Canon launches the industry's most sophisticated Hi8 Camcorder.

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 20, 1996

New ES6000 Offers Expanded Line of Revolutionary Eye Control

Products While Combining Built-In Auto Editing Function and

Optional Film Adapter

Canon U.S.A., Inc., the leader in optical imaging technology, today introduced the ES6000 Hi8 camcorder -- the new standard- bearer for unique technology and sophistication in Hi8 camcorders.

The new ES6000 includes Canon's exclusive Eye Control technology; a unique Auto Editing Function and RC Time Code for frame accurate editing; a 20X Optical/40X Digital Zoom with Optical Image Stabilization; Digital Special Effects; and the ability to transfer film and slide images to video with the optional FP-100 Film Adapter.

"Canon has always taken great pride in bringing to market innovative and never-before-seen technologies," said Yukiaki Hashimoto, director and general manager of the Canon Video Division. "The ES6000 represents the dynamic synergy of all of our unique, proprietary technologies, as well as our expertise in optics -- resulting in an extraordinary mix of features and functionality designed to meet the high standards of even the most demanding camcorder purchaser," added Mr. Hashimoto.

Operation Control -- The Eyes Have It

The ES6000 incorporates Canon's proprietary Eye Control System first introduced in the popular ES5000 last year. This unique operating system enables consumers to control focus and activate a variety of switches, including record start/stop, digital effects, fade in/out, image close-up and others simply by moving their eye (see insert A).

Eye-controlled focus eliminates the problems associated with conventional autofocus systems which are designed to focus only in the center of the frame. With the ES6000, it is not necessary to pan the camcorder to maintain focus of moving subjects.

The ES6000 tracks the movement of the user's eye and automatically focuses on subjects anywhere within the viewfinder frame -- not just in the center. Thus, creative focus shifting from one subject to another within a desired composition can easily be achieved by shifting one's gaze.

Eye-controlled switches offer additional video recording convenience, since there is no need to hunt for buttons. By selecting one of the seven eye-controlled switches on the ES6000's menu screen, the user may activate fade, display the date and time of recording, add a title, activate record review, start and stop recording, set the white balance or apply a variety of digital effects or fader functions.

Built-In Auto Editing Function and RC Time Code Make Boring,

Raw Video Footage Disappear with Frame-by-Frame Accuracy

The ES6000 builds upon the success of the ES900 and the recently introduced ES3000 by incorporating Canon's unique built-in Auto Editing Function which enables users to edit their video footage simply and easily with just their camcorder and VCR. The ES6000 enhances editing accuracy by adding RC Time Code, a feature that can be used with the Auto Editing Function to easily achieve precise frame editing. The ES6000 also incorporates a Data Code feature which automatically stores the date and time that a recording takes place on the user's video track, thus enabling the consumer to display the information anytime in the future for easy referencing.

As the Auto Editing Function is built into the camcorder, there is no need for a separate editing machine. The Auto Editing Function enables consumers to freely and easily rearrange scenes or delete unwanted video footage and then copy the revised recording on to a tape in their VCR (see insert B), and the RC Time Code feature permits precise editing of videos with frame-by-frame accuracy resulting in a finer video production.

The ES6000 includes four editing playback functions: Double Speed, Normal Speed, Slow Motion and Frame-by-Frame playback in either direction. The frame-by-frame playback greatly assists in the editing process by making it easier to select cut-in and cut-out points.

Users can program the Auto Editing Function during playback simply by pressing the Frame Lock button on the ES6000 at the beginning and end of each scene. In addition, all of the features associated with the Auto Editing Function can be conveniently operated by using the supplied remote control. Once the program is set and has been activated, the camcorder will automatically transfer the scenes to the tape in the VCR. The program may be changed and reordered at any time except while the Auto Editing Function is actually recording. The Preview function allows users to preview the program before final recording takes place.

Digital Special Effects and Faders Broaden Creativity

The ES6000 includes a variety of digital effects and faders that can be used to create more dynamic and memorable video presentations.

Digital Effects:

Close-up instantly magnifies any object on any area of the viewfinder screen 2x larger, so that it fills the entire screen; Art adds a paint-like effect, or solarization, to the image and Mosaic breaks the image into tiny squares. 16:9 produces images for playback on a widescreen TV; Black and White records subjects in black and white; Sepia records a monochrome image, similar to Black and White, but with a sepia or "golden, antique-like" tint; and the Negative/Positive Conversion effect makes a color image look like a 35mm film negative.

