PSA: Don't bother with those cheap lens cleaning swabs from Amazon

I bought a 50-pack of those generic lens cleaning swabs for $8 last month. Thought I was saving money over the $15 brand name ones. First time I used one on a Canon 50mm f/1.4, a tiny fiber came loose and stuck right on the rear element. Had to use a rocket blower 4 times to get it off. Waste of $8 and 20 minutes of aggravation. Anyone else have bad luck with these cheap swabs?

2 comments

2 Comments

alex_hall9119d ago

My buddy Mike swore by those cheap swabs for his Sony kit, and he ended up with a tiny scratch across the front element of his 24-70 f/2.8. He thought it was just dust, but when he wiped it, the scratch was right there (a real heartbreaker). He spent the next week trying to buff it out with a microfiber cloth, no luck. Now he only buys the brand name ones, calls the cheap ones "grit on a stick" or something like that. It's a shame because $8 feels like a steal until it costs you way more.

amy_sanchez19d ago

Learned that lesson the hard way myself, @alex_hall91. Those cheap swabs are literally just fiber time bombs waiting for your glass. Now I always buy the name brand ones and cut each one in half to stretch them - works perfect and I don't risk trashing a lens.