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The 'never touch the glass' rule on vintage lenses is getting ignored way too often
I had a customer bring in a 1960s Canon 50mm f/1.4 last week that was covered in thumbprints right on the front element. People keep wiping them with their shirt or a dry cloth and it scratches the coating. After three tries with proper cleaner and a microfiber cloth I got it clean, but the haze from the scratches still shows in bright light. Has anyone else noticed a recent uptick in junk lenses from people not knowing basic handling?
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sarah_brown12d ago
A friend tried rain-x on their vintage lens once.
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patricia_singh8112d ago
Man that stuff is way too aggressive for vintage coatings, I've seen it strip the anti-reflective layers right off old glass. You're better off with just a microfiber and some lens cleaner, maybe a little distilled water if it's really stubborn. Tell your friend to try spit and a soft cloth next time, it sounds gross but it actually works and won't ruin the coating.
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