I have a couple of Bolex that are a little dirty and while I’ve read a few of the basics (such as buy a camel hair brush, get a new turkey baster to blow dust from the lens and gate, never touch the glass, don’t breath on it ,no canned air, no Q-tips, obviously no insane solvent concoctions and so on.) the fact remains that I’ve simply never cleaned a lens before in my life.

I do understand it’s a delicate operation that calls for the right solution and lens tissue, but is it REALLY all that hard to do, or am I simply freaked by well meaning, yet perhaps over cautious internet research fodder?

I really really don’t want to have to pay someone or send my cameras off just to have someone do what I need to learn to do myself eventually (I feel like a kid that can’t tune his guitar), but I’m stuck until I can get them cleaned up.

So any tips or suggestions on decent cleaning kits? Any recommendations or flat out warnings on which product to use (or avoid) to wipe off the camera’s body? Do I need to be aware of the type of lens I have in order to avoid damaging any coating they might have?


Thanks :)

The ONLY kit you need (and want) for lenses (multicoated too): http://www.scrappers.us/scrapper/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=CK607
Here is the same kit with a pouch and microfiber cloth (not for your expensive lenses, in my opinion): http://www.cleanoptics.com/default.asp
Formula MC. Do not touch your lenses with any other cleaner.

Manufacturer's info: http://www.pecaproducts.com

Thanks Indie :)

If filming in 1 location (Camera static, lighting artificial and constant) and I wish to do wide, close and medium shots using the 3 lenses on my camera's turret, do I simply take 1 light reading and set all 3 lenses F stops to that reading??

Thanks :)

You can get away with that. I'm not sure it would be any different than taking 3 light readings, and setting each lens from a distinct reading, if the readings were all the same!

However, I tend to keep checking, and rechecking settings when I'm shooting on film, because I have no instant review function, and you can never be sure that something won't change, you misread your meter, or bumped on of your settings. It's not a catastrophe if you catch it early in the shoot.

To answer your question in another way; the F-stop is a factor of lens opening and focal length. The same f-stop should transmit the same amount of light through any lens, so you can set all of the lenses to the same f-stop and have a reasonable expectation of consistent exposure, all other factors being equal.

Thank you once again Oak Street. :)

I am glad to know that is possible. Recheking makes a lot of sense now that I think of it. Good advice.

Thanks :)