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Are zeiss lens wipes good to use on scopes glass
- Thread starter LC 6.5 Shooter
- Start date
@stello1001 whats so damn funny ?. I know it sounded like a dumb question but I bought them years ago for computer screens. I found them today in my junk cabinet and just wanted to verify with all you experts prior to using them on a $3000 scope. Remember what they say there is no supid question lol. Thx @Thud for the reply
Or in my case as I know it, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask...
I don't like them (or similar wipes). In my experience they streak badly. When I clean optical lenses, I do it at home and take my time. Too great a chance of scratching the coatings out in the field.
I use microfiber clothes with lens cleaner. Gives much superior results. Oh, don't forget to blow the lens surface first.
I use microfiber clothes with lens cleaner. Gives much superior results. Oh, don't forget to blow the lens surface first.
I my world I use some on the most expensive camera optics around. They are just like rifle scopes.
I use the ziess optic wipes. They are mostly alcohol. No harm to the optics. I have found that using a circular motion to clean will minimize the streaking.
The micro fiber at times will trap dust and dirt and possibly cause a scratch as it stays on the cloths surface.
I use the ziess optic wipes. They are mostly alcohol. No harm to the optics. I have found that using a circular motion to clean will minimize the streaking.
The micro fiber at times will trap dust and dirt and possibly cause a scratch as it stays on the cloths surface.
Use them all the time, never had an issue with it scratching the glass. I keep them in most of my packs. I clean off first with air and then use.
Circular motion will also minimize the impact of a scratch, should one occur. Never wipe across an optic - camera, scope, spotter, etc
I recommend against using them. I have ruined a good pair of glasses using the Zeiss wipes over time. I've found a better alternative to the the packaged microfiber wipes with alcohol; you can find them at Walgreens. Far better on glass. The paper the Zeiss wipes use is more abrasive than the microfiber ones in my experience.
I use them on my eyeglasses, which are far more delicate than any fancy shootin' optics and get cleaned far more often.
Like any other cleaning process involving delicate surfaces, the key is to minimize the likelihood of grinding in all the abrasive stuff that you're trying to remove (silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, etc. - the "sand" in "sandpaper"). The best starting point is always going to be gentle, non-contact mechanical removal via either air or liquid. Use some *low* pressure air or a gentle squirt of water (preferably deionized) to remove the bulk of the dust, and then move on to a soft wipe with some solvent to remove oil-based contamination. For really nasty build-up, you can start with a bit of detergent and water or some isopropyl alcohol to facilitate the process. Just do whatever you can to avoid rubbing on the lens with anything until the abrasive particles are removed.
We don't start washing a car by rubbing it with a solvent-soaked rag, and that's not the way that optics should be cleaned, either.
Like any other cleaning process involving delicate surfaces, the key is to minimize the likelihood of grinding in all the abrasive stuff that you're trying to remove (silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, etc. - the "sand" in "sandpaper"). The best starting point is always going to be gentle, non-contact mechanical removal via either air or liquid. Use some *low* pressure air or a gentle squirt of water (preferably deionized) to remove the bulk of the dust, and then move on to a soft wipe with some solvent to remove oil-based contamination. For really nasty build-up, you can start with a bit of detergent and water or some isopropyl alcohol to facilitate the process. Just do whatever you can to avoid rubbing on the lens with anything until the abrasive particles are removed.
We don't start washing a car by rubbing it with a solvent-soaked rag, and that's not the way that optics should be cleaned, either.
They can be used, sparingly. The recommendation for cleaning lenses is:
1. Blow (preferably with canned air)
2. Brush (soft brush, preferably optics specific)
3. Wipe
Try blowing first, if that doesn't get it, try brushing, then if you still need to further clean, wipe.
The wipes will work, but a lens cloth with mildly soapy water is preferred. The wipes are better for glasses. Regardless of what you wipe with, you are likely removing some of the lens coatings as you wipe, especially the water repellent coatings.
1. Blow (preferably with canned air)
2. Brush (soft brush, preferably optics specific)
3. Wipe
Try blowing first, if that doesn't get it, try brushing, then if you still need to further clean, wipe.
The wipes will work, but a lens cloth with mildly soapy water is preferred. The wipes are better for glasses. Regardless of what you wipe with, you are likely removing some of the lens coatings as you wipe, especially the water repellent coatings.
Out of curiosity have you tried the Walgreens wipes. At least on my glasses they work much better than the Zeiss. Seem to streak less and they’ve yet to scratch my plastic lenses in glasses (10 years old). They are not paper though but some synthetic material.
I’ve not used on scope glass though. Been wondering if anybody else did.
Ive heard more scope people recommend against than for.
Saw a video on here by a camera guy using clean cotton swab and distilled water only.
Carefully remove big debris, with lens bulb or light brush, than use swab with distilled water to circular polish away debris center to edge.
Clean infrequently, only when necessary, and most of us over decide that its necessary.
Saw a video on here by a camera guy using clean cotton swab and distilled water only.
Carefully remove big debris, with lens bulb or light brush, than use swab with distilled water to circular polish away debris center to edge.
Clean infrequently, only when necessary, and most of us over decide that its necessary.
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As with any product use with caution. Use common sense.
Yes with a lot of dust use a brush lens brush Nikon or a makeup brush that has not been used with makeup. ot go to a photo shop and find a lensbrush.
Use a light touch in circular motion and I work from the outside in.
Be careful with canned air you turn the can upside down you get cold CO2 not good for the lens.
