I tried to clean the lens today on my new old Speed Graphic. It is an Ilex Paragon Anastigmat 5 1/2 inch. My problem is that almost immediately after I placed a drop or two of lens cleaning solution on the front (convex) element, the lens fogged from within. Now it is fogged with a clear ring around the edge. The lens doesn't seem to come apart easily, so I'm not sure how bad the damage is or how to dry it out. Did I just ruin a good lens? Any suggestions?

Thanks!

At this point I'd try the easiest thing first, put the lens on something that will cap the lens an put it on a heat register, or on top of a warm (NOT hot) radiator. The idea is to try to drive the condensate back into a vapor.

If that doesn't work, then you'll have to unscrew the cell from the shutter and look at the back, some lenses have a threaded cap on the back that holds the lenses in, other times they roll the metal edge over for a permanent fit. other come in from the front and that takes special tools to remove

If you can remove the back and get the glass out of the mount, then take a 100% cotton rag (a very old dish towel without printing on it works) and carefully wipe the lenses down and reassemble them.

Next time put the lens cleaner on the tissue not on the lens. For the most part I just breathe on the lens to get the outside to fog and use that.

Thanks for the advice! I didn't know if heating it up would damage any of the element adhesives, etc. I heated it slowly and it is now clear. Now I only have a couple of faint salt or mineral "water spots" in the lens. It looks like it has a ring in the front that holds the cell in place, so I don't think I can take it apart easily. Is it worth taking it somewhere to be disassembled? Will very faint spots matter much? I've never used the lens or the camera before (or any large format cameras for that matter). Is there a trick to getting rid of the residue, such as intentionally fogging it with distilled water or something?

Thanks again!

Contact adorama camera and get one of the heavy import microfiber cleaning cloths and you'll never need a lens tissue or cotton towel again.

Do NOT use one of those silicon impregnated cloths for glasses... they will scratch coated lenses!

2nd. not using anything for eyeglasses on camera lens.