In article <19961112044300.XAA17608@ladder01.news.aol.com>, jarnold975@aol.com says...
>In article <567sgu$64@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu>, d_ruether@hotmail.com (Bob
>Neuman) writes:

>>It sounds like you would be better off leaving it alone - unless
>>you know how to clean the delicate front-silvered mirror and/or
>>are willing to accept the possible hairline scratches resulting
>>from even a very careful cleaning. If you wish to proceed, this
>>is how I do it:
>> - wash hands in dishwashing detergent to remove oils
>> - gently breath up onto the mirror (to minimize spit marks)
>> - LIGHTLY, while rotating it, swirl a fresh Q-Tip over a
>> limited area of the mirror surface
>> - repeat, with fresh Q-Tips, until the whole surface is clean
>> (you may not need to go over the whole surface)
>> - if an area remains dirty, spray a slight amount of a
>> commercial glass cleaner, like Windex, onto a clean Q-Tip,
>> after which, clean the area again using breath
>> - remove the viewing screen, blow off the under side of the prism
>> gently, using a large hand air syringe, being careful not to
>> touch the mirror surface
>> - blow off the viewing screen, and replace it in the camera (do
>> not blow into the VF after this, or dust will be forced above
>> the screen, requiring removal of the screen to eliminate it)

>No! Your first hint was best. Do Not Touch or Clean the Mirror. Take
>it to your Camera Repair facility and pay them to do it for you. They have
>the tools and skills to do the job. Some of the cleaning hints given
>will
>damage the mirror surface. This is especially true with the more advanced
>cameras such as the entire EOS line and most likely the Nikon line as
>well.
>These hints might work with the older manual SLR's they should not be
>applied
>to modern Electronic AF cameras.

Hmmm - why? The mirrors are the same in new and old cameras (at least in Nikons), and why pay noticeable bucks to a repair service to have them
do just what I described (unless one feels insecure about doing it - and
I did point out the risks, though a few hairline scratches in the mirror
acquired during the course of several cleanings [which should be unnecessary, with reasonable care taken during lens changes] will have
no optical consequences).
Hope This Helps