\\ Home Page : History : Lens and filter cleaning (Invert order)
Articles in this section, in cronological order.
 
 
By Richard (on 24/05/2006 @ 21:09:40, in Lens and filter cleaning, clicked 2234 times)

Many people use Isopropyl alcohol (also known as isopropanol, IPA, 2-propanol and other names) for cleaning optics. The general consensus is that you should purchase 99% pure alcohol, and it's easily available at most pharmacies.

Lesser grades are also available - usually 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and they're good as well -- as long as the other 30% is distilled or deionized water!  Be careful what you buy; make sure there aren't other chemicals used as denaturing agents.

I decided to do some tests, using a plain Tiffen UV filter as a test subject.  I'll fill in the details later, but the end result is that drug-store grade, 99% isopropyl leaves a lot of residue after evaporation. I was able to clean it easily with water, but the amount surprised me.

I also tried alcohol swabs - specifically "BD Alcohol Swabs", with 70% isopropyl alcohol. They worked much better than the 99% IPA, leaving only a slight residue. The other benefit is that they're come in little flat tear-open packages. Nice and neat. And cheap.

 
Page: 1
< September 2010 >
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
     
             

Search by keyword
 

 



Photographs
Art 1 (5)
Just stuff (3)

Photographs Click for more

Stuff




04/09/2010 @ 21:13:23
script executed in 93 ms


 
Image
 Emma... by Richard
 
"
One moment is all you have. Like a hunter in search of a target, you look for one sign that is more characteristic than all the others. The job is to sum up what a man is, according to your understanding of him. The painter has the advantage here since he can work toward this objective through several leisurely sessions; the photographer has only one, and that one as brief as a split second.

Fred Stein, 1954
"