Canon had the right idea with their imageCLASS D320 printer/copier: an absolutely no frills laser machine with a small footprint that made utilizing the speed of laser technology affordable. The only drawback that specifically stood out in a machine designed for performance alone was the lack of an automatic document feeder. Canon remedied this problem with this upgraded version of the model, the Canon Copier imageCLASS D340 which comes topped with a large, 50 page ADF.
A printer designed to combine two units into one drastically reduces its appeal when one of the features isn’t fully functional. Half the attraction of a laser copier is rapid speed, and the Canon Copier ImageClass D340 delivers with 12.5 pages per minute on legal sized documents, and 15 PPM for letter sized. The copy speed is unfortunately reduced drastically when dealing with large quantities of single copies if each one must be fed by hand, and now with the D340 this is no longer a problem.
Simplicity is the name of the game with this Canon printer, right down all the way to the toner cartridge which, unlike units that operate on a two or more part system, runs on an easy to use single toner cartridge system. Though the printer doesn’t use a drum, the toner yield does not suffer and is estimated at 3,500 pages which should be plenty to help you push the unit’s maximum monthly duty cycle of 10,000 pages to the limit, and a one year limited warranty with exchange program will boost your confidence when your output demands are this high.
The Canon Copier ImageClass D340 is, suspiciously, incompatible with Mac OS operating systems, but the single USB port allows Windows 7, Visa, XP, 2000, and older versions to integrate with the product nicely. If your needs do not require the use of the print functions via PC access, the simple dedicated controls allow for usage of the copier as a stand alone unit. A standard keypad and LCD screen are at your fingertips, along with helpful dedicated enlarge/reduce, image quality, 2 on 1, and exposure buttons which allow you to take advantage of the zoom feature from 50 % to 200 % in one percent increments, or scan two pages onto a single printout, all without ever hooking up to a computer.
Quality is at least up to standards for units in the category, with copy resolution of 1200 X 600 dots per inch, and print resolutions of 600 X 600 dots per inch, exclusively in monochrome. The overall size of the unit is also standard, if not good. With dimensions of 21.4″(W) x 17.6″(D) x 17.8″(H) and a curb weight of 35.2 pounds, the footprint is very manageable. If energy usage is a factor, fear not. This EnergyStar compliant printer uses a maximum of .65 Kws and is in accordance with Canon’s, “generation green,” standards.
The Canon Copier imageCLASS D340 may not be able to jump through as many hoops as some of the other business class lasers on the market, but with the implementation of the handy ADF, it is certainly a comparable printer and copy machine.
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