Nikon Lens Pen Cleaning System – 7072

Der Nikon Lens Pen Reinigungsstift ist meiner Meinung nach ganz praktisch habe ihn jedoch auch noch nicht oft in gebrauch gehabt. Was ich jedoch sagen kann ist, dass er für den Preis die Linse eigentlich ganz gut reinigt. Weiss allerdings auch nicht ob es nicht noch bessere Produkte giebt da ich nur ein einfacher Hobby Fotograf bin.

Not a photographer and not a lens / optic aficionado. But I will say that this cleaned up a dirty red dot sight on my cordless hole puncher very nicely and will be traveling in my range bag and camping gear with me going forward. Worked well as intended. Easy to use and inexpensive, worth it to keep sensitive optic lenses clean.

Lens pens such as this 

Nikon 7072 Lens Pen Cleaning System

 are quite handy and great for field use, but they can be misunderstood. Think of these as a brush for removing debris from the front of the lens or the filter with a small cleaning pad at the other end, and you’ll be closer to what they are. I’ve had a few of these under different brand names, but they all seem to function the same way.

In Use:

The main thing to remember is that the lens brush portion of this device is the essential tool to remove dust and debris from your filter or front lens surface while in the field. It should be used gently, just dusting off any debris or dust that you may find on the lens. I use protective UV filters on each of my DSLR lenses, but most compact digital cameras don’t have the option of using these. Most of the compact point-and-shoot cameras have protective louver blades, and the lens retracts behind these when the camera is turned off. In that case, dust or debris could be trapped behind the protective blades, so it’s doubly important with these compact cameras to dust off any debris before powering off.

The retractable brush slides out for use quite easily, and it’s quite soft. You may be tempted to touch the brush, but it’s suggested that this be avoided, as your fingers may leave oils on the brush tip, and then you may find that it leaves streaks on the lens or filter surface, which will result in it needing further cleaning.

At the other end is a capped cleaning pad for removing smudges and fingerprint marks from the end of your lens. This part should be employed only after you’ve used the brush portion to clean dust or debris from the filter or lens surface. If you rub too hard and dust residue is still present, it can leave small or microscopic scratches on the multicoated lens surface, and that’s not something you want. Just remember: brush first, then wipe, and you should be OK.

Alternative Products:

As noted earlier, there is a variety of similar devices available here. The 

AmazonBasics Lens Pen Cleaning System

 is a good one, and it has slightly different features. The original 

LensPEN Lens Cleaning System

, where most these had their beginnings, is a proven product, and there’s a newer version, the 

LensPen NLP-1

, which is more compact than its predecessors. If you look around here, you’ll find other brands as well, so compare the features and the prices, as they do fluctuate.

Additional Cleaning Remedies:

Anyone with a digital camera knows that it’s almost impossible to keep the LCD display screen clean and free of fingerprints. One can get the various clear film screen protectors, only to find within a few days or weeks they will fall off, or they’ll be the type that are sticky, and leave a gummy residue all over the back of your camera. There are some made of ultra-thin optical glass “with at least 90% transmittance” but some of those also require gummy tape to be applied to the LCD screen or the rear of the camera.

I don’t clean the LCD screen on any of my digital cameras with any part of the lens pen. I use the 

Nikon 8072 Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

, which is the same thing that I use on my eyeglasses, and there’s one that’s attached to my camera bag right now. The main reason is that all too often there will be additional fingerprints or even “nose grease” on the LCD surface, and I’ve found it better to not let this contaminate the lens surface. When at home, I’ll usually use the larger 

Nikon MicroKlear Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

 for general maintenance. What they don’t tell you is that the microfiber cleaning cloth is washable, so I’ve had years of use from these.

Summary:

These products are all relatively inexpensive, and are a low cost way of maintaining your photo gear. The 

Nikon 7072 Lens Pen Cleaning System

 and the others mentioned here are quite compact, and fit quite easily into even small camera bags. Any of these would make a great gift for a photographer or anyone using field optics, and are usually quite appreciated. They’re highly recommended for keepin’ it clean.

9/3/2012

First I will review the product, then I will address some negative issues raised by other users, and finally I suggest how to use the Lens Pen as part of your lens cleaning system.

Product Review
==============
The product is constructed of durable plastic. The price-to-benefit ratio is very high since it is very good at what it does and I’m sure I will use it for years to come. Compactness (or specifically, length) is the only issue I have with Lens Pens, by Nikon or any other manufacturer. I don’t understand is why they can’t make them shorter. The thickness of the product is appropriate but it doesn’t need to be 5 inches long for the 2 simple tools it includes. They could have made it at least 1 inch shorter. Carrying the lens pen becomes difficult if you don’t have large bag (I have one that only fits my D3000: 

Caselogic SLRC-201 SLR Zoom Holster (Black)

)

Issues
======
This pen should not be the only tool you use to clean your lens but should certainly be part of your kit. The most interesting aspect of the Pen is the “Carbon black” tip (see my close-up picture in the customer images) that has caused some controversy. Some people claim it leaves smudges on their hands (check out customer images) meaning certainly that “smudges are left on their lenses” right? Wrong. According to an official statement by Nikon, “Carbon black has been found to be a [not THE] most suitable material for cleaning optical surfaces”. Therefore, “Adsorption of organic contaminants” by Carbon black particles functions using “the same principle as activated-charcoal water filters.” (customer image, B. Cooper).

What all this essentially means is that Carbon black IS safe to use on any optical surface and while it may smudge on your hand, the Lens Pen is designed to clean glass not skin! I have not seen any black smudges in pictures I have taken after cleaning my lenses with the Lenspen. In fact, the lens looks like brand new every time I clean it using Lenspen.

Make this a part of your lens cleaning system
=============================================
Here is how I use the Lens Pen to clean my D3000’s lens:
1. Use a blower for the removal of non-sticky debris: I use the 

Giottos AA1900 Rocket Air Blaster Large (Black)

. Do not rely on your breath because you WILL eventually spit.
2. Use Lens Pen’s included brush for the removal of sticky solid debris.
3. Use Lens Pen’s carbon pad for the removal of liquid stains or anything the first two methods did not.
4. If, after using the Lens Pen’s carbon tip, there are still liquid stains on the lens (river or sea mist, someone sneezed on your lens, etc.) use toilet paper with high-percentage rubbing alcohol (don’t use water or any other type of alcohol [eg, ethanol]). (Restart at step 1 to remove any lint left by the toilet paper.)

Use these steps and your lens will deteriorate slowly.
Never ever: use your shirt to clean your lens or a lens cleaning cloth unless it has been kept very clean (they acquire microparticles very quickly, use the brush!).