LAS VEGAS (NAB 2005, Booth # SU 7814), April 12, 2005 – Canon today announced three new field lenses in its DIGI SUPER product line at NAB 2005: the XJ60x9BIE-D High Definition lens and the PJ62x9BIE-D and PJ62x13.5BIE-D Standard Definition lenses. Collectively, these lenses address the widening choices that are required to meet rapidly expanding production applications. They also signal Canon's recognition of the importance of both digital SDTV and HDTV coverage as the industry continues its transition to Digital TV.

The telephoto capabilities of field lenses have dramatically advanced during the past five years to meet the escalating creative demands for the coverage of sports, entertainment, and other major events. High Definition television coverage of such events is rapidly expanding as broadcasters, cable and satellite networks, and mobile truck operators extend their HD coverage of these diverse forms of programming. Houses of worship, large corporate events, aerospace, and homeland security surveillance are additional applications seeking similar dramatic close-up coverage over extended shooting distances. To meet these growing imaging requirements, Canon continues to broaden its family of long telephoto field lenses.

Canon's new DIGI SUPER XJ60x9BIE-D is a cost-effective 60x zoom HD field lens designed for a broad range of shooting environments requiring a modest zoom range. With its 60x zoom ratio, this lens does not require the built-in Image Stabilization system that is standard in the longer telephoto lenses offered by Canon; this contributes to its affordability.

Canon's new PJ62x9BIE-D and PJ62x13.5BIE-D are two versions of a 62x zoom ratio SD lens intended to support multiple applications. These two lenses offer a dual approach to covering a wider range of telephoto focal lengths and field of views. The new DIGI SUPER PJ62x9BIE-D offers a 558mm telephoto with a generous wide angle field of view. The DIGI SUPER PJ62x13.5BIE-D offers a longer 840mm telephoto with a narrower wide angle field of view.

Together, the new DIGI SUPER XJ60x9BIE-D HD lens and the new PJ62x9BIE-D and PJ62x13.5BIE-D SD lenses flank Canon's established family of five long field lenses intended for both HDTV and SDTV production. That established product family includes the DIGI SUPER series 100x, 86x (two versions, standard and Tele), and 75x, all of which incorporate Canon’s unique second-generation built-in Image Stabilization, and the versatile 72x. These three additions greatly strengthen the creative flexibilities for DTV shooting for all applications.

“The industry’s thirst for unique programming content has made long lenses an increasingly essential tool for an organization to use in their production arsenal,” said Gordon Tubbs, assistant director, broadcast and communications division at Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ). “In particular, the addition of the new SDTV long lenses to our growing family of HDTV long lenses allows Canon to better encompass the enormous range of contemporary HDTV and SDTV applications and budgets.”

Like Canon's existing family of long lenses, these three new DIGI SUPER lenses incorporate the company's second-generation Digital Servo System. This includes microcomputer compensation of lens focus breathing (the inadvertent alteration of field of view when operating the focus control) as well as a host of other improved digital operational features for focus and zooming control.

Canon’s unceasing refinements to lens materials and design continue improvements in overall image performance. These three new DIGI SUPER field lenses provide the most state of the art technology for such enhancements and offer unsurpassed image performance.

Delivering world-class optics, Canon’s DIGI SUPER lenses feature the company’s unique XS technology for better specs and lighter weight, courtesy of the exclusive X-element and Power Optical System. All Canon DIGI SUPER lenses incorporate the company’s second-generation Digital Servo System, which delivers improved operation ease through such features as CAFS (Constant Angle Focusing System), Speed Preset, Shuttle Shot and Framing Preset, Digital Zoom Demand, Digital Focus Demand, and "Endless" Digital Focus Demand.

Canon’s line of DIGI SUPER Field Lenses has a long history of being first in the industry. These firsts include: the first 70X lens; the 86X, which was the first long lens with built-in Image Stabilization; the 100X, the first long lens to break the century mark (with built-in Image Stabilization); and the first full line of HD long lenses. Canon has consistently set the standard in long lens quality and performance.

At NAB 2005, Canon expands on that reputation by making long lens technology available for more users and production situations. See the full line of Canon products throughout NAB 2005 at Booth # SU 7814, Las Vegas Convention Center.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is rated #35 on the BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2004, with global revenues of $33.3 billion. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.



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EDITORS Please note corporate contact information for this division: For more information, please call Canon broadcast and communications division at 1-800-321-4388 or visit www.canonbroadcast.com.