weapon.... Windex.
Robb Mann wrote: I keep all my Nikon lenses in nitrogen-filled sealed vessels when not in use. Wrapped in custom made cashmere lens coosies, of course.
Uh...how high above absolute zero are they kept at?
Vector One Photography wrote: As long as I haven't been eating onions or gargling with vinegar I think a once in a while emergency breath isn't going to hurt. But I do carry Kodak lens cleaner and lens tissues for the stubborn things. My repairman, who has been fixing my equipment for 30 years and whom I respect, once told me for the really stubborn things use the industries secret weapon.... Windex.
I used to repair cameras loooong time ago. I did many tests of different solvents to clean lenses and the best one I found was Windex!
Seems no matter what it is there will be contradicting advice. I thought you shouldn't use any cleaning fluid on lenses because they can affect the coating they put on them these days. If you've got greasy finger marks or something then wiping with a dry camera cloth is probably not enough, so if breath vapour is out, cleaning fluid is out what are you supposed to do? Put them in the dishwasher?
my great uncle breathed on all his Nikon lenses. Same for his son. Two of his grandchildren are still using happily using his glass and breathing on before using a wipe. I think its a crock even long term.
AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: my great uncle breathed on all his Nikon lenses. Same for his son. Two of his grandchildren are still using happily using his glass and breathing on before using a wipe. I think its a crock even long term.
Your great uncle's lenses didn't have the modern nano coatings to control CA.
If I'm spending $6000 on a 400mm f/4, I'm not doing the hot-breath-and-cotton-sleeve-rub cleaning method for the front element.
If I remember correctly, back in the dark ages and the black art of chemistry; when you vaporize water and condense it back, you get this junk called distilled water - which didn't have any impurities in it.
On the other hand, acid rain is caused by condensing water mixed with nitric and sulfuric particles in the air. So if you are standing around some place where there is high concentrations, it may be a problem. But otherwise, no.
Also, modern coatings mostly use vapor deposition and softer coatings of older lenses are even relatively inert. Other than abrasive cleaning, it's not going to get damaged much.
I do not think that one person's opinion equals Nikon corporate wisdom.
AVD AlphaDuctions wrote: my great uncle breathed on all his Nikon lenses. Same for his son. Two of his grandchildren are still using happily using his glass and breathing on before using a wipe. I think its a crock even long term.
Except classic Nikon lenses did not have modern Nano coatings... Im sure its over-cautious advice, but nonetheless good advice.
landofy wrote: Seems no matter what it is there will be contradicting advice. I thought you shouldn't use any cleaning fluid on lenses because they can affect the coating they put on them these days. If you've got greasy finger marks or something then wiping with a dry camera cloth is probably not enough, so if breath vapour is out, cleaning fluid is out what are you supposed to do? Put them in the dishwasher?
After researching this in depth, the trick to using the dishwasher to clean your glass is to maintain a relative humidity level below 30%. As long as you can do that the dishwasher seems harmless enough.
warning: do not put your lenses in the dishwasher (some MM members may be tempted)
After researching this in depth, the trick to using the dishwasher to clean your glass is to maintain a relative humidity level below 30%. As long as you can do that the dishwasher seems harmless enough.
warning: do not put your lenses in the dishwasher (some MM members may be tempted)
if you put them in the dishwasher some MMers will wanna know what fabric softener to use?
I can see them covering their butts. However in reality, I've been breathing on my lenses and using my shirt to wipe my lenses since the mid '80s. They make a great product.
Andrew Somers
Posts: 1,018
Los Angeles, California, US
I *have never* "breathed" on a camera lens. WTF? Why would you put saliva on a $2000 lens? If you have good lenses, then surely you can afford proper lens cleaning tools.
does this mean the multi-coating on lens 20 years ago was a stronger compound then the current recipe of coatings today? Or do more people have halitosis today then yesteryear?
Shades Of Gray
Posts: 1,043
Colorado Springs, Colorado, US
I like those pre-moistened Zeiss lens wipes myself but I think the dishwasher idea sounds pretty good as long as you did it with the camera body attached to keep the back sealed and used a good anti spotting rinse agent.
breathing on the lens acid breath, not likely, NIkon probably does'nt want you hocking up all kinds of cooties and getting them lodged in the cracks and crevices of teh lens. especially if they have to service them. Tell me of one incident of Godzilla like breath damaging the lens?
Vector One Photography wrote: As long as I haven't been eating onions or gargling with vinegar I think a once in a while emergency breath isn't going to hurt. But I do carry Kodak lens cleaner and lens tissues for the stubborn things. My repairman, who has been fixing my equipment for 30 years and whom I respect, once told me for the really stubborn things use the industries secret weapon.... Windex.
If you are going to use "Windex" I would be sure that it isn't the ammonia containing version.
The two major risks of lens cleaning are 1) scratching from abrasive particles in dust and 2) damage to the coatings by chemicals (dragon breath included). One of the great improvements in lens quality and potential image quality have been the coatings that have been developed.
Funny - I JUST read this in Hasselblad's H1 manual the other day! I've done this a million times without issue, but I guess I'll head the warnings now.
Andrew Somers wrote: I *have never* "breathed" on a camera lens. WTF? Why would you put saliva on a $2000 lens? If you have good lenses, then surely you can afford proper lens cleaning tools.
Or how about how can a $2000 professional lens that is supposed to be weather sealed against the elements fail because some breathed on it WTF.
MMR Digital
Posts: 1,353
Doylestown, Pennsylvania, US
So I guess wiping my lens on the front of my jeans everytime a model tells me she sees something on it is bad? I don't breath on the lens on beach shoots so the sand doesn't stick. I have a model in front of me- not a camera lens manufaturer before me. Wipe. Geesh!
I think people freak over "NANO" coating too much. If it's that bad, soft and touchy it's not up to industry professional standards. I'll just rub it off and then I won't have to worry about it anymore. BTW my 2 camera repair techies one of which is a recently retired Nikon engineer both have Windex at hand. It's also good to clean camera bodies. Do what you want.
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