Pro tip: I thought those cheap rubber lens wipes were a scam until my $30 microfiber left streaks on a client's 24-70

Gray Wright · 2026-09-22T18:25:03.55524+00:00

I always told people that the $1 packs of pre-moistened lens wipes from the drugstore were a waste, and that a proper microfiber cloth was all you needed. Then last month a guy brought in a Canon 24-70 f/2.8 with a smeary front element, and my usual cloth just pushed the oil around into a rainbow film. I grabbed one of those cheap wipes from my glove box as a last resort, and it cut through the gunk in two passes without leaving anything behind. I checked the front element under my 10x loupe after, and there was zero residue or lint. Now I keep a pack in every camera bag and one at the bench. Has anyone else had a cheap tool bail them out when the good stuff failed, or is it just me?

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Pro tip: I thought those cheap rubber lens wipes were a scam until my $30 microfiber left streaks on a client's 24-70 | Camera Repairers - Librear