Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE 8500 III Series Review

Good: Enhanced security features, strong finishing options, two-tone color scheme.
Bad: No color printing or copying supported, not intended for smaller businesses.
Bottom Line: New series of production-oriented devices that has a strong focus on security.
Vendor:
Product:
Price:
Intended Users:
Canon
ir ADVANCE 8500 III
Unknown
Production
Speed Black:
Speed Color:
Processor:
Memory:
85 ppm-105 ppm
Not applicable
Canon Dual Custom Processor
3 GB

Product Overview

Canon has refreshed its third-generation imageRUNNER ADVANCE series with the the new third edition models. The new edition includes upgraded security features, such as the integration with the customers’ exiting Security Information Event Management (SIEM) solution. Integration to SIEM allows IT professionals to include the Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE device into their company’s existing comprehensive security monitoring. In other words, they’ll have insights into potential threats to their infrastructure, including their print fleet, without having to manually import data from the printer into the SIEM solution. SIEM integration is now also available on all third-generation imageRUNNER ADVANCE models through Canon’s Unified Firmware Platform, which frequently provides new features and functionalities through firmware updates.

Additional new security features include the Verify System at Startup process, only available on third edition models, that uses a Root of Trust to help protect the device from unauthorized modifications and an automatic security certificate update that helps reduce the burden on IT staff.

With a speed range of 85 ppm to 105 ppm, the Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE 8500 III Series are designed for businesses with very high-volume printing needs, such as publishing plants, central reprographic departments (CRDs) and manufacturers.

These devices has a few other differences from the 6500 III series aside from speed, such as more finishing options, a standard 10.4″ upright panel (for two of the three machines) and a two-tone color scheme (light gray and dark gray).

There are three devices in this series. They are:

  • The imageRUNNER ADVANCE 8585i III that prints and copies at 85 ppm
  • The imageRUNNER ADVANCE 8595i III that prints and copies at 95 ppm
  • The imageRUNNER ADVANCE 8505i III that prints and copies at 105 ppm

All three devices provide standard printing, copying and scanning functions, and they use the Canon Dual Custom Processor. Faxing is optional. Standard memory is 3 GB. There’s a standard 250 GB hard drive with an optional mirroring hard drive of an additional 250 GB.

The 8585i III includes a 10.1″ LCD color flat panel, and the other two devices support a 10.4″ LCD color upright panel.

More details are in our Features section below.

Features

Paper handling: The 8500 III Series includes many options for paper handling. Standard paper input starts with a dual 1,500-sheet paper tray, dual 550-sheet paper trays and a 100-sheet bypass for 4,200 sheets. The option’s available to add a 3,500-sheet paper deck (either the letter-sized deck only or the paper deck that accepts up to 13″ x 19″) for a maximum of 7,700 sheets. All trays accept up to 80 lb. cover in paper weight, except for the bypass (which accepts up to 140 lb. index).

There’s a 300-sheet document feeder that supports single-pass duplexing.

Businesses also have different finishing options. First, there’s a three-tray staple finisher (available on the 8585i only) that has a capacity of 500 sheets in two trays and 3,000 sheets in a third tray. It supports multiposition stapling of up to 65 sheets. Another option is the booklet finisher with saddle stitching (again, for the 8585i only). It has the same tray and stapling capacities as the stapling finisher, but can also saddle stitch up to 20 sheets. A 2/3-hole puncher can be added to either unit.

There’s another finisher (available for all three machines) with three trays that supports a 1,500-sheet tray, a 250-sheet tray and a 2,500-sheet tray. It includes multiposition stapling of up to 100 sheets. A booklet maker can be added to the unit that saddle stitches up to 20 sheets.

And there’s a third finisher with a 3,000-sheet capacity in two trays. It supports multiposition stapling of 100 sheets. Users can add in a booklet maker that saddle stitches up to 25 sheets.

A 2-/3-hole punch unit can be added to any of the finishers. There’s also a Multifunction Professional Puncher, as well as two booklet trimmers (one that can trim up to 30 booklets and another that trims up to 40 sheets).

There’s also a document insertion unit. And finally, there’s a folding unit that supports different folding options (C-fold, Z-fold, accordion and half-fold).

Multifunction features: The 8500 III Series supports Canon’s UFR II language, PCL and PostScript. Mobile printing is supported. USB, Ethernet and Wi-Fi are standard. First-page-out copy time is 2.7 seconds.

Color scanning is supported as is scanning to mobile devices. Users can send scans to email, SMB, FTP, WebDAV and mailbox. Scanning file formats are TIFF, JPEG, PDF, XPS and Office Open XML. There’s also the option to send encrypted PDFs and digital signatures.

LDAP is supported, and users can store up to 2,000 contacts within the address book. These devices include the ability to store up to 100 user inboxes and 30,000 pages maximum.

The fax option uses the 33.6 kbps modem with JBIG compression. Up to four fax lines are permitted. Internet and IP faxing are supported.

Security features: The 8500 III Series has strong security features, both standard and optional. Some of the standard features include user and department ID authentication, hard drive password lock, hard drive erase, hard drive encryption, mailbox password, IP/Mac address filtering, secure prints and Adobe LiveCycle Rights Management integration, to name a few.

Print controller: There is an optional Fiery print controller. It has a 3.3 GHz processor, 8 GB of memory and a 500 GB hard drive. It supports PCL, PostScript and Ethernet interfaces. Additional features include hot folders, virtual printers, variable data printing and secure erase.

  • Automatic Document Feeder?
  • Duplexing?
  • Ethernet Connectivity?
  • Wireless Connectivity?
  • Mobile Printing/Scanning?
  • Finishers?

Shortcomings

There’s no color printing or copying. Also, the 8500 III Series isn’t intended for smaller environments.

About

Canon is the number-one copier company in the U.S. if measured by the total number of units sold.

The company has an impressive line of multifunctional devices, and it’s one of the leaders in this market. Most of Canon’s multifunction printer (MFP) line carries the imageRUNNER brand name.

Over the years, Canon’s print controller strategy has involved partnering with EFI, the third-party controller company that dominates the color market. The company also relies on controllers developed by Canon itself. The controllers, which feature Canon’s IP architecture (the “IP” stands for “Image Platform”), can be found on all imageRUNNER models.

Canon’s MEAP architecture (Multifunctional Embedded Application Program) has been a significant addition to Canon’s controller strategy. It’s featured on most of its mid-to-high-volume models. The MEAP platform features an open architecture for providing custom software applications, some for private use and others sold on the open market as add-on products from third parties.

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