Need to clean HC3 front lens

[alegator]

While filming in the open sea from a boat a whale spew seawater steam and I was dum not to place the protective filter so the front lens surface was sprayed with seawater particles. I cleaned it with an Oakley cloth after steaming breadth on the lens. Any additional cleaning I should do? Someone told me to gently rub a cotton swab with alcohol, but I want to make sure if ths is fine. Thanks for any tips.

[ozymango]

God knows what kind of lens coating they put on that camcorder, so I'd strongly advise not to put pure alcohol on the lens.

Is "Oakley cloth" like the kind you use to clean good sunglasses? If so, that sounds safe enough and my question is -- if you look at the lens head-on, are there still spots on it? Did the salt spray leave a residue?

If so, go to a camera or photography supply store and buy some lens cleaner and lens cloths, and use those to clean your lens. Gently! Gentle is the key, you want to "float" off any dirt and crap, not grind it into the lens.

And go out and get yourself a UV or Haze/Skylight filter NOW to protect the lens!

And what a cool story about how you got your lens dirty in the first place!

[redwudz]

I would also wipe down the whole exterior of the camera a couple of times with a slightly damp cloth to remove any salt residue on the case. Salt can be very corrosive to aluminum, copper and brass metals in or about the camera. The same would apply to a still camera.

The UV/Haze filter would be cheap insurance. If you are that adventurous, you may end up making your next video in a sandstorm.

[alegator]

Well, the funny part of the story is that when I left on the boat I had the protective UV filter placed, but when the whale was within touching distance I got so excited that I removed it to "improve" the video quality. That's when the whale spew steam from his back and sprayed my camera (not too much, but enough to dirt the lens). After cleaning it with the Oakley sunglasses cloth ( a very soft material) I did not notice any difference in quality with previous footages taken before the whale encounter, but on some still shots taken with the sunrays hitting the lens on the side there are some glow spots, so I assume further cleaning is required.
I have a "Kodak lens cleaner" liquid bottle, that claims "for cleaning photographic lenses". Can I use that with the Oakley cloth?
This is the cleaner I have:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/27961-REG/Kodak_EK1767136_Kodak_Lens_Cleaner_.html#

[edDV]

For what it's worth I recently upgraded my Meade telescope (with special coatings) and came across this page for cleaning expensive telescope lenses.
http://www.weasner.com/etx/buyer-newuser-tips/cleaning.html

First strong suggestion was:
"Do not try to blow dust of the corrector, you'll just cover the corrector with spit. (THEN it will need cleaning!) "

Then there was this story "How to Ruin a Perfectly Good New Telescope! "
http://www.weasner.com/etx/buyer-newuser-tips/true_confessions.html

[ozymango]

After cleaning it with the Oakley sunglasses cloth ( a very soft material) I did not notice any difference in quality with previous footages taken before the whale encounter, but on some still shots taken with the sunrays hitting the lens on the side there are some glow spots, so I assume further cleaning is required.
I have a "Kodak lens cleaner" liquid bottle, that claims "for cleaning photographic lenses". Can I use that with the Oakley cloth?

That sounds fine to me. Disclaimer: I'm not lens expert but I've worked with hundreds of lenses in my life; film camera, still camera, SLR, TLR, telescope (refractor and reflector), eyeglasses, whatever, and haven't scratched one yet!

As for "glow" spots, are you sure that wasn't there before? Because you mention "sunrays ... on the side," makes me think, "lens flare." Which you can't do anything about, and actually it can be used to cool effect. But it could also be salt deposits on the lens, and soaking it off with your lens cleaner and a gentle rubbing with the cloth should do it. Gentle!

I did once get "geyser steam" on a pair of glasses (on holiday in New Zealand, Rotorua), and the deposits in the steam were so severe it took me bloody forever to get the drop marks off my glasses afterwards 'cause I didn't think to clean 'em right away.

EDIT: EdDV, I didn't know you were an amateur astronomer! I've done a few star parties in my time, but it's been a while, used to go up on Mt. Hamilton outside of San Jose when my brother went to college there, he's a genuine astrophysicist. Ah, the memories ... he had a Meade Shmidt-Cassegrain (sp?) that we built a tracking motor "controller" for that turned 12vdc car current to 110 to drive the scope, used to speed up and slow down depending on the ambient temperature (always colder that we hoped for!) ...

[alegator]

Thanks Ozymango. Difficult to assess if those glow spots are regular lens flare or salt deposits. In any case it won't hurt cleaning gently with the Kodak cleaner+Oakley cloth. I've read that lenses must be clean in circular motion. Does it make any difference if lenses are wiped linearly or in circles?
Must be fun to watch a geyser...I'll have to save money for my next trip to Rotorua...
And I'm an amateur astronomer too, still using a 1978 Celestron 8" Schmidt Cassegrain.