Canon USA Press Release 31/03/04

Canon’s New Compact Photo Printers CP-220 and CP-330 Add Ease-of-Use, Flexibility and Style to Direct Photo Printing
 
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—March 31, 2004—New Print Size, Enhanced Features and Sleek Design Bolster User-Friendly Compact Printers  

Whether announcing a “new arrival” or capturing family fun at a weekend barbecue, Canon’s new Compact Photo Printers CP-220 and CP-330 allow consumers to print pictures quickly, easily and directly from a digital camera, virtually anywhere. Canon’s small and stylish CP photo printers now print high-quality color prints in three different paper sizes from a computer via USB or by direct camera-to-printer connection. These sizes include 4” x 8” for personalized greeting cards or invitations; 4” x 6” postcard size or credit-card size pictures.

“We launched our next generation of compact card photo printers so that people can print their photos whenever and wherever they want,” said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the consumer imaging group at Canon U.S.A., Inc, a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ). “The new and enhanced features in our Compact Photo Printer series make photo printing a more simple and enjoyable experience for everyone, and will likely encourage consumers to print more often.”

The 85 Second Photo Lab*
The Canon Compact Photo Printers CP-220 and CP-330 dye-sub printers allow users to create crisp, vibrant postcard-sized color prints in approximately 85 seconds.* The CP-220 and CP-330 printers create water and fade resistant prints that last as long as traditional film prints.

With its rechargeable battery pack, the Compact Photo Printer CP-330 becomes a compact mobile printer. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack delivers up to 90 minutes of use when fully charged, allowing users to print their pictures on the soccer field or even in the car. The CP-220 unit is also portable and uses AC power to print at home or on the go. To notify users of the status of a print job, the CP-330 model sports multi-colored indicators - cyan, magenta, yellow - that illuminate in sequence as the print is being processed. Indicator lights on the CP-220 unit are only available in blue.

Personalized Greeting Cards
The new 4” x 8” wide paper size allows consumers to create and print personalized greeting cards for nearly any occasion. Both printers come equipped with drivers and application software that include a wide variety of templates and clip art for users to personalize their greetings, holiday cards, birth announcements, party invitations, and many other projects.** For consumers’ convenience, the new 4” x 8” paper is available in 24-sheet packs together with an ink ribbon cartridge, so no additional supplies are necessary. The 4” x 8” paper tray is supplied with the CP-330 model and offered as an optional accessory for the CP-220 unit.

Additionally, select Canon PowerShot digital cameras feature new Direct Print options that can be used with the CP-220 and CP-330 printers, including ID Photo Print that automatically generates passport style prints on 4” x 6” paper as well as ID prints of various sizes (selectable on the camera-menu).

The new printers allow consumers to print thumbnail sequences from movie clips from select PowerShot digital cameras. Up to 63 thumbnails can be printed on 4"x 6” postcard-size paper. With the Compact Photo Printers CP-220 and CP-330 and PowerShot digital cameras, users are ready to capture and print their memories anywhere, anytime.

PictBridge Technology
The Compact Photo Printers CP-220 and CP-330 are also PictBridge-compatible. PictBridge is the worldwide direct printing standard that allows any PictBridge-compatible printer to print directly from any PictBridge-compatible digital camera. Though earlier models in the CP Printer series supported basic PictBridge features, the Compact Photo Printers CP-220 and CP-330 provide further PictBridge support with the new Automatic Dynamic Range Correction function. When using PictBridge technology, the brightness of prints may vary depending on the connecting camera. To balance the brightness or contrast of a photograph, Automatic Dynamic Range Correction automatically corrects the variances. This function is effective when the PictBridge “image optimize” flag is set to the “on” position in the camera’s LCD monitor menu.

Optional Accessories, Pricing and Availability
Perfect for home or on-the-go, the new CP-220 and CP-330 printers measure a compact 6.70 x 4.69 x 2.16 inches and 6.70 x 4.84 x 2.17 inches respectively, and weigh in at just 28.9 ounces and 30.3 ounces. Both printers come bundled with a 4” x 6” paper tray and a compact power adapter, while the CP-330 model also comes equipped with a tray for the 4"x 8” size and a rechargeable battery pack. Optional accessories for both printers include a paper tray for credit-card size prints and a car battery adapter.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. also markets the Printer Carrying Bag CPB-100, custom designed for CP-series printers to provide convenient storage for a complete outfit including digital camera, printer, battery, cables and paper at a suggested retail price of $34.99. Paper and ink supplies are sold together in one convenient package. The Compact Photo Printers CP-330 and CP-220 will be available in April and May 2004, respectively for estimated street prices of $279 and $179, respectively.***

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 ranked #39 on the Business Week 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 2003, with global revenues of $24.5 billion. Canon U.S.A. employs more than 10,000 people at over 30 locations. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.

*Print speed based on average output speed achieved during product testing with Canon PowerShot digital cameras. Other manufacturers’ products’ print speed may vary. Printer functions are sensitive to temperature and humidity; please see User Manual for appropriate operating environment.

** Software and Drivers available for Windows 98 , 98SE , Me , 2000 , XP and Mac OS 9.0 - 9.2, Mac OS X (v10.1, v10.2, v10.3) but templates are Windows compatible only.

***All prices are set by the individual dealer and may vary.