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Will adhesive tape spoil the lens coating?

edftwin

Member
Hi, i spotted some oil stains on the back element of my lens. I tried to clean it off using lens cloth with a little bit of warm water, but it just didn't go away, it smudged into bigger area.

I'm thinking of using adhesive tape to stick out the oil stain. Will this method spoil the lens coating?

Thanks.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
Why would you want to do that? It won't remove the splotch, for one thing.

Use a tiny drop of lens cleaning solution on the proper lens tissue. Or Eclipse on a Pec pad. Even a micro fiber cloth...
 

Shac

Active member
It is possible that it would leave a residue - - as double neg suggest use lens cleaner or isopropanol (similar if not same) and a lens tissue. This will act as a solvent for the oil.
What's you reason for using tape?
 

Double Negative

Not Available
yes i know, but would you answer my question?
To directly answer your question - no, tape should not hurt the lens coating. It won't, say, "peel off" or anything like that.

But you do risk leaving residue behind, which will be a lot more difficult to remove than an oily splotch, which as mentioned - tape won't remove in the first place.
 

jonoslack

Active member
Hi, i spotted some oil stains on the back element of my lens. I tried to clean it off using lens cloth with a little bit of warm water, but it just didn't go away, it smudged into bigger area.

I'm thinking of using adhesive tape to stick out the oil stain. Will this method spoil the lens coating?

Thanks.
Hi There
I think we're relying on you to find out whether it hurts it . . . .and tell us . . . then we'll all know!

all the best
 
J

jcoffin

Guest
Tape (at least most normal tape) won't do a good job of removing the oil. For what little it's worth, as long as you only apply it over the oily areas, the oil will probably do a pretty decent job of keeping the tape from leaving any residue behind though. The problem will arise when/if you stick the tape to parts of the lens that are currently clean (but, that's difficult to avoid).

While the glue on the tape won't peel off the coating, it stays sticky by containing solvent. Most soft/flexible plastic (like the backing of the tape) stays soft by containing some solvents as well. I don't know exactly what solvents are used in any particular brand of tape, but they're clearly not going to do the lens/coating any good.

Especially of they're left there very long, they may well do some harm. For comparison, look at a piece of paper that was taped together a long time ago. The tape will be hard, the glue no longer sticky, and (most importantly) the paper under the tape much more yellowed than the rest.

Bottom line: this will do no good. The best you can hope for is to minimize the damage it causes (and to truly minimize it, just don't do it).
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Tape (at least most normal tape) won't do a good job of removing the oil. For what little it's worth, as long as you only apply it over the oily areas, the oil will probably do a pretty decent job of keeping the tape from leaving any residue behind though. The problem will arise when/if you stick the tape to parts of the lens that are currently clean (but, that's difficult to avoid).

While the glue on the tape won't peel off the coating, it stays sticky by containing solvent. Most soft/flexible plastic (like the backing of the tape) stays soft by containing some solvents as well. I don't know exactly what solvents are used in any particular brand of tape, but they're clearly not going to do the lens/coating any good.

Especially of they're left there very long, they may well do some harm. For comparison, look at a piece of paper that was taped together a long time ago. The tape will be hard, the glue no longer sticky, and (most importantly) the paper under the tape much more yellowed than the rest.

Bottom line: this will do no good. The best you can hope for is to minimize the damage it causes (and to truly minimize it, just don't do it).

The OP made no mention of the age of the lens...older coatings are a bit fragile and indeed could be "lifted" by an adhesive.

How anyone would mess with glass is beyond my understanding....

Film, sensors and electronics can change...silica and light should be sacrosanct....=8>)

Bob
 

weinschela

Subscriber Member
The OP will take from all this what he wants to. I have the feeling he wanted approval for the tape idea. I would not do it, and if some Eclipse and a pec pad did not work, I would have the lens repaired/cleaned professionally.
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
The OP will take from all this what he wants to. I have the feeling he wanted approval for the tape idea. I would not do it, and if some Eclipse and a pec pad did not work, I would have the lens repaired/cleaned professionally.
IN total agreement.

Bob
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I'd avoid duct tape personally :D or any tape come to think of it! As already mentioned, either do the job properly or get it professionally cleaned. You'll definitely appreciate it later particularly if the tape residue does cause any unexpected issues.

In THEORY you'd probably be fine although you could just make the whole situation worse and expensive to fix.
 
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250swb

Member
I can't really see what tape is supposed to do. It would lift dust, it would lift glue debris from other tape, but oil will at best coat the tape and spread the oil around, or worst case if the oil is a petroleum based product disolve the glue on the tape making it all worse.

A mild detergent like shampoo mixed with water and used on a barely damp lens cloth may work if proper lens cleaning fluid isn't close by. But as has been said, I don't think the OP wanted to hear alternative methods, just if tape would damage the coating, which it probably wouldn't.

Steve
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Adhesive tape is a terrible idea. Besides the fact that it won't help, it will leave little bits of goo adhering to the lens which in fact is harder to remove than oil.

Other things to avoid include scotch-brite, crocus cloth, and abrasive mesh.

Seriously, oil is not that difficult to remove, there are several solutions.
First is simply a microfiber cloth which has an affinity for oil an often will remove it completely.
Second are the solvents available:
Eclipse: mostly methanol which has limited ability to clean some oils.
ROR (Residual Oil Cleaner): Contains a bit of ammonia I think which does a good job in cleaning off oil, but which might leave a haze which could be cleaned off with any water or methanol based cleaner.

-bob
 

thrice

Active member
Modern lens coatings aren't hurt by painters masking tape in my experience (old lens I just tried it on) If there is any residue Eclipse will get it off.
 

thrice

Active member
Bob: efficacy, oil should be dissolved by a methanol/ethanol solvent or detergent on lens coatings. I imagine the mild adhesive on tape would do sweet F all.
 
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