Canon has released new PGI-5 and CLI-8 cartridges for the Canon Pixma iP4200. These cartridges have a special chip in them which tells the printer how much ink is left in the cartridge. The cartridge numbers are
PGI-5BK – Black pigment ink
CLI-8BK – Black dye based ink
CLI-8C – Cyan dye based ink
CLI-8M – Magenta dye based ink
CLI-8Y – Yellow dye based ink
Unlike traditional dye based inks, these inks from Canon are highly resistant to fading from light and gases in the air. Canon claim a 100 year life from these Chromalife inks.
These cartridges are also suitable for Pixma iP5200, iP5200r printers, MP500, MP800 and MP950 multifunctions
Compatibles are not yet available for the PGI5 or CLI8 inks probably for 2 reasons:
1. The ink formulations are quite complex – refill ink manufacturers need to make sure their inks will perform equivalent to the original Canon inks; and
2. The on-board chip has a patent from Canon on it so compatible manufacturers will have to be very careful not to infringe that patent, which could leave them open to litigation.
At the moment it is best to buy genuine Canon cartridges.
I just want to say how disappointed I am in Canon for making the ink cartridges so expensive. If they do not make them cheaper, people will not buy canon anymore. I am thinking of selling mine and going to another brand, because of the cost of the cartridges. It is highway robbery. I have the ip4200, love the printer, but cannot afford cartridges.
I have purchase a Pixma ip 4200 printer. Happy with the performance of printing out my photos,quality is as good as if I had taken them to a photo shop for devoloping. But as I take a lot of photos I use up the ink very quickly and to purchase new cartridges is going to be expensive to replace. I’m disappointed with the high cost of the cartridges over other brands.
I also have a ip 4200 printer. It’s the best printer i’ve ever had ‘BUT’ it is to expensive to run i go through cartriges every 2 weeks. So I am looking for a cheeper machine to run. Buy Buy Canon if you cant come up with a cheeper product to run I and others like me will be saying buy buy and go to someone who will look after the little man.