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CANON U.S.A. INTRODUCES THE VB-C60 PAN/TILT/ZOOM NETWORK CAMERA FEATURING AN ULTRA-LONG 40X OPTICAL ZOOM AND POWERFUL DIGIC NET PROCESSOR

Monday 08. September 2008 - 40x Optical Zoom with Image Stabilization, Smart Shade Control,Simultaneous M-JPEG/MPEG-4 High Quality Video, and PoE 802.3af compliant are Among the Many Advanced Features on this New PTZ Network Camera

Offering unprecedented performance and value, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced the new VB-C60 Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) Network Camera. This new camera is designed as a versatile, compact solution for high-quality, remote-video monitoring over IP and can be used for many diverse applications, including monitoring property and facilities, surveillance in hospitals and schools, or web conferencing in board rooms. Featuring Genuine Canon Optics, the VB-C60 has an ultra-long built-in zoom (40x optical) and wide angle lens (56-degree horizontal field of view), as well as an Auto Focus system and Image Stabilization.

“The ever-expanding role of network cameras cannot be underestimated,” affirmed Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Immediate, interactive access to high-quality moving images has become the norm in the age of the Internet. Canon has now advanced PTZ performance and versatility to new heights with the VB-C60 PTZ Network Camera.”

The VB-C60 PTZ Network Camera’s wide panning range (± 170) which, combined with the 56-degree wide angle lens, provides coverage for a full 360-degree horizontal field-of-view. When viewing moving objects, images remain clear thanks to a high-sensitivity progressive-scan CCD and advanced auto focus system. The camera also features Panorama Image Creation in which the entire viewing range is stitched together into one image. This allows the user to quickly move the camera to any specific portion within the cameras viewing range. Additionally, the user can utilize the Pre-set Tour function, allowing for up to 20 camera positions to be pre-set and viewed at specified intervals.

The VB-C60 features several image enhancement functions, including:

Image Stabilizer – which effectively works to compensate for image blur caused by exterior vibrations
Smart Shade Control – which automatically adjusts the contrast between bright and dark areas of an image for optimum detail display
Auto Day/Night Capability – where the camera automatically switches to night mode depending upon lighting conditions

The VB-C60 PTZ Network Camera uses the proprietary Canon DIGIC NET Processor, a powerful hardware-based engine that performs all image processing and encoding. This results in the camera being able to handle simultaneous encoding of Motion-JPEG and MPEG-4 video in high-quality VGA (640 x 480) at a full 30 frames per second. The high image quality of Motion-JPEG is suited for live monitoring; the compression scheme of MPEG-4 is ideal for recording due to its smaller file size and lighter network load. The VB-C60 PTZ Network Camera offers support for up to 30 simultaneous “clients” (users accessing and viewing video images at the same time).

The ability to distribute Motion-JPEG images in three sizes simultaneously: 640 x 480, 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 is also found on this camera and allows for access by a cell phone/PDA. The 320 x 240 size is useful when monitoring multiple cameras on a single screen; the 640 x 480 resolution provides for optimum image quality. The VB-C60 also has a recording stream function that can greatly minimize the possibility of lost frames due to brief network interruptions.

Also available on the VB-C60 is Motion Detection, which can be triggered based on user pre-set parameters, and Subject Auto-Tracking which automatically pans and tilts to follow a subject’s movement. In addition to tracking the detected motion, the camera can instantly take a picture and email it to a designated account or cell phone/PDA, and upload multiple images to a http or ftp server.

The camera has audio input/output supporting full-duplex audio communication. Audio output can also be used to playback pre-recorded sound when triggered by an event, such as motion detection.

Included with the camera is IPv6 and IPsec Support (IP security), a set of protocols for securing IP communications by encrypting data streams while also securing the data flow to and from the camera, ensuring only authorized users have access.

For convenience and ease of installation, the VB-C60 PTZ Network Camera supports the IEEE 802.3af standard for Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology, which allows both power and data to be carried over a single LAN cable when connected to a PoE hub/switch/midspan. Since a power cable is not required, the camera can be installed at sites without accessible AC outlets.

The VB-C60 PTZ Network Camera can be mounted in an upright position or on a ceiling with a simple setting change. The optional indoor recessed dome housing and ceiling mount cover are available for ceiling-mounted installations. The recessed dome housing is available in “clear” and “smoked” finishes and the ceiling mount cover is available in black.

The VB-C60 PTZ Network Camera comes bundled with one license of VK-Lite Network Video Monitoring & Recording Software, an application that enables the user to monitor, record and playback images from up to four cameras from a single screen (additional licenses are available for $99* each). There is also a built-in Web Viewer for live monitoring and basic camera control, such as controlling the camera’s PTZ movements.

The Canon VB-C60 PTZ Network Camera has a suggested list price of $1,699*.

VK-64/VK-16 Version 2.0 Network Video Monitoring and Recording Software
In addition to this new PTZ Network Camera, Canon is also releasing Version 2.0 of its VK-64 and VK-16 Network Video Recording Software. In addition to being able to store, manage, archive and access security video, this software offers new features, including Enhanced Camera Control, Multiple Recording Options/Modes including MPEG-4, Support for Audio Recording, and Full Compatibility with all Canon Network Cameras.

The VK-64 Version 2.0 Network Video Monitoring and Recording Software has a suggested list price of $2,499*; and the VK-16 Version 2.0 Network Video Monitoring and Recording Software has a suggested list price of $999*.