08/29/2022
John Williamson
VINE VOICE
5.0 out of 5 stars ROR for Camera Lenses: Saves the day when others fail
There are many different ways of removing crud and spots from photographic lenses and filters. Some are good, others are better, and some are there when all other methods fail.
Have used ROR Residual Oil Remover Lens Cleaner over the last fifteen years as a lens cleaning solution when nothing else would work, but it's often hard to find. Bought it here in this 2 oz. pump size when I found that I could not get the embedded crud off of the front element of a used 24mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor Lens that I had bought locally for less than the price of two good Ø52mm filters. It was a gamble, but seemingly worth it.
Fingerprints on front or rear lens elements are left as a result of perspiration and oils left when one touches the surfaces. Though sweat is mainly water, it contains oils, minerals and other compositions that can wreak havoc upon a lens or filter surface, especially if left there for a period of time. It may not render the lens unusable, but will definitely effect the lens or filter sharpness, especially on multicoated optics.
◆ What It Does:
ROR isn't a standard optical surface cleaner as we know them. It actually emulsifies and removes imperceptible oil residues, a byproduct of sweat, environmental pollution and other causes, from the microscopic surface and pores of glass and acrylic surfaces. As a result, dust and pollutants have nothing to adhere to, which allows the surface to remain cleaner for a longer period of time.
◆ In Use:
Cleaning a lens or filter is fairly straightforward, but you need to use a blower such as the Giottos Rocket Air Blaster or a lens brush to remove any general loose particles that may be on the surface. Next, place a couple of drops of ROR on the surface and let the solution sit for a few moments. Then gently wipe the surface in a circular fashion with a non-treated microfiber lens cleaning cloth or lens tissue, taking care to use a clean area of cloth or tissue each time you wipe.
You may find it better to squeeze a couple of drops of ROR onto the microfiber lens cleaning cloth or applicator that you're using, and be sure to apply enough pressure to effectively clean the optical surface. You may have to do this 2 to 3 times if the surface had a lot of crud. Then use a clean cloth or tissue to do a final wipe of the surface, again using enough pressure to get it clean.
As a final step, I used the LensPen NLP-1 from my LensPen New DSLR Pro Camera Cleaning Kit by uncapping the pad end of the LensPen, then gently moving it on the lens surface in a circular fashion. It will generally leave some small, black flecks that that are similar to black charcoal powder. These were dusted off with the brush end, as it's just residue from the carbon cleaning compound.
The result? A sparkling clean surface on both the front and rear elements of the 24mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor lens, and in use the results from my Nikon DSLR showed that I had picked up a lucky bargain. I already knew that ROR was a good product from past experience, but in this case it exceeded my expectations.
◆ Summary:
ROR Residual Oil Remover Lens Cleaner is an excellent solution for situations as described above. Since then I've used it on all of the lenses for my various cameras and filters as general maintenance, and also used it on my regular glasses, which are worn daily. Putting it simply, ROR is a highly recommended product, and saves the day when others fail.
