Canon U.S.A. Introduces Next Generation Color imageRUNNER C2058.

Business/Technology Editors

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 3, 2002

Office Printer Provides Higher Speed Capability While Leveraging

Rapid Growth of Color Desktop Software Use by Corporate Workgroups

The next generation Canon Color imageRUNNER C2058, a networked office system that offers improved printing speeds while leveraging the rapid growth of color desktop software use by corporate workgroups, is available today from Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ).

In printing color documents at 21 pages-per-minute (ppm) and black-and-white documents at 28 ppm, the Color imageRUNNER C2058 allows office users the ability to produce professional quality, finished documents quickly and economically.

"As a leader in the color graphics market, Canon, with the next generation Color imageRUNNER C2058, will look to take the top spot in workgroup office color," said Mason Olds, director and general manager, Graphic Systems Division, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "As color desktop software and document output continue to be a natural progression for many of our corporate customers, we expect to take full advantage of this growth opportunity from a unit shipment and page volume perspective."

For the last 15 consecutive years, Canon has maintained the top market share position in the U.S. color laser copier market.(a) The Color imageRUNNER C2058 employs Canon's expertise and innovation in the graphics market by making color more accessible and no longer a "luxury" in the corporate office. A wide range of documents from charts to booklets and those never before considered for color can now be produced economically to meet any business need. Benefits include saved time, workflow improvements and more attention devoted to creativity.

The Color imageRUNNER C2058 supports PCL5c emulation, making business color printing simple in PCL-based workgroup environments. A PCL-compatible printer board is a critical requirement for corporate workgroups, allowing users to enjoy all of the available printer settings at the click of a mouse. The addition of PCL5c to the Canon Color imageRUNNER line allows operators to enjoy greater printing flexibility than previous models.

The Canon Color imageRUNNER C2058 uses four-drum technology and Canon's spherical toner, which reduces fuser wear-and-tear while producing smooth, non-glossy, high quality output at 600 x 600 dpi and 256 gradations of high-quality accurate color. A fully modular design allows customers to configure the device as a digital copier, printer, or copier/printer. All devices are targeted to the mid-high volume corporate office, bringing cost effective color and faster output to workgroups that may otherwise outsource color production, or use unproductive, multiple low-volume desktop color printers.

Capable of supporting up to 5,550 sheets, maximum paper sizes up to 12" x 18" and paper weight up to 80 pounds cover stock, the Canon Color imageRUNNER C2058 can be configured with high-level document finishing options, including an 18-bin stapler/sorter, a 3-bin finisher that collates and performs multi-position stapling, or a saddle-stitch finisher for the production of booklets.

Print configured versions of the Color imageRUNNER C2058 contain an internal color server and print controller developed by Electronics for Imaging (NASDAQ: EFII) with an Intel Pentium III 700 MHz processor, 10 GB hard drive, and 256 MB of RAM. Support for 10/100 Ethernet connectivity to TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, AppleTalk and SMB environments is available. Device management applications are standard and include Canon NetSpot and Fiery(R) driven technology such as Command Workstation(TM), FieryLink(TM) and Fiery Driver(TM).

The embedded Fiery X3e(TM) high performance controller also offers flexible network management and includes workflow utilities for enhanced job control. The Fiery X3e delivers features such as ColorWise(R) 2 for greater color control and supports IPP printing. The Fiery X3e works with both Adobe PostScript 3 and PCL5c printing, allowing users to print from all popular software applications and platforms.

With Canon's NetSpot Device Management Software, the Color imageRUNNER C2058 offers cross-platform compatibility and support for all popular network environments. NetSpot speeds and simplifies the configuration of network printing devices, and it offers unprecedented desktop management. Available from anywhere on the network, it allows views of printer and device status, toner/paper levels along with availability and features of printing resources. Providing administrators with setup, management and control of all network devices, workgroup productivity is easy to optimize.

The Color imageRUNNER C2058 printer version is available today through Authorized Canon U.S.A. Dealers and Canon Business Solutions locations at a suggested base retail price of $15,380.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. is an industry leader in professional and consumer imaging solutions and, through its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ), is a top patent-holder of imaging technologies. The company's comprehensive product line includes networked multifunction devices; digital and analog copiers (color and black and white); printers, scanners, image filing systems, and facsimile machines; camcorders, cameras and lenses; and semiconductor, broadcast and medical equipment. Canon employs 12,000 people at more than 30 facilities throughout North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

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

All page-per-minute statistics based on standard letter-sized output. Digital network and finishing capabilities are optional features that may affect final price.

(a) Source: Gartner Dataquest, March 2002