Canon Introduces Super Telephoto Portable Lenses at NAB 2006; eHDxs Line of ENG/EFP Lenses Expands to Eight with Canon's Smallest and Lightest Telephoto.

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. -- As original High Definition programming continues to set the pace in the broadcast industry, the engineers at Canon Broadcast & Communications continue to maintain the company's lead in the HD lens marketplace with new and more innovative products that combine enhanced technology with ease-of-use. Their latest advance, a Super Telephoto eHDxs portable lens with a focal-length range of 28 to 500mm (1000mm with built-in 2X extender), weighs less than six pounds (less than half the weight of comparable lenses) and requires no supporter for maximum mobility. Ideal for sports, stabilized helicopter mounts, documentaries, special events, or live reality programming, Canon's new, smaller, lightweight HJ18ex28B IASE Super Telephoto HD lens lets broadcasters and content producers capture those "really long-distance" images with ease.

The new HJ18ex28B IASE lens is one more in an expanding line-up of portable Canon eHDxs lenses, which brings the total number of lenses introduced over the last four years to eight. Canon eHDxs lenses feature innovative technologies that address the complex demands of HD lens design in terms of ergonomics, features, price, size, and weight. The HJ18ex28B IASE lens includes Canon's Enhanced Digital eDrive as well as a built-in focus motor in addition to the zoom and iris motors traditionally found in portable ENG/EFP lenses.

"The HJ18ex28B IASE lens is another step forward in providing the most diverse line of eHDxs ENG/EFP lenses, and will be a welcome addition for camera operators who require a smaller, lighter weight Super Telephoto lens," said Gordon Tubbs, assistant director of the Broadcast and Communications Division at Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. "This is a lens that allows greater mobility while supporting long-distance HD field acquisition--an important tool for capturing unique HD and SD content such as documentaries, sports, and news."

With the addition of the HJ18ex28B IASE lens, Canon's full line of ENG/EFP eHDxs portable lenses includes seven other third-generation models: the HJ40x Telephoto series; the Wide Angle HJ11ex4.7B lens; the Telephoto HJ22ex7.6B lens, and the HJ21ex7.5B, which is a lens specially designed not to breathe for EFP and studio applications. The HJ17ex7.7B HD lens, which is widely used for high-end HD field production is also included, as well as the HJ17ex7.6B , a smaller, lighter ENG lens for HD newsgathering introduced in 2005.

Canon's eHDxs lenses all enjoy the benefits of Canon's X-Element and Power Optical System for highest-quality optics in a compact and lightweight housing, as well as the advanced capabilities of Canon's Enhanced Digital eDrive. Canon eDrive digital capabilities include microprocessor-driven servo control of iris, zoom, and focus along with position memory and user-defined functionality. Canon's eDrive features provide users with unique capabilities in motion control repeatability for portable, field, and studio production with features that include: three Canon ultra high-precision, microprocessor-driven digital servos with miniature 16-bit optical encoders to control iris, zoom, and focus; assignable "soft" function buttons, including the rocker switch; ten user-definable function profiles; choice of manual, digitally assisted, and fully programmed control; and instant Shuttle Shot to the longest focal length for quick check of focus and exposure. Additional digitally assisted shooting techniques offered by Canon eDrive include: graceful "padded" zoom start/stops, memorized focus and zoom positions, repeatable focus with no mechanical play or gear backlash, and steady and slow zoom creeps.

In addition to the standard version, a special remote controllable version of the lens will also be offered, known as the HJ18ex28B ITS-RE/ME lens. Instead of using the standard ENG drive unit, Canon has attached a Remote Control drive unit to the lens, making it highly effective for POV (point of view) type camera operations, robotic cameras, and any application requiring remote control over zoom, focus, and iris. The lens is available in two versions; the "ME" version, with a built-in manual 2X extender; and the "RE" version, with a servo-controlled extender.

See the full line of Canon products at NAB 2006 in Booth # SU 131 at the 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 second overall in the U.S. in 2005, with global revenues of $31.8 billion. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.

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