Lens cleaning

[yaabaa]

I have an Olympus C-310 and am wondering what is the best and safest method for cleaning lenses. Should I use an antistatic lenscleaning cloth? Is Isoproponyl alchohol bad for the lens, e.g. any special coatings on it? Is 1200 wet and dry OK? (Just joking with that last idea of course...),

Andy

[jawz]

_IF_ you must use a solvent, use pure (or as close to pure as yoiu can get) C2H5OH, i.e., ethyl alcohol. 100% pure (200 proof). This is the drinkable stuff. No denaturing agents, no impurities; just ethyl alcohol--of course, if you actually had a container of pure, 100% alcohol, the moment you opened the container the alcohol therein would absorb moisture from the air and become slightly diluted. Thus, get 'Everclear' 190 proof pure grain alcohol or some product like Eclipse or equivalent lens cleaning product (rumored to be the same thing w/o the revenuer's tax??).

In our optics lab, we use de-ionized water and Everclear for optical surface cleaning, when simple blower brush treatment fails to remove the surface contaminant.

_IF_ you must use a liquid, _ALWAYS_ put the liquid on a one-time-use lint free lens tissue and _NOT_ on the lens itself.

The watch word is 'gentle' ; be verryy gentle with your cleaning pressure and motions.

[yaabaa]

jawz, thanks very muchfor the info,

Andy