Nikon Inc. Named as CES Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Award Honoree

NEW YORK, Nov. 23, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon Inc. today announced that it has been named an International CES Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for the Nikon D3100 D-SLR camera. Products entered in this prestigious program are judged by a preeminent panel of independent industrial designers, engineers and members of the media to honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting-edge consumer electronics products across 35 product categories.

Sure to be a favorite item this holiday season, the Nikon D3100 speaks to the growing ranks of enthusiastic D-SLR users and aspiring photographers by providing an easy-to-use and affordable entrance to the world of D-SLR photography. With comfortable yet intelligent ergonomics, the D3100 packs powerful technology that is user-friendly into a compact form factor. The D3100 makes advanced features simple with the enhanced Guide Mode which makes it easy to unleash creative potential and capture memories with still images and full HD video. Like having a personal photo tutor at your fingertips, this unique feature provides a simple graphical interface on the camera's LCD that guides users by suggesting and adjusting camera settings to achieve the desired end result images. To assist users when capturing amazing HD video, the D3100 is the first D-SLR to ever incorporate full-time autofocus which can even track human faces.

"We think the D3100 is going to be on many peoples' holiday wish lists this year, as everyday more consumers discover the benefits of digital SLR photography including performance, high image quality and access to a variety of NIKKOR lenses " said Bo Kajiwara, director of marketing and planning at Nikon Inc.  "The Nikon D3100 is an ideal gift for the family photographer or anyone on your list who wants to learn how to take amazing photos. It is designed to make it easy to capture beautiful pictures and crisp HD video, while building confidence by allowing users to unlock their creative potential."

The prestigious Innovations Design and Engineering Awards have been recognizing achievements in product design and engineering since 1976. It is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) , the producer of the International CES, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow.

The Nikon D3100 will be displayed at the 2011 International CES, which runs January 6-9, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase will feature honorees by product category in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center and will also be featured at CES Unveiled: The Official Press Event of the International CES on Tuesday, January 4.

The Innovations entries are judged based on the following criteria:

• Engineering qualities, based on technical specs and materials used
• Aesthetic and design qualities
• The product's intended use/function and user value
• Unique/novel features that consumers would find attractive
• How the design and innovation of the product compares to other products in the marketplace

Products chosen as Innovations honorees reflect innovative design and engineering of the entries. Examples may include the first time various technologies are combined in a single product or dramatic enhancements to previous product designs.

Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering honoree products are featured on www.CESweb.org/Innovations, which lists product categories, as well as each product name, manufacturer information, designer, description, photo and URL.

About Nikon

Nikon, At the Heart of the Image™. Nikon Inc. is the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology and is globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance for its award-winning consumer and professional photographic equipment. Nikon Inc. distributes consumer and professional digital SLR cameras, NIKKOR optics, Speedlights and system accessories; Nikon COOLPIX® compact digital cameras; COOLSCAN® digital film scanners; 35mm film SLR cameras; Nikon software products and Nikon sports and recreational optics. For more information, dial (800) NIKON-UX or visit http://www.nikonusa.com, which links all levels of photographers to the Web's most comprehensive photo learning and sharing communities.

SOURCE Nikon Inc.