Started to notice blurry spots on my video stream so I took out ladder to clean camera lens and despite using electronic glass cleaner the spots on the lens would not come off. Camera is less than 3 months old but this is the second camera this has happened to. Both cameras are Dahua. Does anyone know how to remove these blemishes or is it defective lens coating and needs to be returned.
Lens “blemishes” which won’t come off with glass cleaner
- Thread starter Gros225
- Start date
biggen
Known around here
- May 6, 2018
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sebastiantombs
Known around here
Tree sap maybe? If you can establish that the cover is glass a stronger cleaner might help. If it is plastic I'd guess that there is something acidic getting onto it and causing blemishes. Maybe a rain shield of sorts would help.
CrazyAsYou
Getting comfortable
Use a small amount of toothpaste and a new damp microfiber cloth, work in small circular motion with only a little pressure
sebastiantombs
Known around here
Another "trick" would be to get one of the kits to remove fog from headlight housings/lenses. That might be easier a faster and it is designed for use on plastics.
I've found toothpaste is just as effective, cheaper, and less likely to react badly with materials surrounding the area you're looking to clean up.
You might also want to consider the following. It is my 'go to' recipe for glass cleaner:
You might also want to consider the following. It is my 'go to' recipe for glass cleaner:
- 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 drop of liquid dish soap
- 2 cups warm water
user8963
Known around here
Before you try to clean something which is maybe INSIDE you should try to "feel" it with your fingernail ... if you cant feel it, its inside...
sebastiantombs
Known around here
I wonder if the covers on these cameras have a clear coat applied on them
sebastiantombs
Known around here
I have had spots develop on the inside also. Unfortunately, that is a pain to clean and probably cannot be done from a ladder. You said you used "electronic glass cleaner". Electronic contact cleaner will eat into some plastics and acrylics. During the covid farce, we were required to spray down all horizontal surfaces, keyboards, phones etc. The phone screens were clouded almost immediately by the isopropyl alcohol. I only use windex to clean my cameras.
alastairstevenson
Staff member
A good point, and would certainly explain why they won't wipe off - but :
If you look closely at the image you can see the same type of marks on the plastic surround, which suggests they are external.
Quite odd though, it's like the surface has been etched (but unlikely on both glass and plastic), so more likely just a tough substance has dried on.
user8963
Known around here
i thought the same, but when you look closely , you see its wet. i think its windex.
if someone sees the camera like this he will search for the source above and not ask why his lense look like this... but maybe i am wrong.
also it looks like the top was painted black. (never seen a dahua ptz with black top?) maybe it have to do with the used paint which wash out from rain. metal parts are powdercoated to my knowledge. it is difficult to paint them with coating.
It looks to me like it is hard water type of stains on the exterior. The area around the lens has the same type of staining, which does not look wet. I would try different cleaners with a cotton swab on a small area to see if it works and if it damages the lens. There are a variety of cleaners available, or you can try vinegar. Is this camera getting hit by a sprinkler or water hose from something? Given the amount, that is what it looks like.
IAmATeaf
Known around here
Does look like hard water (lime scale) staining which can be a real bitch to remove especially as the lens is plastic and not glass?