What kind of microfiber cloth is best for cleaning camera lenses?
Asked 6/25/2017
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I’ve seen two different products sold as “microfiber” lens cloths. One is towel-like with a fuzzy nap, and the other is smooth, tightly woven, and almost silky. In practice, the smooth type seems much better for cleaning lenses, while the fuzzy type seems better suited to other surfaces.
Is there a specific name or term for the smooth, non-napped lens-cleaning type so it’s easier to identify when shopping online?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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I used to work for a firm that imported these from China by the container full. They called the towel like one a microtex to be used as a wet or dry cleaning cloth (or rag), and the smooth one a microglass for glass cleaning and dry dusting. I use the microtex for the body and the microglass for the glass for a heavy clean, though I use those lens pens most often and occasionally lens fluid and tissue.
Originally by user60903. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user60903
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There doesn’t seem to be one universal name for it. The smooth lens-safe version is commonly described as a lint-free microfiber cloth for glass, screens, or lenses. One answer mentioned trade names like “microglass” for the smooth glass-cleaning type and “microtex” for the towel-like type, but those aren’t standard industry terms.
In practice, look for these cues instead of a single name:
- lint-free microfiber
- intended for glass / optics / screens / lenses
- smooth, tightly woven, non-fuzzy surface
Microfiber quality varies by weave, density, finishing, and fiber blend, so not all microfiber cloths are the same. The towel-like, napped versions are often made more for general cleaning or absorbency, while the smooth type is better suited to optical surfaces.
So the safest shopping term is: lint-free microfiber lens cloth or lint-free microfiber glass cloth.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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