How do I safely remove shattered UV filter glass from the front of a lens?
Asked 5/29/2014
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2 answers
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A UV filter shattered on the front of my lens while it was in my camera bag. I removed the filter ring, but there are still tiny glass fragments on and around the front element. I have a bulb blower and lens wipes, but I’m worried about scratching the lens if I try to wipe it.
What is the safest way to remove the remaining glass from the lens? Should this be handled at home, or is it better to take the lens to Canon service or a camera repair shop if fragments may be trapped in crevices?
Also, what’s the best way to clean the camera bag and other gear that may now have small glass particles on them?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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There's a liquid that you can get called collodion that you can pour onto a surface. When it dries, it forms a flexible film that can be peeled off. Unless the lens coating is super delicate, this should be a safe method for cleaning particulates off a lens. It is the method once used to clean SLR mirrors and is still used to clean telescope mirrors. Unfortunately, if the glass is in the crevices, I would hesitate to use collodion in case it seeps into the gap between the front element and the retaining ring.
The absolute safest thing you can do is to remove the front element from the lens if you want to be sure you got every last microscopic piece of glass out of the crevices. Otherwise, blow it off very gently with a rocket blower, holding the lens upside down so that you don't just push the particles around, but instead give them a chance to fall away. To be honest, there shouldn't be much difficulty in removing glass bits. I wouldn't stress about it too much.
Originally by user27201. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user27201
12y ago
0
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Start with the least-contact method: use a bulb/rocket blower, not wipes. Hold the lens face down and blow gently from below so loosened glass falls away instead of being dragged across the front element. Avoid high-pressure, unfiltered air, which can push particles across the glass or into the lens.
Do not wipe first while fragments may still be present, as that’s the easiest way to scratch the front element or coatings. If you can remove all visible particles with a blower, that is usually the safest DIY approach.
If tiny shards appear lodged in crevices around the front element, professional service is the safest option. A camera repair shop or Canon service would be appropriate if you’re concerned debris may have gotten into gaps or the lens internals.
For the bag, empty it completely and vacuum it thoroughly, including seams, dividers, and hook-and-loop areas. Also inspect and clean any other gear that was in the bag, since stray glass getting into a camera or lens mechanism is a bigger risk than debris sitting on the exterior.
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