The Canon ImageCLASS D860 is a high end performer as both a printer and a fax machine, with extremely high quality output and great speed, this monochrome laser two in one device effectively combines two office essentials into one. And yet, there are a couple strange oddities to be noted.
Unlike most printer/ copier combos, the Canon ImageCLASS D860 does not include a scanning option. If scanning images is critical to your office demands then, right off the bat, it is time to look elsewhere, as there is no way for this unit to upload content digitally.
Another phenomenon that is more uncommon than not and is present in the Canon ImageCLASS D860 is the mismatched copy and print speeds. Most similar combination units on the market today have matched printed page per minute and copied page per minute speeds, and occasionally you will see copy speeds lag behind slightly, but rarest of all is a machine where copy speeds actually exceed that of regular printing, as is the case here, with print speeds maxing out at 16 pages per minute for letter sized paper, and copy speeds at 18 pages per minute.
Possibly more notably than the uniqueness of the device is the outstanding print quality it delivers. With print resolutions ranging from 600 x 600 dots per inch all the way up to a staggering 2400 x 600 dots per inch, the Canon ImageCLASS D860 can do more than just simple black text. At 2400 dpi charts and graphs will come out crisp and clear, keeping your professional presentations at the highest standard.
Unlike in the speed department, copy resolutions fall behind slightly, ranging from 600 x 600 dots per inch up to a, still decent, 1200 x 600 dots per inch. The features are also lagging slightly as a copier, with only the usual Canon basics implemented. The zoom features allows for a reduction ratio of down to 50 % in one percent increments, and enlargement is settable up to 200 %, also in single percentage increments. Canon has also provided preset increments (50%, 64%, 78%, 129%, and 200%) for faster, more convenient control.
When the fifty percent reduction is applied, a 2 on 1 feature can be activated which allows the user to shrink two pages worth of letter sized data down onto a single sheet. This feature is valuable when mass quantities of data are more important than presentation. A toner saver mode is also selectable, as it is in most Canon devices, which can drastically reduce the amount of ink used with a very slight loss to quality.
USB and Parallel ports allow interfacing with most Windows based systems, but no Mac software is included, and neither are the cords themselves. The footprint is average size, sitting at 52.9 pounds and dimensions of 24.5″ x 17.4″ x 15.1″ (with attachments).
All things considered, the Canon imageCLASS D860 is actually a fairly bare bones machine. That being said, the emphasis Canon has placed on the product is in its incredible print resolution, and outstanding copy speed, making it a valuable tool none the less.
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