It’s inevitable that you will have to clean your filters at some stage, if you’re a seascape photographer it will usually happen after every shoot! So here are some tips for cleaning your NiSi Filters!
Cleaning during shooting
Microfiber cloths tend to do a terrible job if your filters are wet as they don’t absorb water very well and can leave streaks.
Two great options are Kim wipes and the NiSi Clever Cleaner. Kim wipes are a single use tissue that is ideal for wiping filters when in use. They don’t leave streaks like microfiber cloths and, because they’re a single use tissue, there’s little risk of contaminants on the tissues that will scratch or damage the filters. You can buy Kim Wipes from our friends at B&H here.
Secondly, the NiSi Clever Cleaner is fantastic to quickly clean your filters in use with no streaks. It’s a large surface cleaning pad with a specially developed felt pad which cleans & polishes the filter surface easily & quickly. Thanks to the Nano Technology it cuts through the grime left by sea spray, oil stains, fingerprints, etc. Usually, in 1-2 wipes, your filters are ready to shoot again!
Before using any of the above options you should always make sure the filters are free from dust, grit or sand that could cause scratching. Use an air blower to remove this first before using Kim wipes or the NiSi Clever Cleaner when shooting.
Cleaning after shooting
NiSi Filters are waterproof and the best cleaning method is to use cold fresh water (or even better, distilled water) to wash off any salt, dirt and dust from the front of the filters, and then allow them to rest and dry. After the filters are dry you can use a microfiber cloth, Kim Wipes or the NiSi Clever Cleaner to remove any remaining smudges or fingerprints.
If you have tried fresh water or distilled water and some hard-to-remove residue or smudges remain you can use a high-quality cleaning solution. Please note that some cleaning solutions are a lot better than others and you only want to use a high-quality optical cleaner to make sure you protect the Nano coating on the filters. The best option is the new Alcohol-Free NiSi Liquid Lens Cleaner. You will only need a very small amount of cleaner, and clean with only light pressure using a Kim wipe or microfiber cloth.
