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Lgdavis
Tinkerer
Username: Lgdavis
Post Number: 21
Registered: 08-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 22, 2009 - 09:23 am: | 
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I know SLR mirror cleaning has been discussed many times, but my problem - for me anyway - is a bit different (worse) than the normal cleaning. I just picked up an otherwise nice Minolta SRT 101 that has a filthy mirror. It looks like the camera was stored in a garage with the lens off. The shutter works, and - with some help - the mirror now works correctly. I have blown and lightly brushed the mirror to some degree of help. But the mirror still has a heavy layer of dust that is stuck on the surface. Do any of you have a suggestion on how to start? I was thiking maybe distilled water on a q-tip. ?? Or should I start right out with alcohol or a Windex-tyupe glass cleaner? I am expecting a light layer of mud to result in any case. The mirror is heavily coated enough that the view through the viewfinder is dim, and I don't think the meter reading would be right, although I haven't checked (don't have the PX625 battery equivalent at the moment). Just thought I'd ask before wading in. |
Prasanna
Tinkerer
Username: Prasanna
Post Number: 4
Registered: 10-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 22, 2009 - 09:36 am: |
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Hi! I have used Windex, as well as Ammonia and soap solutions to remove grime from old mirrors. I washed quickly later with regular filtered water. If you use Windex, I suggest that you may want to dilute it with water first. Also dab it with a Q-tip or clean soft tissue and avoid spraying directly. Also remember to dry it quickly after cleaning. Please make sure that the liquids do not get to the fresnel screen above. The fresnel is made of plastic in most cases and any liquid will get into the grooves and damage the visibility. Regards, sp |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 702
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 22, 2009 - 01:11 pm: |
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The only thing I would add/change to the above would be to ditch the Q-tip and tissue as applicator/wiper, these products are far too rough for use on first surface mirrors. I use a 3/4" wide, long haired, sable artists brush as the initial applicator of soap/detergent solution, the final water rinse/wipe dry being done with a fine microfibre cloth tool I made. I wrapped a strip of microfibre cloth around both sides of a strip of semi-rigid PU foam 6"x3/4"x1/4", using double sided tape to secure the cloth-ends on the 'non working tip'. This wiper can be used either wet or dry; however, as the double sided tape is situated at the dry end of the strip, careful use of many solvents is also possible.
Dirt and solvents are the bogeyman for fresnel grooves, washing in soapy water followed with a clean water rinse and air drying will not do any harm. Obviously a water rinse with the screen in situ is very problematic, but I have carefully wet cleaned installed screens using the aforementioned sable brush damped with detergent solution and then rinse water. |
Harryrag
Tinkerer
Username: Harryrag
Post Number: 122
Registered: 05-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 23, 2009 - 01:46 am: |
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If Glenn's approach doesn't work, because that grime is of a more greasy character, I would try lighter fluid on many cotton swabs or a soft lint-free cotton cloth. Make sure you do neither touch the fresnel focusing screen and its black - probably half deteriorated foam framing - nor wipe back and forth when taking off the dirt layer, as dust particles will definitely leave their marks in the silvering of the mirror. In my SRT parts junkers I have cleaned several extremely dirty mirrors that way and all of them came out unharmed. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 1001
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 23, 2009 - 03:48 am: |
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Here's my procedure for cleaning mirrors:
Step 1, take a Q-tip and wrap a lens cleaning tissue around the end. Wet this well with lens cleaning fluid (you can use lighter fluid in place of lens cleaning fluid, depending on the nature of the dirt - results are the same) and lightly wipe the entire mirror surface. If the mirror is still dirty after this, get a fresh Q-Tip and lens tissue and repeat the process. Then let the mirror dry. This should leave you with a clean mirror, but with water spots all over it. Step 2 is to take another fresh Q-Tip and lens tissue, this time leave it dry. Breathe on the mirror and wipe the fog away with the fresh lens tissue wrapped around the Q-Tip. This should leave you with a clean mirror, no scratches and no water marks.
Of course, it's possible for the mirror to be too dirty for this to do the job.
Focusing screens are harder. Nearly anything that will remove dirt from the grooves will scratch the screen first. Removing the screen for a soak is probably the only option with any hope. |
Lgdavis
Tinkerer
Username: Lgdavis
Post Number: 23
Registered: 08-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 23, 2009 - 10:02 pm: |
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Thanks to all of you for your advice - it worked great! I pretty much followed Rick Oleson's plan, using a tissue (I used an AccuWipe tissue) wrapped around the bud of a Q-tip, soaked in lighter fluid. I dabbed, as suggested by Prasanna, over the whole surface of the mirror, rotating the Q-tip a little with each dab. I used 2 Q-tips. Then repeated the procedure with a little more wiping this time. Lastly I did the dry tissue over the bud and wiped after breathing on the mirror. The mirror came out very clear to a 5x loupe. A micro-fiber cloth was to be my next step, but it didn't seem necessary.
THANKS,
Larry Davis |
Prasanna
Tinkerer
Username: Prasanna
Post Number: 9
Registered: 10-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 23, 2009 - 11:23 pm: |
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Glad it worked out; All the best LgD! Please do post some pictures in Photo.net Classic Manual Cameras Forum or similar site. Would like to see your pictures. Thanks
subbarayan prasanna |
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