At very wet locations which waterfalls tend to be, I often wonder why bloggers and websites like Fstoppers.com and KenRockwell.com don´t compare and review lens cleaning cloths since we have thousands of articles comparing lenses and cameras. Lens cleaning cloths are one of the most important factors in getting the photo at certain locations like Gljúfrabúi waterfall which is a waterfall inside a spectacular canion near Seljalandsfoss. Sharp lenses are great, but they are of no use if your lens cleaning cloth is not up to the task.
Gljúfrabúi waterfall is a wet location. If you are going to take photos in the canyon you should make sure your camera is protected. Locations like these is the reason camera manufacturers create weather-sealed cameras and lenses. It´s also the reason you start to love some lens cloths and hate others. In short – you have only seconds to take a shot after you remove the cap from your lens. The water comes from all directions. This is when the battle of the lens cleaning cloths begins and ends.
The short version of my experience with lens cloths is this: Sigma lens cleaning cloths are the best. Yes, I don´t own any Sigma lenses, but the cloths they make simply work better than other have been working for me. They don´t leave much residue on the lens (the red ones are great). I am not going to name the others which have not been working for me, but they fail in either being too small or leaving too much residue (cloth dust) on the lens instead of cleaning it. Overall I have tried at least 6 brands. Some absorb water better than others and some clean glass better than others. Overall the Sigma lens cleaning cloths are the winners.
So the tip of the day when going photographing in Iceland is this: bring all the lens cleaning cloth arsenal you have. They will all be used at some point.
