Agfa Introduces ePhoto CL50 Digital Camera; ePhoto CL50 Offers Advanced Features and Superior Image Quality in an Easy-to-Use, Point and Shoot Design.

WILMINGTON, Mass.--Feb. 8, 1999--Agfa Desktop Products Group (DTP), a leading provider of award-winning digital cameras and desktop scanners, introduces the ePhoto CL50 - a high-performing digital camera targeted to business professionals and technology enthusiasts who require advanced features, ease-of-use and a photo-quality, mega-pixel image. Delivering "best-in-class" quality in an easy to use, point-and-shoot design, the ePhoto CL50 will be available in March for the suggested price of $799.

"The ePhoto CL50 is the perfect solution for those customers -- particularly business professionals -- who require a high quality image from an easy-to-use, point and shoot digital camera" said Christophe Fremont, director, Agfa DTP. "We've listened to customers and developed a camera that includes features they've asked for and addresses some common concerns -- issues such as battery consumption, storage capacity and processing time. We are extremely pleased with the ePhoto CL50."

The newest addition to Agfa's ePhoto family offers an optical resolution of 1.3 million pixels (1280 X 960) and through Agfa's PhotoGenie(TM) image enhancement technology, the ability to produce images of 1.9 million pixels (1600 X 1200). The ePhoto CL50 features four resolution settings (1600 X 1200 - Super, 1280 X 960 - High, 1280 X 960 - B/W text, 640 X 480 - VGA) and four flash modes. In addition, the ePhoto CL50 features a 3X optical zoom lens and a 2X digital zoom - in both capture and playback mode.

Advanced Features

Many advanced features make the ePhoto CL50 unique to the marketplace, including:

--LCD with SunCatcher(TM) -- To address the issue of battery consumption and an LCD that "washes out" in bright sunlight, the ePhoto CL50 includes a built-in prism which directs sunlight behind the LCD screen, conserves battery power and enhances its overall brightness. The SunCatcher is accessed by opening the door above the LCD screen, on the top face of the camera.

--Sound -- The CL50 is the first camera in the ePhoto family with a built-in microphone for adding voice or sound to each image. Particularly useful in business applications such as real estate, insurance, education and law enforcement, this feature allows users to add a description or comment to each picture.

--Burst Mode -- Another first for the ePhoto family, the CL50 features a burst mode, allowing users to hold the shutter for continuous shots at half second intervals. The burst mode, allows up to 10 continuous pictures in VGA mode (640 X 480) resolution.

--QuickReview -- The ePhoto CL50's QuickReview allows users to control whether to keep or erase a photo immediately after capturing it. After taking a picture, the image is displayed on the LCD with the option to save or delete the photo. The picture can be deleted immediately -- even before the image has been saved to the SmartMedia card.

--Panorama -- A panorama mode is available with the ePhoto CL50, allowing users to tag shots for creating panoramas. Photos marked for panoramas are "stitched" together to create panoramas using PhotoWise (Version 1.8) (included).

In addition to these advanced functions, the ePhoto CL50 features both automatic and manual control over exposure, focus and white balance. Just like previous ePhoto family cameras, the CL50 allows advanced users the opportunity to manually control the photographic settings so he or she can get the best results.

PhotoGenie

Agfa's ePhoto CL50 delivers best-in-class quality pictures from a 1.3 million pixel CCD sensor using the company's breakthrough PhotoGenie technology. Agfa's PhotoGenie removes image artifacts, such as those from JPEG compression, pixelation, jagged edges, and posterization - which are common in digitally captured images. PhotoGenie also increases the resolution of pictures taken using the ePhoto CL50's highest capture mode, to produce photo quality images with 1600 X 1200 pixels -- or 1.9 megapixels.

Pictures taken with the ePhoto CL50 in the "Super" setting (1600 X 1200 pixels) can be used to output prints of at least 8" x 10" on any photo-quality inkjet printer. For smaller prints, Web publishing, proofs or other applications, users can choose from three other modes: High (1280 X 960 pixels), B/W text (1280 X 960 pixels) , Low-VGA (640 X 480 pixels).

Agfa's PhotoWise Software

The ePhoto CL50 ships with Agfa's award-winning PhotoWise(R) software (V 1.8), a full-featured application for accessing, managing and enhancing digital photos. PhotoWise provides complete OLE 2.0 support for drag-and-drop, as well as in-place editing for any OLE compliant application. With PhotoWise, users can organize images on their computer, print contact sheets or 8" by 10" prints, and create slide shows that can even be viewed by those who don't have the PhotoWise application.

On the PC Platform, PhotoWise runs under Windows(R) 98, Windows(R) 95 and Windows(R) NT(TM). On the Macintosh platform, PhotoWise runs on a System 7.5.3 or higher, or on a Power PC(TM) processor or higher.

Pricing and Availability

The ePhoto CL50 is a complete, out-of-the-box solution for most applications. Included are: the camera, cables (PC, Video), powerful software, an 8MB SmartMedia (TM) removable memory card, four AA-sized alkaline batteries, four AA-sized NiMH rechargeable batteries and a charger and a soft protective case. In the U.S., the ePhoto CL50 will be available in March for the suggested price of $799.

About Agfa

Agfa Corporation is part of the Agfa-Gevaert Group, a leading worldwide manufacturer of imaging products and systems, with annual sales of over $5 billion. Agfa-Gevaert manufactures and markets products and systems for the photographic and digital graphic communications markets, medical and technical diagnostic markets, and amateur and professional photographic markets. Agfa-Gevaert is headquartered in Europe.

In the United States, Agfa Corporation maintains its headquarters in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. It employs 3,500 people in locations throughout the nation.