Alternative Microfiber?

[Oak Heel]

I use these things and they are the bee’s knees. Rinse lenses under the sink, shake excess water off, spray with lens solution, then dry with these. Good to go, no scratches ever. They are not super soft, but lint free.

 

[KarlBlessing]

I use these things and they are the bee’s knees. Rinse lenses under the sink, shake excess water off, spray with lens solution, then dry with these. Good to go, no scratches ever. They are not super soft, but lint free.
View attachment 899638

In the photo studio that would be the budget version of these :

 

[TheStig]

You use these on the lenses?

I don’t rub, just pad the lenses until the water droplets are gone.

 

[TheStig]

I use these things and they are the bee’s knees. Rinse lenses under the sink, shake excess water off, spray with lens solution, then dry with these. Good to go, no scratches ever. They are not super soft, but lint free.
View attachment 899638

Not sure if I can find these lint free in Germany.

 

[Oak Heel]

Not sure if I can find these lint free in Germany.

Yeah I don’t know about that haha. I thought about trying those wipes that Karl posted, but I would want to try them before I committed and bought a box lol. They are probably cheaper than the ones I buy, but idk.

I got some decent microfiber cloths from SGH, but I find that they start to smudge after a few uses and I don’t really know the right way to clean them.

 

[KarlBlessing]

Yeah I don’t know about that haha. I thought about trying those wipes that Karl posted, but I would want to try them before I committed and bought a box lol. They are probably cheaper than the ones I buy, but idk.

Loved them , works extremely well for optical applications (we used them mostly for camera lens, scanner beds, etc). Just have to be weary of using just any old formula since some of the components can be bad for coatings.

I got some decent microfiber cloths from SGH, but I find that they start to smudge after a few uses and I don’t really know the right way to clean them.

Microfiber clothes do need to be washed after a while from oils and such that they can absorb, just have to make sure whatever you're washing them in/with doesn't leave some kind of deposit since some detergents, softeners, and such tend to stay inside the fabric.

Far as those 'lens pens' go, I'll usually get some additional use out of them in a pinch by pressing them into a paper towel a few times to take up any stored oils.

 

[Oak Heel]

Loved them , works extremely well for optical applications (we used them mostly for camera lens, scanner beds, etc). Just have to be weary of using just any old formula since some of the components can be bad for coatings.

Microfiber clothes do need to be washed after a while from oils and such that they can absorb, just have to make sure whatever you're washing them in/with doesn't leave some kind of deposit since some detergents, softeners, and such tend to stay inside the fabric.

Okay cool, are most camera lenses glass tho? My concern was using them on the polycarbonate lenses.

And yeah the microfiber definitely traps oils and I never really found a definitive answer on what’s the right product for cleaning. Heard some people just use plain hot water with no detergents. Also, hand wash vs washing machine haha. Kind of a pain in the ass so I just switched to the wipes and never looked back lol.

 

[KarlBlessing]

Okay cool, are most camera lenses glass tho? My concern was using them on the polycarbonate lenses.

And yeah the microfiber definitely traps oils and I never really found a definitive answer on what’s the right product for cleaning. Heard some people just use plain hot water with no detergents. Also, hand wash vs washing machine haha. Kind of a pain in the ass so I just switched to the wipes and never looked back lol.

Most camera lens are glass, but most modern ones (since 1950s+) also have antiglare/UV/etc coating on the front that can be just as easily damaged if not more easily than the iridium coating on a polycarbonate lens.

edit: The back of the polycarbonate lens (Particularly Oakley Prizm, etc) is more likely to be scratched because they don't put an anti scratch or anti glare coating on the inside of them like some others do (but that probably also improves the clarity by not doing that, aside from back glare).

 

[SharkSugender]

Apparently some people like to use small grit sandpaper because some of the oakleys that i bought used are scracthed up pretty bad

 

[KarlBlessing]

Apparently some people like to use small grit sandpaper because some of the oakleys that i bought used are scracthed up pretty bad

I've seen the same on camera lens before. Like they just rubbed their sweaty sandy shirt into it.