Buying digital cameras with Dust Control
Dust spots on your D-SLR’s sensor appear as tiny black specks on the image. When photographers change lenses, dust can enter the camera and lodge on the filter or protective glass that covers the sensor. These dust spots can show up as dark blotches in subsequent shots. A camera with Dust Control Systems will prevent dust from settling on your camera’s sensor which is exposed to the elements every time you take the lens off. This technology is only found in interchangeable-lens DSLR cameras, such as Canon 450D, Canon 50D and so on, where it is a virtual necessity.
Olympus was the first camera manufacturer to install dust-reduction technology in its DSLR cameras, with a special Supersonic Wave Filter (SSWF) system that vibrates the filter in front of the sensor to dislodge dust. The dust collects in a tray below the sensor, which is cleaned when the camera is serviced. Other manufacturers have followed with similar systems - but they may only be included in one or two models.
Some manufacturers combine the vibrating filter with anti-static materials in the camera’s mirror box, while Canon adds a Dust Delete detection/removal system via software. Only Canon’s system deals effectively with dust that becomes ‘welded on’ when a camera with dust on its sensor is moved between low and high humidity.
Listed below are a part of the latest digital SLR cameras that include dust control systems.
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CAMERA |
RELEASED |
MP |
OTHER FEATURES |
|
Oct. 2006 |
10.1 |
Picture Styles |
|
|
April 2008 |
12.2 |
Stabilized lens |
|
|
Canon 50D |
Oct,2008 |
15.1 |
DiG!C 4 Image Processor |
|
Sept. 2007 |
10.1 |
Fast consumer SLR |
|
|
March 2008 |
10.2 |
Smallest and lightest Nikon |
|
|
Nov. 2007 |
12.3 |
Fast consumer SLR |
|
|
Nikon D700 |
June 2008 |
12.1 |
51-point autofocus system, Active D-Lighting image processing |
|
Nikon D90 |
Sep 2008 |
12.3 |
HD video mode |
|
June 2007 |
10 |
Live view, small and light |
|
|
May 2008 |
10 |
Smallest and lightest SLR |
|
|
July 2007 |
10 |
Live view, image stabilization |
|
|
Nov. 2007 |
10 |
Flip-out LCD |
|
|
March 2008 |
14.6 |
Weather sealing |
|
|
July 2006 |
10.2 |
Built-in stabilization |
|
|
Feb. 2008 |
10.2 |
Built-in stabilization |
|
|
May 2008 |
10.2 |
Flip-out LCD |
|
|
April 2008 |
10.2 |
Flip-out LCD |
|
|
Dec. 2007 |
12.2 |
Built-in stabilization, fast |
Tags: Canon 400D, Canon 40D, Canon 450D, Canon 50D, Digital Camera, digital SLR, dust control, Nikon D300, Nikon D60, Nikon D700, Nikon D90, Olympus E-3, Olympus E-410, Olympus E-420, Olympus E-510, Sony DSLR-A100, Sony DSLR-A200, Sony DSLR-A300, Sony DSLR-A350., Sony DSLR-A700