I asked my self, are micro 4/3 camera's not sensitive for dust or greasy spots on the sensor? I had several Canon dslr's and on some forums there are many topics about dust and greasy spots on sensors. I have to clean my sensor at least twice a year. Is this because micro 4/3 has no mirror?(grease for mechanism) because I don't see allot of topics about this subject.

All Micro Four Thirds and Four Thirds DSLRs have a very efficient anti-dust system. Every time the camera is turned on a clear filter in front of the sensor is vigorously vibrated by supersonic waves and this is extremely effective at removing dust - which is then trapped by sticky pads within the camera. For this reason it is important to always turn the camera off when changing lenses, turning it on again once the change has been made. A friend of mine once took a set of pictures on his E-3, which inexplicably had a number of frames with several prominent dust bunnies in the middle of the set. Upon analysing it, we realized that the dust appeared at the point where he had changed lenses without switching off. From the point at which he later switched off anyway for a break, the dust miraculously disappeared.

The system won't remove grease or other residue so the usual care must still be taken when changing lenses. Keep the time with the lens off to a minimum, keep the body pointing down while the lens is off, use your body to shield the camera against the wind and don't allow any liquid splashes to enter the lens mount.

In theory the sticky pads that capture loose dust within the camera can clog up or become less adhesive over time and would need to be replaced by the service dept. However, I've been using interchangeable lens Olympus cameras since 2007 and never once had an issue with dust.

__________________
View my ebook, The Light Fantastic at: http://store.blurb.co.uk/ebooks/3026...ight-fantastic

John

OK, thanks for your explanation.

Even when using the Olympus Four Thirds DSLRs I've always found Olympus cameras (and by extension Panasonic cameras that use the same SSWF system) to be more resistant to sensor dust than the various Canon DSLRs that I have used over the same time.

__________________
Nic
E-M5, GH1
Flickr Photostream
>> Insert quote here <<

If you get something sticky like pollen on the sensor, then you'll have to do a manual cleaning.

Absolutely. The SSWF is extremely effective against dust, but it cannot work miracles with splashes or sticky residues.

__________________
View my ebook, The Light Fantastic at: http://store.blurb.co.uk/ebooks/3026...ight-fantastic

John

Generally, as long as you are careful about changing lenses there shouldn't be a problem.

__________________
Love mercy, do justice, walk humbly - Micah 6:8
"A true photograph need not be explained, nor can it be contained in words." Ansel Adams

After 8 months of using µ4/3 cameras, I find them much less likely than my DSLRs to pick up sticky particles or grease stains. (This includes a D7000 that has a similar self cleaning action. The mirror, its mechanism and the foam bumper all contribute FOD (Foreign Object Debris). Which the flapping mirror blows onto the the sensor.

As stated above, one of the big contributors for DSLRs is the moving mirrors. In addition to dust, there have been some problems where oil used to lubricate the mirror mechanisms splashes onto the sensor causing oil spots. Most DSLRs do have vibration mechanisms to get rid of dust, but for some reason the mechanism used on Olympus m43 cameras seems to be the most effective.

__________________
Olympus OM-D E-M5, Olympus 12-50mm, Olympus 45mm, Olympus FL-300R

A nicely detailed explanation of the SSWF system:
Olympus - Supersonic Wave Filter

I believe the system is patented so that would explain why other manufacturers systems are not as effective.