Be careful.
Yes with a lot of dust use a brush lens brush Nikon or a makeup brush that has not been used with makeup. ot go to a photo shop and find a lensbrush.
Use a light touch in circular motion and I work from the outside in.
Be careful with canned air you turn the can upside down you get cold CO2 not good for the lens.
Be careful.
they are only designed for Zeiss. If you use them on a Leupold, the cleaning solution will eat right through that cheap plastic lens like acid on a cheeto.
Asking how to clean lenses is as bad as asking how to clean a barrel. As others have said best to use an air blower to get all the debris out first before using anything to wipe on a lens. I like the idea of lens wipes only because you know they are clean starting out. Microfiber cloths are great, but as soon as you use one, you have no idea what it has on it. The best option is to use a shade etc. to try and keep anything but dust off the lens, since that's easily blown away. Much like a barrel, more damage is probably done to optics from overcleaning than undercleaning. There's not only the worry of grinding something abrasive into the lens and scratching it, but also the concern of both a particular cleaner thinning the coating and if applied heavily hurting the seals.
Also while it's easy to be OCD, having been a photo person for decades, you'd be amazed how much crap you can have on a lens and not be able to see it in the image. In a scope a smudge on the front has less impact than the rear. You can put your finger right in front of a camera lens and you won't see it in the photo, mostly you'll notice reduced brightness, and some extra flare if whatever is on the lens gets direct sunlight on it.
Canned air is bad because many of them can easily end up spurting the propellant and other crap even when held upright in very small amounts, esp now that canned air contains bitterant. Better to just use a bulb type blower.
My process is usually bulb blower, brush, and only as a last resort will I wipe a lens.
Some manufacturer recos taken from their manuals (Interesting that Leica specifically recommends not using pre-moistened chemical lens cleaning cloths) and not one of them recommend any kind of lens cleaner fluid.
Zeiss spotter:
Do not wipe off coarse dirt particles (e.g. sand) from the lenses, rather blow them away or use a fine brush to remove them. Fingerprints can affect the surfaces after a while. The easiest way to clean optical surfaces is to breath on them and rub them softly with a clean lens cleaning cloth.
Swarovski spotter:
When cleaning the lenses, first remove larger particles with an optical lens brush. For the subsequent thorough cleaning we recommend breathing onto the lens surface to form a coat of condensation and then cleaning it with a soft, moist cloth.
Leica spotter:
Coarse dirt particles, as for example sand, should be removed with a fine hair brush, or be blown away. Finger prints and such, on the front lens and eyepiece lenses can be cleaned with a damp cloth and wiped off with a soft, clean leather or dustfree cloth. The special cleaning cloths used for eye glasses are not recommendable. They are impregnated with chemicals that can damage the optical glass (the glass used for eyeglasses has a different composition than that used for spotting scopes). Alcohol and other chemicals musn't be used for cleaning the housing. If necessary, wipe with a soft, dry cloth. For excessive soiling the Televid can be cleaned by simply rinsing under running water.
I've used the zeiss clothes for sunglasses and eyeglasses, they're handy to have in the truck/pack but I've never been that impressed with them and I'd never use them on any of my optics.
Also while it's easy to be OCD, having been a photo person for decades, you'd be amazed how much crap you can have on a lens and not be able to see it in the image. In a scope a smudge on the front has less impact than the rear. You can put your finger right in front of a camera lens and you won't see it in the photo, mostly you'll notice reduced brightness, and some extra flare if whatever is on the lens gets direct sunlight on it.
Canned air is bad because many of them can easily end up spurting the propellant and other crap even when held upright in very small amounts, esp now that canned air contains bitterant. Better to just use a bulb type blower.
My process is usually bulb blower, brush, and only as a last resort will I wipe a lens.
Some manufacturer recos taken from their manuals (Interesting that Leica specifically recommends not using pre-moistened chemical lens cleaning cloths) and not one of them recommend any kind of lens cleaner fluid.
Zeiss spotter:
Do not wipe off coarse dirt particles (e.g. sand) from the lenses, rather blow them away or use a fine brush to remove them. Fingerprints can affect the surfaces after a while. The easiest way to clean optical surfaces is to breath on them and rub them softly with a clean lens cleaning cloth.
Swarovski spotter:
When cleaning the lenses, first remove larger particles with an optical lens brush. For the subsequent thorough cleaning we recommend breathing onto the lens surface to form a coat of condensation and then cleaning it with a soft, moist cloth.
Leica spotter:
Coarse dirt particles, as for example sand, should be removed with a fine hair brush, or be blown away. Finger prints and such, on the front lens and eyepiece lenses can be cleaned with a damp cloth and wiped off with a soft, clean leather or dustfree cloth. The special cleaning cloths used for eye glasses are not recommendable. They are impregnated with chemicals that can damage the optical glass (the glass used for eyeglasses has a different composition than that used for spotting scopes). Alcohol and other chemicals musn't be used for cleaning the housing. If necessary, wipe with a soft, dry cloth. For excessive soiling the Televid can be cleaned by simply rinsing under running water.
I've used the zeiss clothes for sunglasses and eyeglasses, they're handy to have in the truck/pack but I've never been that impressed with them and I'd never use them on any of my optics.
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In all seriousness, the zeiss wipes are "gray market" items made in china. When I talked to zeiss about it, the rep said that he would be very leery of using them on any riflescope or bino. And he repeated what others have said - always blow off the lense first
