Even if you are attentive to your photo equipment, you can’t avoid the necessity of cleaning your lens. Unlike the cleaning of DSLR sensor, the lens care is not difficult while traveling, you just need to have the right equipment. Let’s describe whole process step-by-step:
Step One: Clean by air
The gentlest way to clean your lens is blowing of clean air. In this way you usually remove most of the impurities without any scretches. Never blow by mouth! Always use the special blower.
Step Two: Brush
If the solid contaminants like dust stuck remained on the optics after the first step, gently remove it using special dust removal brush. I have very good personal experience with Lenspen which combines brush and non-liquid cleaning element from graphite.
Step Three: Moistened Cleaning Tissue
The special solution for cleaning the optics must be used for removal of greasy soils. The liquid transportation is not very practical specially for air traffic safety regulations and that’s why I’m traveling with Moistened Cleaning Tissues. These one use moistened tissue perfectly clean the greasy soils without any spots and if you have followed the step 1 and 2, you don’t need to be afraid of scratches on your lens.
In conclusion it is good to highlight that there is no need to clean the optics if you can’t see any impurities on your photos. Minor dirt will not endanger the lens or camera because they are far away of depth of field.
Less cleaning means longer lens life!
Do you have your own favourite style of cleaning? Let us know and we will share it to others!