Canon imageFormula DR-C125

Canon imageFormula DR-C125

Canon document scanners are almost uniformly impressive beasts, so I had high expectations for the Canon imageFormula DR-C125 ($495 direct). I wasn't disappointed. Just like the Editors' Choice Canon DR-2580C ($875 street, 4.5 stars) —which I reviewed in 2005, but is still one of the best desktop scanners available— the DR-C125 is fast for a desktop scanner and remarkably fast for scanning, recognizing text, and saving to a searchable PDF file. That's enough to make it an easy pick for Editors' Choice. Designed for a small or home office or as a personal scanner in any size office, the DR-C125 offers a suitably small footprint, at 11.8 by 6.1 inches (WD). Even better, unlike most desktop scanners, it doesn't need extra room for an output tray. Paper normally follows a U-shaped path. Starting from the 30-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF) in back, it moves under the scanner, takes a u-turn, and continues up to the output tray that's parallel to the scanner front. For heavier weight paper or business cards, you can bypass the output tray with a nearly straight-through path that pushes the paper out through a slot in the front. Setup and SoftwareSetting up the DR-C125 is mostly standard fare.