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Aside from the higher quality photos they generally take, the great thing about SLR cameras is their modular nature. Being able to swap lenses in and out means that you can always be equipped with the best setup for the differing needs of properly photographing scenic mountainscapes, quietly nesting waterfowl, or provocatively posing swimsuit models (or provocatively posing waterfowl, because hey, it’s your camera to do with as you please).

The downside, though, is that the freedom to remove lenses comes with the risk of dust and other debris being introduced through the connectors and marring your photos. Now, though, there’s a quick and easy way to keep your pictures looking top-notch, in the form of a snap-on fan that’ll keep your camera’s interior bits as clean as the images you’re looking to capture with it.

One of the more prominent deities in Japanese mythology is Fujin, written in kanji as 風神, meaning “wind god,” Fujin’s role in the Shinto pantheon.

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Camera peripheral maker IPP’s new product is also called Fujin, but it’s written slightly differently in Japanese. IPP swapped out 神, meaning “god,” and replaced it with 塵, meaning “trash” or “junk.” It’s a fitting name, since that’s exactly what the product is designed to do: blow the junk out of your SLR camera.

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Powered by 4 AAA batteries, the Fujin connects to the front of the camera just like a lens. Attach the apparatus, turn it on, and it starts blowing air into the camera, passing it first through a special filter. After giving everything a through air-dusting, Fujin’s built-in fan then sucks the air back out, trapping debris in the filter and keeping them out of your photos.

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While you can sit back and let the gadget work by itself, pressing the shutter and adjusting the shutter speed during the cleaning process is encouraged, in order to really blast unwanted particles out of each part and produce the optimum results. IPP says the Fujin is effective in taking care of not only ordinary dust and dirt, but also pollen, mold, and mites that have found their way into the inner workings of your camera.

▼ Skip to the one-minute mark to see the Fujin in action, or watch from the very beginning to enjoy the creepy synthesized narrator.

From start to finish, the Fujin needs just one minute to do its job, and the manufacturer claims that it’ll go through 180 cycles before needing a fresh set of batteries. The unit is also surprisingly light, with a listed weight of just 165 grams (5.8 ounces), and that’s with a full load of batteries inserted.

The Fujin can be used with Cannon EF mount SLRs (a full list of compatible models can be found on IPP’s website here). Online retailer Ascii is currently selling the unit here, bundled with three filters and a carrying pouch, for 7,560 yen (US $65.70), which seems like a fair price to be freed from worrying about specks of dust ruining your photos plus the hassle of cleaning your SLR by hand.

Source: Ascii Weekly
Top image: IPP (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Onmark Productions, IPP