lens

Photographers have always argued which camera lens is the sharpest. Speaking from experience (and I have 30 years of it!), Nikon's 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor lens ("Nikkor") is by far my sharpest lens; in fact, I use it all the time when taking portraits ... and still-life shots. The Nikkor utilizes a simple design that traces back to the famed pre-WWII German Zeizz lens. Surprisingly, the 105mm is still on the market. But, with the digital camera, the "Nikkor" just isn't practical (I.E.: you don't want to get any dust on the CCD sensor when you change lenses). That's why zoom lenses only belong on ... (view more)

Are brush-based CD Cleaning Kits saf e? That was the question posed last week by Infopackets Reader, John R. In my response , I suggested using a q-tip and alcohol as a way to clean the lens of an optical drive, as some brush-based kits tend to be ... abrasive and may scratch the lens of the optical drive. A few days after posting the article, Infopackets Reader Dawn M. wrote in with her experience using a brush-based CD Cleaning kit. She writes: " Dear Dennis, I am writing in response to John R.'s inquiry about cleaning his optical drive with a brush-based system. I personally use -- and ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader John R. writes: " Dear Dennis, Have you heard anything about those CD / DVD ROM disc + brush cleaners causing damage to the drives? Someone told me this a long time ago and I've never cleaned my burner since. I was in Circuit City ... the other day, and the rep told me he uses his all the time to clean his burner. What do you think? " My response: I honestly don't have any statistics on this matter or a definitive answer, but I personally would avoid using any abrasive surface on an optical lens (such as the disc + brush combo). The lens is a glass-like surface and ... (view more)