Camera lens scratch question?

Question

i THINK there is a very minor scratch on the very bottom edge of my camera lens.......(it might be just a streak from the lens tissue i used because it has a purpleish glowing color like when u use lens fluid and get a little residue)....but just to be safe, im going to pretend it's a minor scratch....what can i take a test picture of to see if the streak or scratch will affect ANY of my pictures in ANY lighting condition....would a test picture of the sky work?

Answer 1

Just take pictures of anything you would normally take a picture of......it wont tell you anything if you take a picture sky to test it...it shouldnt affect it that much so i woulnt really worry about it  

Answer 2

Take a picture with a white background and then examine it carefully.

I wouldn't worry.  It's probably a smear. Even if it's not, it probably won't affect your pictures.

Instead of lens tissue and fluid, consider using a microfiber cloth and a rocket blower.  Use the blower first and then very gently use the microfiber cloth.

Most importantly, don't over-clean your lenses! Lenses have chemical coatings that are important to image quality—it won't stand up to obsessive wiping.  A photojournalist friend said that she "doesn't touch her lenses until they're too grotty to see through," since the risk of damaging them is great when cleaning.  If you get a bit of grit between the lens and whatever you wipe it with, you're going to get a scratch.

Answer 3

The best test is to take the types of photos that you normally take.  If the photos are OK then they are OK.