The Canon MX850 inkjet printer is an all-in-one device, capable of copying, printing from memory card and PC, faxing and scanning. This hefty (at 30.7 lbs) multifunction device is aimed at the home office user who wants it all, but in one device. As well as offering access to all of these features from a computer (software is supplied for both Windows and MacOSX), it can also work as a stand-alone device using the 2.5 inch TFT screen and control panel keys. It did a creditable job of performing all of the tasks that all-in-one devices are expected to do: the print quality was good and the operations were generally speedy. The big addition to the MX850 from the MX830 resets in its accrual of fax features one-touch speed dialing and remote reception. But it's a bit on the expensive side; the Canon MX850 retails for $279.99, when there are devices with similar features for significantly less.
The MX850 had its ups in the tray, menu and fax departments. Canon offers dual input trays with the MX850 and also three choices on how you’d prefer to use them, which makes it easy to switch from one paper type to another. The navigation on the unit menu was nearly seamless and easy to follow. Although we had a minor tiff with mixed messages here and there with button commands such as magnification, the menus were generally straightforward and easy to use. The fax feature is a new to this series of Canon printers and it’s a well thought out addition to the printer.
As for performance, the Canon MX850 is pretty much on par with its class of multifunction printers. In our tests of photos printed onto glossy photo paper, it did a good job of reproducing green and foliage tones but blue tones were a little inaccurate; some blue skies looked overly pale. Its speeds were comparable to other printers in its class, and though it stalled while printing multiple documents and photographs, its speed timing remained reasonably consistent.
Outside of being a hefty printer for weighing in at just over 30lbs and taking up nearly half a standard size desk, the downfall of the printer comes with its black and white photo prints and the annoying banding it leaves behind. Even after cleaning and alignment, prints from our review model had streaks on every photo we printed. The black and white prints also weren’t true black and white. They were much more brown-toned or sepia than black and white. The settings had to be changed to select the grayscale option for the photographs to print with real blacks, and even then the photographs were grainy and had a slight sepia cast.
Overall, the Canon MX850 had only lackluster photo print quality, but it had decent speed and did a decent job on printing to plain paper. And while it has a great selection of features, it’s a tad pricey for its performance results and in comparison to other printers in its class.
For a more in-depth review, visit the Canon Pixma MX850 Review at our partner PrinterInfo.com
