Canon EOS REBEL XT, White Paper

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I. OVERVIEW 4
unit sales and revenue figures of both compact cameras and digital SLR cameras
combined, according to NPD. In addition, Canon had 62.8 percent of the DSLR market
and 18.6 percent of the point-and-shoot market, also both number one according to
NPD. Further, according to NPD, Canon had the single best selling digital camera, the
PowerShot A75, as well as the best selling digital SLR, the EOS Digital Rebel.
This sell-through data is testimony to the extent to which consumers and professionals
alike recognize Canon as the imaging industry leader. For example, the readers of PC
Magazine recently gave Canon’s digital cameras their highest rankings in quality,
reliability and support in an annual customer satisfaction survey. In 2004, Canon
digital cameras were also honored by Macworld, C/NET, American Photo, PC World,
Mobile PC Magazine, Best Magazine, Popular Science, Outside Magazine and PTN
Magazine, among others. Canon is listed as one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies
in America and is number 35 on Business Week’s 2004 list of “Top 100 Brands.”
Only Canon Could Produce the EOS Digital Rebel XT
In 2004, IBM received the most U.S. patents, as it had in each of the previous ten
years.
1
Canon was third. In the past ten years, Canon has been second on six occasions
and third on four. Considering the differentials in size, sales volume and R&D
investment levels between Canon
2
and IBM
3
, Canon’s performance in this category is
nothing short of phenomenal.
1 Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) < http://www.uspto.gov/ >
2 Source: Canon Inc. 2003 Annual Report < http://www.canon.com/ir/annual/2003/index.html >
3 Source: IBM 2003 Annual Report < http://www.ibm.com/annualreport/2003/index.shtml >
Canon concentrates its research on what it calls “core technologies.” Currently, these
include nanotechnology, ultra-fine particle technology, organic electroluminescent
displays and thin-film displays. The company is in the forefront of computer-aided 3D-CAD
product design and software development and is one of the leading manufacturers of
semiconductor production equipment (“steppers,” etc.). Canon makes its own
mold production equipment, as well as the tuning and measuring tools required for the
development, maintenance and repair of the machinery it designs and manufactures.
Rank
Top 3 Organizations Receiving U.S. Patents: 1995-2004
2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
1 IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM IBM
2 Matsushita Canon Canon NEC NEC NEC Canon Canon Canon Canon
3 Canon HItachi Micron Canon Canon Canon NEC NEC Motorola U.S. Govt.
Organization
2003 Gross Reveue and R&D Investment
Net Sales R&D Investment
Canon Inc. $29.9 Billion $2.42 Billion
IBM $89.1 Billion $5.08 Billion