How to Use a Lens Pen

You're on an Audubon chapter outing to nab some new birds, and your viewfinder captures a thumb print. Perhaps you're at a desert star party for some astronomical imaging, and sand has marred your lens. There's no time to lose with air blowers and cloths and bottles of cleaning solution. A lens pen gives you brush-and-wipe ability in one small package. Use a lens pen to clean all optical and digital lenses.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Lens pen
• Optics

Select a Lens Pen

1. Buy a regular lens pen for optical camera lenses and filters, binoculars, telescopes, spotting scopes, camcorders, rifle scopes, monoculars and night vision scopes.
2. Choose a mini lens pen for eyepieces, compact digital lenses and microscopes.
3. Select an instrument-specific lens pen for use with digital camera sensors, digital camera glass and cell phone camera lenses.
4. Purchase a camouflage lens pen for wildlife observation or hunting.

Use a Lens Pen

5. Expose the brush and gently dust your lens to remove particles from the surface and along the seal.
6. Uncap the cleaning end of the lens pen and gently rub the lens surface in a circular motion, from the center outward, until it is clean.
7. Employ your lens pen brush to knock sand, dust, dried salt-spray, hair or other debris from your lens.
8. Utilize the cleaning end of a lens pen to remove lens smudges from skin oil, mud, sunscreen or lotion.
9. Use the cleaning end of the lens pen to wipe away splatters or liquid residue.

Tips & Warnings

• Some lens pens have a brush on one end and a cleaning tip on the other. It is not uncommon, though, to find the brush and tip sold as two separate units.
• Lens pens are non-toxic and environmentally safe.
• Lens pens reduce static electricity by repelling dust and particles after use.
• Lens pens have many stalwart fans among outdoor photographers and filmmakers, who may face more frequent cleaning demands than the average user.
• Regular lens pens are usually advertised as safe for all types of optic lenses. However, some lens pens are designed for specialized use. Note the manufacturer's instructions before you use your lens pen to avoid damaging your telescope.
• Certain brands of lens pens may require special capping and storage to disperse the cleaning solution.
• Some users consider lens pens an unhealthy choice for expensive lenses. They cite scratches, residue or a harsh cleaning solution formula as problems, and find the overall results to be more detrimental than beneficial.

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