Wasted $150 on a lens cleaning kit that did more harm than good

I bought one of those fancy lens cleaning kits off Amazon with the special fluid and microfiber cloths. Figured I was being smart avoiding the cheap stuff. First use on a vintage 50mm f/1.4 I was restoring and the fluid left streaks that looked like someone drooled on the glass. Tried again with a different cloth from the same kit and it actually scratched a tiny spot on the rear element. Now I'm stuck with a lens that's worth maybe half of what it was before. Called the seller and they said it was operator error, no refund. I've gone back to using a simple rocket blower and a new, single-use lens wipe for anything stuck. Has anyone else had bad luck with those all-in-one cleaning kits?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_anthony1mo ago

Huh, I gotta push back on this one a little. I've used those same kits for years and never had that problem. The fluid is meant for a single wipe and then you toss the cloth, not reuse it. You said you used a different cloth from the same kit after the first one left streaks, which sounds like you might have been pressing too hard or using a dirty cloth on the second go. The rocket blower is good for dust, but it won't get rid of oils or smudges. If a tiny scratch on the rear element really dropped the value that much, you might be overthinking it - those don't show up in photos unless they're right in the middle and deep. Maybe that seller was a jerk, but $150 for a cleaning kit is insane no matter what. I'd cut your losses and just use the blower and a $5 bottle of ROR from a camera shop from now on.

allen.kai1mo ago

A photographer buddy of mine once told me that most lens coatings are way tougher than people give them credit for, and he's tested it by wiping down his front element with a microfiber cloth and plain water for years with zero issues. That whole thing about needing special fluid for every single wipe sounds like marketing hype more than anything else. The real trick is just using a clean cloth and not grinding dirt into the glass, which is where the rocket blower comes in handy first.

angela5871mo ago

I hear you on the pressing too hard part, that's a good point I didn't consider. It's frustrating when a bad experience makes you second-guess everything, but I'm glad you found a system that works.

jade5171mo ago

Yeah, same here. The rocket blower and ROR combo has never let me down either.