Rifle Scopes What Can I Clean Lenses With

[SporterII]

I had some Zeiss wipes. Not great and now dried up. No local camera shops any more.
I have some Sprayway glass cleaner. Cleans glass nicely. Will it damage coatings?

 

[Thumper580]

Most all upper end optics cleaning solution is nothing more than isopropyl alcohol... rubbing alcohol. Smell a new Zeiss wipe... it's like sniffing rubbing alcohol.

 

[EDDK9]

Sam’’s Club sells a two pack of the Zeiss lens cleaner in a spray bottle. Its in the eye glass/prescription section. Then get yourself a quality microfiber.

 

[phlegm]

There are a few cleaning products put out by optics companies, if you like spending money. Isopropyl alcohol works great. So do the lens cloths like the NF fobs.

Just don't use canned air. The drastic temperature change can crack your lenses.

 

[Threadcutter308]

Go to a local, decent camera shop. They sell all kinds of products. I have caps on all my scopes, so the lenses stay pretty clean. When I do clean them, I use a lens pen, which doesn't use any liquids and allows you to get down to the lens through the end bell pretty easily.

 

[demolitionman]

Tag. What applicator for the isopropyl alcohol?

 

[Wiley Coyyote]

One of the best field cleaning liquids is spit. No really the enzymes in saliva are preferable to plain water and some cleaning solutions. Astronomers use saliva on very expensive glass. Be sure to use an appropriately soft optics rag or cotton ball, and blow or lightly brush off the macro dirt or sand prior to using a cleaning rag. Also get rid of your chew before cleaning (G).

 

[wrasseman]

Yep, spit and inside of t-shirt

 

[BANG...ping]

Read the instruction booklet. If you don't find your answer, call the company that made your scope. The will gladly help you. I called Nightforce and they went step by step on how I can clean my glass without damaging it. They were extremely helpful. You only have one chance on getting it right. I suggest you do not use glass cleaner. Your scope in not a bathroom mirror or an Anderson window.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

A lens pen is a great item to keep with your optics. Brush on one side to clear off grit and a buff pad on the other to clean the optic.

Thank you for your continued support.
If there is anything else we can assist you with please let me know.
Doug
Camera Land
720 Old Bethpage Rd
Old Bethpage NY 11804
516-217-1000
Please visit our website @ www.cameralandny.com

 

[hk dave]

If your objective isn't completely gunked up, just leave it alone. The human eye will likely not be able to perceive any difference because the objective is dirty, or even scratched. It may increase flare a bit, but outside of that, it's pointless.

Keep in mind, whatever you use to clean it, make sure it's something that doesn't rub off the coatings.

 

[roggom]

You can still find Ziess wipes on amazon. I keep those in my range bag. I also have a SB cleaning kit at my bench and it comes with a tiny lens pen as well. They are $20 but one came with my SB scope from Eurooptic . https://www.eurooptic.com/schmidt-bender-lens-cleaning-kit.aspx

 

[308pirate]

One more vote for spit, and it helps keep your lenses fog free. Trick I learned about when in SCUBA class decades ago. To this day I don't put on a swim mask or swim goggles without rubbing spit on the lenses first and then rinsing them.

 

[Arc Light]

If your objective isn't completely gunked up, just leave it alone. The human eye will likely not be able to perceive any difference because the objective is dirty, or even scratched. It may increase flare a bit, but outside of that, it's pointless.

Keep in mind, whatever you use to clean it, make sure it's something that doesn't rub off the coatings.

I will 2nd this. More lenses have been damaged by over/improper cleaning than anything else. I only clean my optics every few years with a clean microfiber cloth and camera lens cleaner. Wipe gently and keep moving to a new section of cloth.

 

[6gunner]

When I screwed up and left my lens caps open during a cease fire I had some snow get on the lenses. I used this method but first I used my compressor to blow off any crap that might scratch the lens.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_fTm7AQ6B0M

 

[scudzuki]

If your objective isn't completely gunked up, just leave it alone. The human eye will likely not be able to perceive any difference because the objective is dirty, or even scratched. It may increase flare a bit, but outside of that, it's pointless.

Keep in mind, whatever you use to clean it, make sure it's something that doesn't rub off the coatings.

This.
I resist the urge to clean lenses unless they get dirty enough to effect light transmission.
When I go to clean, first I blow the lenses off , then as Doug of CLNY recommends I brush to one side with a Lenspen brush, then blow off again... the worst thing you can do is rub a lens with a wet wipe when there's dirt on the lens, you're grinding the coating off with an abrasive slurry. Get all the particulates off before applying any liquid.
Next I remove any film with a spritz of lens cleaning solution my wife buys for her eyeglasses. Whatever the active ingredient is (if any) it's almost entirely water. Rub the lens just enough to remove the film (oil, whatever) with a CLEAN microfiber lens cleaning cloth.I rarely get it perfectly clean, a light streak or 2 won't be noticeable when shooting, and the longer the lens is rubbed, the more likely the coating gets scratched regardless of how careful I am.

In the field I use a Lenspen, being careful to remove all the particulates with the brush before I polish.
The Lenspen is a very good tool IMHO, and the easiest way to get even the edges of a lens clean, especially one that is recessed a good ways into the housing.

 

[samnev]

I will 2nd this. More lenses have been damaged by over/improper cleaning than anything else. I only clean my optics every few years with a clean microfiber cloth and camera lens cleaner. Wipe gently and keep moving to a new section of cloth.

Thats what I do as well.^^^^^^^^^