Olympus E-1

Single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras with interchangeable lenses are popular with serious amateur and professional photographers. Unfortunately, digital SLR cameras are very susceptible to dust. And if dust particles get inside the camera while you're changing lenses, they can stick to the image sensor and show up as dark spots in every photo you take.Shake It Off

Once dust sneaks into your camera, it will stay there until it is removed. Since digital image sensors are very delicate, some camera manufacturers recommend that shutterbugs bring dirty cameras into a service center for cleaning. As a result, many SLR users are reluctant to change lenses, especially when shooting in windy or dusty conditions. This, of course, detracts from their cameras' versatility.

The new Olympus E-1 digital SLR camera tackles the dust problem head-on with its Olympus Supersonic Wave Filter. The front of the E-1's image sensor is protected from dust by a movable membrane connected to an ultrasonic transducer. During the camera's power-up cycle, the transducer vibrates the membrane at ultrasonic speeds. The motion of the membrane shakes off any dust, which is captured by a piece of sticky tape.

During our recent testing of the E-1, we took thousands of pictures with dozens of lens changes without a single dust spot in any of our images. Now there's no excuse for not cleaning up your photos.