How to Clean Your Lenses Properly? – Experts from ARRI Explain

MZed Education

by Mascha DeikovaJune 8^th, 2023

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Every piece of camera gear needs constant love and care. Lenses are no exception, and I bet, at this moment, you are asking yourself whether there is anything new about cleaning a lens. Well, let the industry experts from ARRI surprise you. In the Tech Talk, available on MZed.com, they provide step-by-step instructions on how to clean your lenses properly. We share this quick rundown here, and even if the topic sounds obvious, give it a try! You’re in for a treat.  

Of course, there are plenty of methods and materials for this, and every cinematographer may have their own kit and experience. However, some stuff is not suitable for lens cleaning and can even be harmful to the health of its users. So, it’s important to learn the right techniques from the beginning and to make sure you’re doing it right. In the end, better safe than sorry!

Preparations and suitable materials

There are whole labs and services, which offer not only lens repair but also extensive cleaning. But you can and should regularly perform some basic steps at home. First of all, it requires the right material and tools. ARRI specialists’ trustworthy choices are the following:

• Lab gloves. Very handy item during a lens cleaning. First, they are made out of a breathable material – cotton, so even wearing them all day is not a problem. At the same time, they have rubber fingertips, which allow a better grip to hold the lens properly and avoid accidents. You can find those off- and online practically everywhere.
• Chamois leather – very soft (also sometimes made from cotton), which is durable and provides good water absorption.
• Microfiber cleaning cloth. In the picture above, you see the special one from ARRI, featuring a so-called MICRODEAR material from Japan (soft, antistatic, not harmful to the glass). However, you can find other equivalents online. The important tip here: always wash in cold water, and don’t add any softener (it damages the material’s fibers).
• Cotton swabs. The small ones will become your go-to for cleaning the tiny spots on the lens. There is also another type with a flatter, thinner end, which is very practical for the edges (see the example below).
• Two types of brushes: a flat paintbrush, which you should use only for the housing and outside parts (we will show you how and why further down), and specialized soft brushes, also suitable for cleaning the glass.

Liquids you can use to clean your lenses properly

For some people – myself included – it may be a surprise, but you can use a normal glass cleaner, like Sidolin, Windex, etc., both for the outer parts and for the glass of the lens. ARRI experts promise that it is safe. However, it’s also not the strongest agent.

In most cases, the specialists use IPA Isopropyl alcohol. It is handy for getting rid of fat or glue, like gaffer tape residues. Yet, you still should apply it with caution. And if you have very old lenses or filters, maybe it’s a better idea to check the agent on a small spot first, as their coatings were not as resistant as the modern ones. Choosing the right solution, you may take into account that 99% IPA is better than 70%, but the latter also works and costs less.

What about acetone? The answer is to avoid it by all means. First, some lenses – like the ARRI Signature primes – are painted and not anodized (because they are made primarily of magnesium alloy, which provides significant weight saving). Acetone shows no mercy to paint and can destroy both the protective coating and the painted marks on the lens. Also, it damages plastic, which the focus rings on some lenses are made of. Finally and most importantly, like other aggressive chemicals, acetone is not good for your health.

The very first step in lens cleaning

The shoot is over, you come home, put on your lab gloves, and it’s time to take care of your lenses. The first step, even before you remove the lens caps, is the rough cleaning of the barrel and the gearing parts. Sometimes, they may be covered in sand or dirt, so a can with pressurized air or a rocket-air blower will come in handy. Another option is to use the flat paintbrush that we showed above, as it’s particularly practical for gear rings. Important note: during this process, you should hold your lens vertically with the front glass facing the ceiling. That way, you swipe the dirt and sand down and avoid bringing particles into the moving elements of the lens.

If you notice fat or glue on the outer parts, and the brush or canned air cannot remove it, take a microfiber cloth with some IPA on it. That should help.

When finished, don’t forget to clean your lens caps, both front and rear! It doesn’t make sense to take care of the lens only if the caps still store dust and sand. Now, we can start with precise glass cleaning.

Getting rid of small stains and dust particles

Inspect your lens first. When the glass only has tiny stains, and the rest of the lens looks perfect, go with the cotton swab, dipped into Isopropyl or Sidolin. Remember: gentle pressure and a careful approach are your best friends in this process.

However, if you see a lot of fingerprints or even dirt, you should use a microfiber cloth (also with a cleaning liquid on it). What’s important is to start wiping from the center and clean the glass with a circular motion outwards. The reason is: at the edge of the lens there is a little gap from the retina ring, which can gather dust or sand particles. So, if you start from the outside, you may bring those particles to the glass and damage the lens.

Repeat the same procedure for the rear lens element and your filters.

Other tips for how to clean your lenses

If you clean lenses on a daily basis and want to build a dedicated workplace, you may think of getting a special antistatic base for the table and a rotating platform. Apart from that, a clean surface and good lighting will do.

Among other tips: breathing on the lens before wiping it is helpful, and getting special protection for the glass (especially on the filters) makes cleaning them much faster. If you want to gain more insight from working with ARRI camera systems, lenses, lights, and accessories, head over to MZed.com and watch all the episodes of “ARRI Tech Talk”.

What else do you get with MZed Pro?

As an MZed Pro member, you have access to over 500 hours of filmmaking education (including roughly 17 hours of ARRI Tech Talk sessions). Plus, we’re constantly adding more courses (several are in production right now).

For just $30/month (billed annually at $349), here’s what you’ll get:

• 54+ courses, over 850+ high-quality lessons, spanning over 500 hours of learning.
• Highly produced courses from educators who have decades of experience and awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award.
• Unlimited access to stream all content during the 12 months.
• Offline download and viewing with the MZed iOS app.
• Discounts to ARRI Academy online courses, exclusively on MZed.
• Most of our courses provide an industry-recognized certificate upon completion.
• Purchasing the courses outright would cost over $9,000.
• Course topics include cinematography, directing, lighting, cameras and lenses, producing, indie filmmaking, writing, editing, color grading, audio, time-lapse, pitch decks, and more.
• 7-day money-back guarantee if you decide it’s not for you.

Full disclosure: MZed is owned by CineD

Let’s turn the tables! How do you clean your lenses? Any insights we should consider adding to this thorough step-by-step guide from ARRI?

Feature image source: ARRI Academy / MZed.