Digital Faders:

Vertical Wipe, Horizontal Wipe, Center Wipe, Auto Fade and Mosaic Fade, which fades the image into tiny squares.

Optional FP-100 Film Adapter Combines with ES6000

to Create a Film & Slide Image Transfer System

Now photo enthusiasts can transfer their collection of film images to video. The Negative/Positive Conversion effect works with Canon's optional FP-100 Film Adapter to transform 35mm negative images to positive images for a variety of uses. The FP-100 Film adapter will also accept 35mm slides and an extra measure of creativity can be achieved by applying the digital effects, including close- up, art, mosaic, etc.

The zoom lens may be used as a cropping tool to trim the edges of a still image and the supplied film holders can be rotated to accommodate horizontal and vertical formats. The FP-100 Film Adapter makes it easy to record still images to video tape to create a personal video album. Still images may also be inserted into a video production while editing and may be output from the camcorder directly to a video compatible personal computer without the use of a film scanner.

20X Optical/40X Digital Zoom Lens: Extraordinary Recording Reach

The ES6000's 20X optical zoom lens provides uncompromised image quality for capturing images from 4mm wide angle to 80mm telephoto. The digital zooming feature brings the camcorder's telephoto range up to 40X, which is the equivalent to a 1,480mm lens on a 35mm SLR camera. This high powered focal length brings the action in close, permitting the recording of detailed images of remote events and locations normally invisible to the human eye.

Shake-Free Videos: Canon's Optical Image Stabilization Technology

The camcorder's 40X zoom combines with Canon's Optical Image Stabilization system to deliver steady images at high magnification. The Optical Image Stabilization system becomes particularly beneficial during super-telephoto recording as objects are increasingly magnified and image shake is most extreme.

Canon's Optical Image Stabilization system employs proprietary Vari-Angle Prism (VAP) technology for "shake- free" viewing with no degradation of image quality as compared to electronic image stabilization systems.

Additional Features

-- Color Viewfinder -- the world's highest resolution color

viewfinder at 180,000 pixels, lets users see what their

recordings will look like when played back on their TV;

-- Five Exposure Programs and Easy Recording -- Auto, Sports,

Portrait, Spotlight, Sand & Snow and Easy Recording a sixth

program designed to take the guesswork out of video recording;

-- Manual Control -- focus, exposure, white balance and high-speed

shutter;

-- Digital Signal Processing;

-- Hi-Fi Stereo;

-- LANC Editing Terminal;

-- MIC Terminal, Headphone Terminal.

The ES6000 Hi8 camcorder and the optional FP-100 Film Adapter will both be available at video and camera retailers nationally in September 1996 at a manufacturers suggested list price of $1,699.00 and $199.00, respectively.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., headquartered in Lake Success, New York, is an industry leader in professional and consumer imaging equipment and information systems. Canon's extensive product line enables businesses and consumers worldwide to capture, store and distribute visual information. Canon products include camcorders, and loudspeakers; cameras and lenses; micrographics and optical disk filing systems; facsimile machines; black and white as well as full-color copiers; word processors; typewriters and calculators; semiconductor, broadcast and optical equipment, and other specialized industrial products. Canon U.S.A., Inc. employs more than 9,000 people at more than 30 facilities throughout North, Central and South America.

As a concerned corporate citizen, Canon instituted the Clean Earth Campaign in 1990, which supports various environmental and recycling initiatives. The Campaign has collected more than ten million Canon toner cartridges for recycling and reuse as part of its "recycling in the workplace" effort. The Clean Earth Campaign has also supported leading environmental organizations and initiatives to help achieve its other goals of supporting programs that help preserve and protect the environment, enable people to enjoy the environment, and educate people as to its importance. Among organizations supported by Canon U.S.A. through its Clean Earth Campaign are The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Foundation and the National Wildlife Federation.

CONTACT: Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Russell Marchetta

(516) 328- 5145

Canon Web Site:

http://www.usa.canon.com

or

The Rowland Company

Lisa Kaslyn

[phone]