KEEP IT CLEAN, PLEASE

Please tell me that you don't use the bottom of your t-shirt or worse, your actual shirt as your primary method of keeping your lens clean?

Whether you own your photographic equipment or it is provided to you through your employer, it pays to keep it clean and cared for. And probably the number one cleaning task that you perform every time you pull out your camera is to clean the front element of your lens.

I always have a microfiber cloth handy and until now it has been the sole way I've kept my lenses clean. And I suppose I've been aware of the LensPen pro camera cleaning kit for some time and really don't have a good explanation on why I never tried it.

While you can purchase them individually, I opted for the DSLR pro kit which features all three LensPens; the original LensPen for lenses, FilterKlear for lens filters and the MicroPro for viewfinders. Also included is a microfiber cloth which doubles as a carrying pouch.

How does it work? The LensPen consists of the cleaning tip on one end and a retractable brush on the other. Use the brush to remove particles and dust from the lens surface before using the cleaning tip to wipe away fingerprints, smudges and the like. The instructions recommend wiping the lens surface using a smooth circular motion.

And while the LensPen was easy to use and did a good job of cleaning all my lenses, I found the real surprise was the MicroPro, or the smallest of the set. If you have ever tried to clean the viewfinder of a camera you will soon find the MicroPro will become your favorite of the set. I've tried cotton swabs, microfiber clothes and nothing works as well for this task as the the MicroPro does.

Maybe now it's time to order a sensor cleaning kit, something else I've been putting off for far too long.