LensPen

Now, one of the greatest worry of any photographer with DSLRs, or basically anyone who cares much about their lens equipment, worry about the cleaning and maintenance of their lenses.

I've never really been updated with camera equipment advancement, so when I was given a DigiKlear by LensPen, I did a quick google, and I was told that the brush was useful, but not to use the carbon part. Being the careful, afraid to damage anything sort of person, I left the carbon part alone.

It was not until today, when I went shopping for a dry cabinet, that I thought, "Hey, I might as well get a UV filter for my 50mm, since its been seeing more light of day than my 18-105mm kit lens." So off I went to a said shop, got the shopkeeper to let me open the case and see the filter itself (only after pulling out my card, and telling him that yes, I'm buying).

Oh, My, God. You would think that out of the box, it will be in pristine condition. It has tiny hairs on it, some small smudges all over the place. Unhappy, I showed the shopkeeper. How am I supposed to judge if there isn't any flaws when I can barely make out the hairs from possible cracks? Kindly, he tried cleaning. But it was through this cleaning process that I noticed a tiny hairline scratch. *PHEW* Close shave...

The next one he pulled out, SAME SITUATION! So being the guy in a rush to get out, I used his blower to shift whatever I suspected possibly to be cracks or flaws, to ensure they are simply hairs, before making my purchase.

Back home, with dirty filter, I asked my friend for solution (pun unintended). Our conversation went somewhat like this.

Me: Hey, any idea on how to remove smears?
Friend: lenspen.











Me: Yep, I got me one of those. So I just brush?
Friend: Yep.











Me: Oh btw, what is the carbon part for?
Friend: *links to lenspen product site*.











Me: OMG!!!

Basically, the google site that told me never to use that part, was horridly wrong. Removing smears is as easy as drawing circles all over your lens with the carbon part. If its just hairs, then use the brush. WHAT AN AMAZING TOOL~!

So, now you know... I never leave home without it.

*edit* From my friend, always brush first, before using the carbon part. This is to remove fine particles that might scratch the lens when you use the carbon part. You've been warned!