Compact Five Megapixel Digital Camera Features a Large 2.5" Epson LCD that Offers Crystal-Clear Detail for Sharing and Previewing Images

LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 21, 2004 - Epson America Inc. is combining its exclusive LCD technology, Epson Photo Fine, with the new EPSON L-500V digital camera to provide the ultimate viewing and sharing experience for its customers. The EPSON L-500V is a compact, five megapixel digital camera that includes Epson Photo Fine Technology, along with high-speed continuous shooting and a creative feature called PRINT Image Framer®, which adds unique frames to any photo with a touch of a button.

The EPSON L-500V is fun and easy to use, which makes it ideal for today's photo active customer, who is usually taking photos of family and friends at every opportunity. In addition to its 5.0 megapixel CCD sensor and incredible 2.5" LCD screen, this sleek, black-bodied, compact camera includes a 3x optical zoom and a 4x digital zoom, prints directly to the PictureMate™ personal photo lab and select Epson Stylus Photo printers and includes PRINT Image Matching® II technology for producing the best possible prints on PRINT Image Matching-enabled photo printers.

"People are taking and sharing more pictures than ever and are moving away from looking through the viewfinder to take a photo. We're seeing people framing the subject through the LCD on the back of their digital cameras instead," said Carrie Allen, assistant product manager, digital cameras, Epson. "The LCD is a key feature of digital cameras today, which is why Epson is not only focusing on the quality of the printed image, but also on the quality of its LCD. With the EPSON L-500V, customers don't have to make any sacrifices or compromises when it comes to capturing, viewing or printing the picture-this camera covers it all."

Epson Photo Fine Technology
Epson Photo Fine Technology was first introduced with the introduction of the EPSON P-10000 Photo Viewer and is now being integrated into several Epson imaging products, including the EPSON L-500V. Epson is a technology leader in the manufacturing of LCD modules which are incorporated into a number of devices including many leading brands of AV projectors, digital cameras, cellular telephones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs).

With the incorporation of Epson's exclusive Photo Fine Technology into the large 2.5" LCD screen on the EPSON L-500V, customers can ensure that the picture they took looks just the way they wanted with no surprises later. The EPSON L-500V's display has a higher pixel density (256 image pixels per inch) than a typical small digital camera display (80-100 image pixels per inch) providing smoother gradations and less jagged edges for exceptional clarity and sharp detail for sharing and previewing images. The camera also delivers more colors per pixel than a typical small display with three colors (red, green and blue) per image pixel versus one color per image pixel, which results in images being displayed with more accurate, brilliant colors with enhanced details.

High-Speed Continuous Shooting
Not only can the EPSON L-500V capture beautiful images, but it captures them fast with a high-speed continuous shooting mode. The camera can capture up to three frames per second, at the highest resolution, until the user's optional, high-speed memory card is full. This feature is ideal for capturing a variety of activities including outdoor events such as soccer or football games. The EPSON L-500V is fully automatic for fast, point and shoot functionality and it also has a manual mode for added control.

PRINT Image Framer
The EPSON L-500V incorporates a creative feature, PRINT Image Framer (P.I.F.). This technology gives customers the ability to add a frame to any image they choose simply by pressing the P.I.F. button on the back of the camera. Frames will not affect the original image and they can be added without having to connect to a computer.
P.I.F. is a feature that is specifically designed to work with select Epson Stylus Photo printers and PictureMate. It's as easy as selecting a frame design and choosing a photo. Frames can even be chosen before a photo is taken. There are over 100 frames to choose from that ship with the camera, four frames that are stored on the camera's internal memory and additional frames on CD which can be uploaded to a Secure Digital™ memory card. Frame choices include everything from birthdays and holidays to baby-themed frames.

Customers who want more creative freedom can design their own frames by using the included software (PRINT Image Framer Designer) and can even personalize existing frames. The newly created frames can be uploaded to the camera using the included software (PRINT Image Framer Tools). This unique feature adds a fun and more creative way for customers to express themselves through their photos.

Printing with the EPSON L-500V
The EPSON L-500V can also print one or more of the photos on the memory card without ever having to connect to a computer. With the camera's compatibility with USB-Direct Print to select Epson printers, printing without a computer has never been simpler. The customer can even press a print button on the back of the camera to quickly and easily select images for printing (utilizing a technology known as direct print order format or DPOF).

The EPSON L-500V also supports PRINT Image Matching II and Exif 2.2 (Exif Print).

Storage Capacity and Batteries
The camera includes a 16MB Secure Digital memory card, which gives customers the ability to take snapshots right away. For those customers that require more storage, the EPSON L-500V supports Secure Digital memory cards up to 1GB and MultiMedia cards (MMC). The EPSON L-500V comes with one Lithium Ion battery and charger. An optional AC adapter will also be available.

Pricing and Availability
The EPSON L-500V will be available in November for an estimated street price of $399 through various camera specialty outlets, select retail stores, mail order, select retail Web sites and on the Epson retail Web site (www.epsonstore.com). The camera carries a one-year limited warranty and is also supported by the EPSON ConnectionSM, a customer support and technical assistance line. For more information on Epson and its products, call 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766) or visit the company's Web site at www.epson.com.

About Epson
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

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Note: Epson, EPSON Stylus, PRINT Image Matching, PictureMate and PRINT Image Framer are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. Photo Fine is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Third party brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.