On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 03:14:08 +0100, "Only Me..." wrote:
>Neuman-Ruether wrote in message
><35e95ab8.4686930@newsstand.cit.cornell.edu>...

>>Yes, this works well, as does lighter fluid (naptha - but not
>>in orange juice! ;-). My "ultimate" grease-chaser, though, if all
>>else fails, is to make a thin paste of 1/2 dish-washing detergent
>>and 1/2 water, smear it around ...........
>
> --------snipped because I deem it unsuitable for broadcast-----------

> OH MY GOD! You people are scary!! Dish washing detergent? LIGHTER
>FLUID!! What do you do to your lenses that require such cleaning methods?
>I've only ever needed to use a purpose made lens cloth, with no fluid on it
>at all. Keep a skylight on your lens, and this won't happen. All these
>people who don't use filters for fear of losing quality are being mislead.
>Filters are optically flat, hence optically inert. They have no effect upon
>image quality at all, if you use quality coated ones.
>
> Detergent?..... (stunned disbelief) Why not just put the whole damned
>camera outfit in the dishwasher and have done with it?

Hmmm, you deleted the part of the post that explained that MY lenses
are kept clean, so they require little cleaning - but I buy WAY too
many used lenses (see my Nikkor evaluation list, on my web page, under
"I babble"...), and many are truly grungy, requiring fairly extreme
measures to clean them (removing silicone "lens cleaner" is the
worst!!!). The point is, several cleaners do work well, and having
used them often, over a period of time, I can report that, at least
with Nikkor lenses (and a few others...;-), Windex, alcohol, naptha,
and dish-washing detergent not only work, but do not damage the lens
(or coating) surface. This, I would think, would be welcome news...;-)
BTW, I'm in full agreement with you regarding filters (though I
prefer UV to skylight, for color neutrality...).
And, hey, back when cameras were all-mechanical, without those
electronic-whiz-bang innards, maybe one COULD just toss them in
the dishwasher, then carefully dry them out afterwards.....! ;-)