Canon USA Pres Release

Grand Prize Winner Awarded a Trip for Four to Super Bowl XLI and Winning Photo to Be Displayed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., September 6, 2006 - Canon and the Pro Football Hall of Fame are once again giving football and photography fans the opportunity to capture the fun, passion and excitement of youth football by entering their best football photos, everything from a playful catch in the backyard to any youth, school, or organized football games in the “Why Do You Love Football” Photo Challenge. The nation-wide amateur photo contest features two entry categories “Action” and “Feature.”  The “Action” category focuses on any image that captures football action during game play, while the “Feature” category comprises any football imagery outside of game action on the field.

“Many of my most treasured memories were spent watching my sons grow up and sharing in their lives on the football field,” said former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and father of two of the NFL’s star quarterbacks.  “Time goes by way too quickly and before you know it, your children have become adults and are off on their own.  Having the opportunity to reflect and flip through old photos brings me right back to some of the best moments of my life.” 

A judging panel consisting of top photographers Peter Read Miller, Sports Illustrated; Mark Duncan, Associated Press; Craig Melvin, US PRESSWIRE; John Reid III, Cleveland Browns team photographer; Tony Tomsic, freelance photographer and Archie Manning, former NFL quarterback; will determine the group of 14 finalists.  The voting will then be turned over to the fans who will crown the first place winner in both the “Action” and “Feature” categories, along with the Grand Prize winner in early January.

“This is the second straight year that Canon and the Pro Football Hall of Fame have conducted an amateur youth football photo contest,” said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the consumer imaging group at Canon U.S.A., Inc. “We are pleased to once again recognize the best youth football photos taken by amateur photographers across the United States.  We are also proud and excited to be working with NFL legend Archie Manning and to have him as a judge in this contest.  He is certainly someone who can appreciate watching your children grow up while enjoying football.”

The Grand Prize winner will be awarded a trip for four to attend Super Bowl XLI in South Florida and will earn a once in a lifetime opportunity to have his or her photo displayed in The Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton, Ohio.  Additionally, the winner will receive a trip for four to the 2007 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Celebration in August 2007.

Parents, family members and friends are encouraged to submit as many as 10 images by visiting www.usa.canon.com/nfl and following the online instructions and official rules.  The contest ends on November 27, 2006.

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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