Lens cleaning

[westr70]

I pulled my 100 mm f2.8 out and was trying some new ideas about work related macros and found little dots on the front lens. I used "breath" and a micro fiber but couldn't get them off. Must be more than 40 I can see and sprinkled liberally around my lens. The shot shows some of them in the red circles. I ordered Zeiss LIQUID CLEANER and that hasn't arrived yet. I've been known to stick that lens in close but I can't remember what could have caused the spots. None-the-less they're there. Should I send this off to canon to clean or try the zeiss cleaner first? I'm worried about removing the coatings on the lens with the cleaner. The cleaner is from B&H and it was recommended. Any thoughts about having canon cleaning it and secondly, using the zeiss cleaner? I've ordered a B+W 67mm XS-Pro Clear UV Haze with Multi-Resistant Nano Coating in the interim which was recommended on the forums.

Thanks for any input.

 

[neuroanatomist]

The Zeiss cleaner should be fine (my order is blower then LensPen then Zeiss cleaner, although most of my lenses have a B+W MRC UV on them).

But those spots in your image aren't from the front of the lens - spots on the front element don't usually appear in images at all (unless the spots are penny-sized - and even then, they would not be in focus). So...in addition to spots on your lens, you've got dust on your sensor.

 

[sanj]

The Zeiss cleaner should be fine (my order is blower then LensPen then Zeiss cleaner, although most of my lenses have a B+W MRC UV on them).

But those spots in your image aren't from the front of the lens - spots on the front element don't usually appear in images at all (unless the spots are penny-sized - and even then, they would not be in focus). So...in addition to spots on your lens, you've got dust on your sensor.

Absolutely

 

[RGF]

Do you see the spots more when you are at F22 (F32)? Not sure if what camera you have, but does the camera automatically run sensor cleaning? If not, enable it. Try running a few cycles of clean now.

Retest.

Agree with Neuro - but first I would inspect with a sensor loupe. THen blower from a bulb (never breath or canned air), lens pen or brush made for cleaning, you can try wet cleaning, but best may be sending the camera back to canon.

Good luck

 

[eml58]

The Zeiss cleaner should be fine (my order is blower then LensPen then Zeiss cleaner, although most of my lenses have a B+W MRC UV on them).

But those spots in your image aren't from the front of the lens - spots on the front element don't usually appear in images at all (unless the spots are penny-sized - and even then, they would not be in focus). So...in addition to spots on your lens, you've got dust on your sensor.

Agree, if you can see spots on the Lens Front Element, as advised try first with a LensPen, then Zeiss Cleaning Solution, if that doesn't get it off, back to Canon, you may have splashed something acidic onto the front element that's pitted the Lens Coating.

And it does look more like you have Dust on the Sensor, point the Camera at a light blue sky, slightly OOF, take a shot then check in your software, if you have the spots on the Image it's more likely a Dirty Sensor, Use a Rocket Blower, or better still The Arctic Butterfly Blower then try the Sensor Clean on the Camera a couple times, if that doesn't clear it, send to Canon for a clean.

A good piece of Kit is the Arctic Butterfly Brush, excellent for cleaning the Mirror & Sensor prior to getting out the Sensor Cleaning Swabs, again the "Visible Dust" work best for me.

I do my own Sensor Cleaning but quite honestly it's not for the faint hearted & unless you shoot in dusty environments (Like Africa), your better just sending it off to Canon for cleaning.

 

[westr70]

Appreciate all the comments. It's on the way to Canon for a cleaning. I live in a very dusty environment and while I have cleaned the sensor before, I wasn't confident I got the thing cleaned properly. I suspect I'll send it off once a year and then clean it myself depending on what shows up in between times. Thank you again, for your advice. I ordered the three of the filters as well. I don't want anything messing up those lens.

Best,
John