Debate: cleaning a lens with a microfiber cloth vs an air blower first

I messed up a nice Contax lens last month by using a blower and driving dust deeper into the barrel. But I also scratched a different lens a few years back by rubbing too hard with a cloth. Which step actually gets the junk off without causing more damage? I'm leaning toward blowing first now but I'd like to hear what others do in their shops.

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.faith2d ago

Wait, you really think a blower is the better first step? I've seen so many lenses get wrecked because people blast air right into the barrel and push grit further inside where you can't even reach it. Honestly, I'd argue the exact opposite - using a microfiber cloth first, but with a super light touch, is the safer bet every time. The trick is to just let the cloth rest on the dust and softly lift it off, not rub or scrub at all. If you have sticky dust or pollen on there, a blower just gums it up deeper, while a gentle cloth swipe gets it off clean. I've been burned by both methods, but after losing that Contax lens, I'm never trusting a blower near a bare element again.

knight.felix2d ago

+1 on losing a Contax lens. Blowers are risky.

piper7792d ago

That Contax story just flipped my whole cleaning routine around.