It is widely believed that Canon's multifunction laser printing devices are the most reliable in the world. This is evidenced not only by the reviews of the owners, but also by representatives of service centers that annually serve MFPs with over ten years of experience. The focus of this article is one of such representatives of the new generation - Canon i-SENSYS MF211. A detailed description, technical specifications and professional reviews will introduce readers to the new product.
There is no arguing with company policy
In the global market, this product is positioned in a budget class and is aimed primarily at the home user. However, the situation on the Russian market is different, since the Canon i-SENSYS MF211 laser multifunction printer is located in the business class segment, even despite the affordable cost (8-10 thousand rubles). It does not make sense to challenge the decision of the sellers, but it is worth noting that the budget device has a print limit of no more than 8000 pages per month.
As practice shows, in small and medium-sized businesses such a print volume is acceptable, so many potential buyers should not worry about this. It is quite possible to purchase another printer, and a small office can be considered secured office equipment. At least, many IT professionals give just such advice to many aspiring businessmen.
Interesting hypercube
The giant packaging at the first acquaintance gives a false idea about the dimensions of the Canon i-SENSYS MF211 MFP. The manufacturer simply worried about transporting his device and provided the box with additional stiffening ribs. In addition to cardboard, polystyrene foam and multifunction devices, the user will find in the packaging a power and interface cable, driver disks, a cartridge and a device’s operating manual.
Not only the appearance of the printer, which is more like a half-meter cube, is captivating. It attracts to the MFP design, a multifunctional control panel and, of course, high-quality plastic from which the equipment is made. Even the most demanding buyer at the first acquaintance with the device is unlikely to be able to find fault with anything. The printer is perfect.
Ease of use of the multifunction device
First of all, it is worth noting that the MFP is an independent device. That is, having removed the cartridge and power cable from the box of the Canon i-SENSYS MF211, any user can start it without connecting to a PC or laptop. True, its functionality in this case will be limited to the creation of blueprints. After connecting the MFP to a computer, the owner will see a range of possibilities: a printer, a scanner, a copier.
Connecting the device to a PC or laptop is very fast. At the hardware level, the printer supports working with any operating system and does not require the installation of drivers for printing documents. But to gain access to fine-tuning or a scanner, the user will have to install the software. The driver disc contains specialized applications for the Windows, Linux, and MacOS operating systems.
Professional scanner
Not only MFPs, but also many flatbed scanners are less likely to demonstrate decent resolution when digitizing a color image. Many manufacturers put a cheap sensor and tell customers tales about the Canon i-SENSYS MF211 48-bit color depth. The reviews describe the scanner in a different way. The maximum resolution declared by the manufacturer of 1200x1200 dpi is implemented at the hardware level, however, the firmware of the multifunction device is equipped with a firmware that not only interpolates but also slows down the reading head, allowing it to read the image better. At the output, the user receives a picture with a resolution of 9600x9600 dpi in very high quality.
True, this functionality is only available when scanning. Thus, it will not be possible to improve the blueprint image, since in the “copy” mode, improvement is not available. But no one bothers the owner to scan, save the document on the computer and print like on a regular printer.
Printing device functionality
For a laser printer, print speeds of up to 23 pages per minute are acceptable, as is the size of the paper used. Having set the necessary parameters in the settings, you can force the Canon i-SENSYS MF211 MFP to print on anything, including any non-standard sizes (a whole chapter is devoted to the paper format operating instructions). However, laser printers have always had problems with carrier density. Pulling the page with the rollers through the cartridge and the stove strongly bends a sheet of paper, respectively, the media density should not exceed 163 g / m 2 .
In any case, users who are interested in borderless printing will be negative. Laser Canon i-SENSYS MF211, unlike an inkjet device, always has the boundaries of the print area - at least 5 mm at the edges. Also, the MFP does not have a built-in duplex (the ability to print on both sides of the device itself), but this problem is completely solvable. The software supports this functionality, although for this the user will need to manually feed a sheet printed on one side (or a stack if it is a large volume).
Multifunctionality of the copier
The quality of blueprints directly depends on the operation of the scanning head with shades of gray. The Canon i-SENSYS MF211 printer works with TWAIN and WIA standards, which has a very good effect on the distinctive features of the photosensitive element in 256 shades of gray. Speaking in plain language - the blueprints of the MFP produces ideal quality.
Functionality with zooming during copying is also available to the user, which is quite convenient when working with documentation, although the range is limited to 25-400%. But judging by the reviews of the owners of the Canon i-SENSYS MF211 device, this is quite enough. The maximum number of copies per cycle also has a limit of 99 sheets. This is done by the manufacturer specifically to remove the load from the printer.
Print quality
Unlike inkjet printers, the Canon i-SENSYS MF211 MFP cartridge contains not only consumables, but also transfers information to paper. Accordingly, the quality of its work directly depends on the conditions and duration of use. The yield of one cartridge at 5% coverage is 2500 pages. After which the manufacturer recommends purchasing a new kit. However, in our country it is customary to refuel toner on our own, so the print quality will depend only on the skillful actions of the owner.
As for the basic characteristics of print quality, it is quite enough for working with text and vector graphics. Even the fine print fits perfectly on paper. The owners' reviews left by the owners regarding the device Canon i-SENSYS MF211 claim that the printer can print bitmap photos. But professionals claim that photo printing is unacceptable for the MFP and leads to rapid wear of the printer’s working parts.
Finally
Home use, a small office or a small business - there is not much difference for this multifunction device. After all, the Canon i-SENSYS MF211 is able to cope with any task, this is its main advantage. Versatility, ease of use and unsurpassed print quality are just a few of the great qualities from a huge list. The manufacturer once again did not let its fans down and introduced a really needed printer with great features.