I was told by an expert that touching a lens will ruin the quality. He instructed me to send it in to a expert so they can use the proper equipment. True? Not necessarily.
Just be careful not to scratch it while cleaning or handling it.
You can clean the lens yourself by using one of those tissue papers that are exclusively for cleaning camera lenses and/or one of those soft bristle brushes that blow air. Never clean it with water or damp cloth (unless it is a special solution, but I have never used one). If it is a "motorized lens", automatic focus, or one that is permanently attached to your digital camera, never touch it if the lens is moving - then you can damage it.
Careful when you are near the beach or where there is loose soil, sand, or the like because it can scratch your lens.
Only send it to clean professionally if it is an expensive lens, has mold, fungus or if you might need to repair an inside lens. If it is an inexpensive lens, it might be about the same to buy a new lens than to clean it. It costs an arm and a leg in the United States to do that. If you live in another country and you have an inexpensive lens, then it might be worth it to get it professionally repaired or cleaned.
Remember that a lot of salespeople just want you to go back to get service from them or from people they know, and if you don't know too much about the subject, they might take advantage of that.
Hope that helps. No, you can clean it yourself! Pros clean all their lenses themselves. There are several methods, and the previous answerer told you one of them.
But I prefer using a microfiber cloth and blower brush on my lenses, not lens tissue. You can buy these at any camera store for around $5 each. First blow off any loose dust. (If something is stuck on the lens, you might need a lens cleaning solution to remove it. But if you keep the lens cap on when you're not taking photos, I doubt if you'll have anything stuck on your lens.) Then gently clean the lens with the microfiber cloth.
Like you, I was always afraid to clean my lenses except with a blower brush. But I was forced to while taking nature photography in Maine one fall. And I've been doing it since, with no problems! buy a $5 lens cleaning kit |
