Cleaning glass fragments from a lens

[pflower]

My daughter accidentally whacked my Nikon 12-24mm lens against a door frame, breaking (thankfully) only the UV filter.  However there are still quite a large number of tiny specks of glass clinging to the front element.  Some I extracted with a vacuum cleaner but others are stubborn.

Lens cleaning fluid and a cloth doesn't strike me as a good idea - likely to leave minor scratches.  Equally I am not sure that canned air would not do the same thing.

Any ideas, anyone?

Thanks

[wolfnowl]

Other than professional cleaning, you could try using a lens brush (with a small nozzle vaccuum in your other hand to remove loosened bits), but the first option would be better.  The problem might be in finding someone locally as shipping it would likely jar it enough to shake fragments all over the place.

Mike.

[wkramer]

Try a can of "Dust Off" or a similar product.  You can direct the blast of air at any specs you may can see and then do an overall lens dusting (with the Dust Off).  I've used it to clean lens for quite some time with no adverse effects to the lens. http://www.dust-off.com/products/computer-dusters.

Just use short bursts of air, press and immediately release.  That way you won't freeze anything.  Use only on lens glass nowhere else.

[feppe]

I have a lens cleaning kit from B&H which has a small stick with a sticky end to pick up specks of persistent dust without leaving residue on the lens or sensor.

[wolfnowl]

I think the problem the OP is facing is that glass dust is like very fine sandpaper, and if blown about s/he risks scratching the non-reflective coating on the surface of the lens.

Mike.

[Steve Weldon]

Static charge a microfiber cloth.. and just 'set' it on the lens.  It will pick up a lot of it..  Rinse and repeat as necessary.

[pflower]

Thanks, that makes sense.

[RFPhotography]

It's curious to me that we spend inordinate amounts of money on lenses then look for the cheapest, and probably least safe, way to deal with accidents.  I wouldn't even attempt this.  Take it to a professional shop and let them have a look at it. 

[JohnHeerema]

I assume that you are using the DX lens, as the FX 14-24 lens doesn't accept a UV filter.

At some risk of being branded a heretic, I'd say "don't worry too much about it". The anti-reflection coating is fairly tough on modern lenses. I'd be inclined to wet a cloth (ordinary water should be fine) quite thoroughly, and float the bits of glass off, using each section of cloth only once. The water is a fairly effective lubricant. Then clean and polish as usual.

On a related note, I'm not convinced that using a UV filter all of the time is a terrific idea, as it increases flare, and slightly reduces the effective lens quality a little bit. Of course, there are times, like when your daughter bashes something with the lens, that you've got to be happy that you had a filter on it!

[telyt]

Of course, there are times, like when your daughter bashes something with the lens, that you've got to be happy that you had a filter on it!

We can't guard against every freak accident, and the particular dynamics of each accident determine whether a UV filter's presence helps or harms the lens.  An exact duplicate control accident, but without a UV filter, would help us determine if the lens was actually protected by the sacrificial filter.  As it is we know that the lens was subjected to tiny specs of broken glass, but since most of us are unwilling to duplicate the incident in exact detail without the UV filter we can't say for certain whether the UV filter actually prevented greater damage to the lens.

[Steve Weldon]

Of course, there are times, like when your daughter bashes something with the lens, that you've got to be happy that you had a filter on it!

The OP would have been better served by a HOOD.  Filters are useful, but in this case less useful than a hood.

I do agree lenses aren't nearly as delicate as some are making them out to be.

[schrodingerscat]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

The best way to deal with anything, especially abrasive material, on a lens surface is to blow it off first. If material is left, use a soft brush and blow again. Then use lens tissue and solution(denatured or anhydrous alcohol will also do). If alcohol wont get it clean, use a photo optical lens solution. Avoid the stuff for eyeglasses. If using a microfiber cloth, fog the glass with your breath and make sure to drop it in the wash now and again. Try not to do any dry wiping.

As far as lens durability is concerned, it varies greatly from lens to lens. Lens hoods help with knocks, but do nothing for abrasive dust or other environmental hazards.

[250swb]

Modern lens coatings are incredibly tough, so the wet cloth idea is as good as any. An alternative would be to gently dab it with Blu-Tack or the sticky side of masking tape to lift the glass off, or indeed those sticky pads used for sensor cleaning. I can't see how a professional company would do it better.

Steve