EOS R1/3/5 Viewfinder Glass - polish / protection / exchange?

[Copland]

Since I started using mirrorless cameras, I've been having long-term issues with the viewfinder glass: it gets unsightly little scratches.

What can be done to prevent this (besides only using the camera in a cleanroom)? What do you do for protection?

Currently, I have the R3s, and as with the Rs, R5s, R6s before, there are already slight scratches present. Can these be somewhat removed with a plastic polish (similar to what is used for watch glasses), or is the surface coated in a way that polishing it will just make it worse by removing the coating in the center?

Or is it easy to just remove and replace the glass? I don't want to pay several hundred euros/dollars to have the entire viewfinder replaced, only for a clean plastic.

Since the new R1 is just being unboxed, what can be done to better protect it in the future? Similar to the screen glass, a glass film or at least a protective film like before? Or does that interfere with the viewfinder? Do you have any experience with that?

 

[AlanF]

What do you do to scratch it?

 

[Copland]

I shoot outdoor
Dust, sometimes raindrops you swipe away, ...

 

[R1-7D]

I shoot outdoor
Dust, sometimes raindrops you swipe away, ...

View attachment 222934

Yikes! What are you using to wipe the viewfinder?

My philosophy has always been: don’t clean it unless you absolutely have to.

On occasion, I have had to clean droplet spots off my viewfinders. When this happens, I use a rocket blower to gently blow away large particles. Then I breathe on the viewfinder to mist it slightly, and finally, while the humidity from my breath is fogging it up, I use a viewfinder lens pen to clean the offending spot. To be clear, I only clean the large spot, and don’t attempt to get the rest of the viewfinder pristine.

To your question about using plastic polish: DON’T! The viewfinders are glass and have coatings on them. Using an abrasive polish will make things much worse.

The only way to fix your issue is to have the viewfinder glass replaced by Canon. I’m not sure whether they can just replace the glass, or whether the electronic viewfinder is one piece and an entirely new one would need to be installed.