Canon U.S.A. And Efi Complete Compatibility Testing Of Efi’s Colorproof Xf Proofing And Production Solution For Canon ImagePrograf Printers

As part of Canon’s Alliance Program, EFI has completed compatibility testing of EFI’s Bestcolor® Technology-driven Colorproof XF with Canon’s large format devices. As a result, Canon U.S.A. will promote this compatibility through co-marketing and awareness generation initiatives targeting solution applications within five key markets – Photography, Prepress, CAD/GIS, Signage and Scan/Copy. Canon U.S.A. features these partners on their corporate website (www.usa.canon.com) along with other channel marketing communications.

“We are pleased that EFI has tested their software to determine the compatibility with our imagePROGRAF line and are eager to promote the resulting solutions to the channel and end-user,” said Jim Rosetta, vice president and general manager, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A. “Compatibility with Colorproof XF will allow customers to take full advantage of all that our imagePROGRAF printers have to offer.”

Reston, Virginia-based visual consultancy Prestige Graphics Inc. recently produced an annual exhibit for the Smithsonian Natural History Museum using an EFI Colorproof XF-driven Canon imagePROGRAF iPF9000 large format color production printer. Contracted by Nature’s Best Photography Magazine, Prestige Graphics produced 61 full-brilliant-color photograph prints with wide-format dimensions of 4 x 6 feet, 2 x 3 feet, 2 x 5 feet and 5 x 10 feet, filling an 5,000 square-foot Smithsonian gallery with brilliant images depicting the beauty of nature.

“Since I first won the Smithsonian project in 2003, Colorproof XF has been critical to providing my best work for Nature’s Best Publishing and why this client has come back to me every year for the last five years with this exciting and very high-profile assignment,” said Mark McCall, president, Prestige Graphics, Inc. (www.prestigegraphicsinc.com) “The Nature’s Best Photography Awards exhibit at the Smithsonian is a crowning achievement for Prestige Graphics and EFI’s Colorproof XF is the only proofing solution I would trust for it – the color fidelity I’m able to produce is amazing; far surpassing what I could do with anything else.”

Colorproof XF helps transform inkjet and laser printers into powerful proofing and production systems and is renowned for providing customers with outstanding performance, color quality, flexibility and a highly intuitive interface. The XF Server on Mac OS X makes the system a complete cross-platform solution. With its client/server architecture and modular concept, Colorproof XF offers an unprecedented level of customization to fit print service provider’s individual needs.

“Our successful compatibility testing for Colorproof XF with Canon imagePROGRAF Large Format Printers is the latest advancement in the long-standing relationship between EFI and Canon that results in increased competitiveness, efficiency and profitability for customers,” said Frank Mallozzi, senior vice president, worldwide marketing and sales, EFI.

In addition to Colorproof XF, Canon customers can also benefit from EFI’s industry-leading Fiery color digital print server technology, Fiery Central, the company’s powerful, modular, PDF-based production workflow solution, Digital StoreFront, EFI’s web-to-print platform, and EFI Print MIS Solutions, for optimal business management.

About EFI
EFI (www.efi.com) is the world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation. EFI’s award-winning solutions, integrated from creation to print, deliver increased performance, cost savings and productivity. The company’s robust product portfolio includes Fiery® digital color print servers; VUTEk® superwide digital inkjet printers, UV and solvent inks; Jetrion® industrial inkjet printing systems; print production workflow and management information software; and corporate printing solutions. EFI maintains 23 offices worldwide.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2006†, with global revenues of $34.9 billion, is listed as one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies in America and is on the 2007 BusinessWeek list of “Top 100 Brands.” To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/pressroom.




† IFI Patent Intelligence Press Release, January 2007.

EFI and Fiery are registered trademarks of Electronics For Imaging, Inc. in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and/or certain other foreign jurisdictions. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

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