SW-CCD-12

Product Overview

The SW-CCD-12 is a dust-free lens microfiber swab with an ultra-fine microfiber head at 12mm width, sized for sensor cleaning of Micro Four Thirds (M4/3, MFT) format mirrorless cameras whose sensor imaging area measures 17.3mm × 13mm. The 12mm head width is the standard cleaning swab specification for M4/3 sensor cleaning: the 13mm sensor height leaves a 0.5mm clearance on each side when a 12mm swab is used, allowing the swab to make full-width contact across the sensor active area without the head edges contacting the sensor housing rim or anti-dust filter frame — contact that would transfer debris from the housing onto the sensor surface during the wipe stroke. This dimensional match between swab width and sensor format is not interchangeable with other sensor sizes; using a 16mm APS-C swab on an M4/3 sensor creates overhang that forces the head edges into the sensor housing, while using a 12mm swab on an APS-C sensor leaves uncleaned strips along the sensor long edges that require additional passes.

The microfiber head measures 19mm in length, 12mm in width, and 1.5mm in thickness. Compatible camera bodies include the full Olympus OM System OM-1, OM-5, OM-D E-M1, E-M5, and E-M10 series; Panasonic Lumix G9 II, GH6, GH5 II, G100, and all Lumix G-series M4/3 bodies; Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K; and DJI drone camera systems using MFT sensors. The 1.5mm flat profile allows entry through the M4/3 camera lens mount without contact with the mount ring walls, maintaining clearance during insertion and extraction.

Microfiber Construction & Dual Packaging Format

The ultra-fine microfiber surface operates through the same sub-micron fiber structure used across the SW-CCD lens microfiber swab series: individual fiber diameters measured in micrometers create a high-surface-area contact face that physically traps and removes dust particles, oil deposits from fingerprints and skin contact, and airborne chemical particulates from the sensor surface without abrasion. The microfiber net formed by the head's special processing conforms closely to the flat sensor plane, maintaining contact pressure uniformly across the full 12mm width during the lateral wipe stroke to prevent the center-light, edge-heavy pressure variation that causes streaking when rigid heads are used on sensitive sensor coatings.

The SW-CCD-12 is available in two packaging formats: 1 piece per individually sealed bag for users who perform infrequent sensor cleaning and require the contamination assurance of individual sealed packaging for each use, and 100 pieces per bag for professional camera repair workshops, rental house maintenance operations, and bulk purchasers performing high-frequency sensor cleaning across multiple camera bodies. Handle dimensions: 123mm total length, 5.6mm width, 2.4mm thickness — identical handle geometry to the SW-CCD-16 and SW-CCD-24, providing consistent handling characteristics across the sensor cleaning swab series.

Camera Compatibility & Use Guidance

The SW-CCD-12 is sized for Micro Four Thirds sensor cleaning across all current Olympus OM System and Panasonic Lumix G-series camera bodies, as well as legacy Four Thirds DSLR sensors in the Olympus E-series and Panasonic Lumix DMC-L series. For best results, the sensor should be accessed with the camera powered off (mirrorless bodies) or with mirror lockup activated (Four Thirds DSLRs), and a sensor blower used to remove loose abrasive particles before the wet cleaning step to prevent particles from scratching the sensor coating during swab contact. Each swab is a single-use tool: both faces of the microfiber head are used by completing the wipe stroke in one direction and returning in the opposite direction, after which the swab should be discarded. Reusing a swab risks depositing previously captured contaminants back onto the sensor surface or dragging residual particles across the sensor coating. Compatible cleaning solutions include IPA-based sensor cleaners, dedicated sensor cleaning fluids, and residue-free optical cleaning solutions.