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I was cleaning a Nikon F3 mirror box for years the wrong way

I always used a cotton swab with a little solvent on the focusing screen, until a customer in Seattle brought one back saying the screen looked hazy. Turns out I was leaving tiny fibers that only show up under bright light. How do you guys clean those old prism finders without messing them up?
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3 Comments
casey787
casey7871mo ago
Oh man, that's a classic trap. I read an old repair manual that said to only use a super soft brush, like a sable artist's brush, after the rocket blower @lisaf20 mentioned. The trick is to barely touch the surface. For anything sticky, they recommended a drop of lens cleaner on a microfiber cloth, not cotton, and to dab, not rub. Those old screens scratch if you look at them wrong.
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sean_dixon96
Yeah, cotton is the worst for that. A lens pen with the soft brush side works way better for getting dust off without leaving bits behind. Just go super light and don't press down.
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lisaf20
lisaf201mo ago
Ugh, I just use a rocket blower and hope for the best.
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