Lens cleaning pen - is it good?

[davidpretorius]

I saw dave47tuc using one of these at snakevalley. It looked excellent!

I though i want one of those, but stopped when i saw how cheap it is!!! $18 I thought it would have been more???

https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=6621

Anyone else have any comments to the usefullness of one of these. I really don't like the ??% isopropyl i am using and if i get the radian or pentax or whatever, i want to be able to clean it with confidence!!!

Thanks

[xstream (John)]

Excellent product Dave.
It even works on the Naglers.

[davidpretorius]

Yes, i really do not want to scratch the good ones when i get them. A hurricane blower would be best to use first and then the pen???

Would I need anything else???

[Starkler (Geoff)]

This is what I do
1: Gently brush away any dust or dirt.
2: Use windex on a cotton bud gently to get any gunk off. Alcohol doesnt seem to work well with water based gunk.
3: Polish any remaining smears away with the lenspen.

I wouldnt use the lenspen on a dirty eyepiece and risk transferring contaminants.

[rumples riot]

David I use the lens pen on my camera lenses. I would not use it if I thought it would even leave a slight scatch.

Your right though, use the hurrican blower first then lens pen. Or do like Gary does.

[davidpretorius]

thanks geoff! nice and simple but effective!

[davidpretorius]

and rumples, thank you as well!

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Yes, it works and the best way I know how to clean EPs and other optical (glass) elements. It does leave a residue, but you would not see it normally. I can only see it on the projector lens when its being flooded with high intensity light from the lamp.

I've seen both Hurricane blowers and Lenspen around for much less than Bintel sell them for (close to 1/2 price). Sorry, I can't remember where, but it was an Oz astronomy shop.

[Stu]

Just about any camera shop has them. I bought mine for about ten bucks.
The only problem is they really only work well on eyepieces with large lenses. A small focal length plossl is hard to clean because the pens pad is 4 times larger than the lens of the plossl. You can use the edge of the pad but you always miss a bit.

[h0ughy (David)]

I have a couple, but don't keep them forever, change the m every once and a while - 18 dollar lens pen up against $2000 lens, works for me!

[asimov (John)]

That's cool Dave....You can clean my EPs for me before you send em' back to me! The LV could do with a spruce up

[iceman (Mike)]

Sounds good guys i'm on the hunt for one myself. I'll pick one up next time i'm in Bintel.

[davidpretorius]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

I have a couple, but don't keep them forever, change the m every once and a while - 18 dollar lens pen up against $2000 lens, works for me!

once or twice a year???

[h0ughy (David)]

once every 3 years

[atalas]

I got one from Bintel David there great !

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Sounds like a good opportunity for a batch purchase Mike, like the red light pens and astronomy 2006. I reacon you'd get heaps of takers. I'll have 2 or 3.

[acropolite (Phil)]

I'll take a couple too if we can get a bulk purchase hapenning...

[davidpretorius]

sounds like a vote!!!!

[33South (Chris)]

Originally Posted by iceman

Sounds good guys i'm on the hunt for one myself. I'll pick one up next time i'm in Bintel.

Dont want to do BinTel out of your business but you can get them from most good camera shops.

[square_peg114GT]

How is the oil/dirt removed from the lens pen after each cleaning to prevent it from being transferred to the next eyepiece?

Does this thing really work better than a small amount of lens cleaning solution sprayed onto a Q-tip or lens tissue? I guess I just like the idea of disposing of the cleaning tool for fear of re-introducing a foreign object to a lens.