Canon U.S.A.'S Third Annual Photography In The Parks Photo Contest Kicks Off On Earth Day Seeking Inspirational Nature Images.

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. -- In a continuing effort to inspire Americans to visit their national and state parks and photograph their beauty, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced a call for entries for the third annual Canon Photography In The Parks Photo Contest(*). The contest invites eligible photography enthusiasts, from April 22nd to September 30th, 2008, to enter the contest by submitting images from any park or monument in America. Participants are invited to enter their "Inspirational Nature Images," the theme for this year's contest. Canon is also enhancing the photo contest by extending the age range of eligible participants to non-professional photographers ages 13 and up.

"A picture captures a moment in time, but the right picture triggers an emotional reaction within people. Through our Photography in the Parks Photo Contest, we want people to seek out those inspirational images and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while doing it," stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A. "As an environmentally-conscious organization, we encourage everyone to enjoy the beauty of nature, and also to work to protect it."

The Canon Photography in the Parks Photo Contest

From late April to the end of September, photographic enthusiasts are encouraged to submit their favorite photographs from an American park to the Canon Digital Learning Center. The winning photographer will receive a trip to a park of their choice, and a full suite of Canon photographic equipment. By logging onto www.usa.canon.com/parks, potential winners will not only have the opportunity to enter their favorite photos, but also forward an e-postcard of their submitted images to friends and family as a fun way to share their photographs. Visitors and Web surfers can also peruse the Canon Digital Learning Center to explore the various educational resources that Canon has to offer for novices and advanced photographers alike. The Canon Digital Learning Center provides a schedule for a wide variety of classes across the country with renowned photographers. The site also features online tutorials for beginners and professionals to learn their way around a digital SLR camera and professional fine art printers so that Canon users can unlock the creative control that photography affords.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2007+, with global revenues of $39.3 billion, is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is on the 2007 BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/pressroom.

About Canon U.S.A.'s Environmental Programs and Alliances:

An educational and research program, Eyes on Yellowstone, made possible by Canon, assists with scientific research and breaks new ground in conservation, endangered species protection and the application of cutting-edge technology essential to managing park wildlife and ecosystems. www.ypf.org and www.windowsintowonderland.org and www.greateryellowstonescience.org.

Canon Envirothon is North America's largest high school environmental education competition in which more than 500,000 teenagers are involved in a year-long learning process that combines in-class curriculum with hands-on field experiences. www.envirothon.org

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

(+)IFI Patent Intelligence Press Release, January 2008

*Open to non-professional photographers only. For full contest rules and details, please visit www.usa.canon.com/parks