Canon PIXMA G series - Epson L equivalent!

[thanhhuy123]

If Epson has L series for OEM CISS, then Canon now has the same: Canon PIXMA G series. Better than L series of Epson: use black pigment for K channel and dye color for CMY channels, removable print heads.

Unfortunately only available in India:

http://www.canon.co.in/personal/pro...et-multi-function/pixma-g3000?languageCode=EN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VltYUOi1QRA

http://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/tech-news-pixma-ink-efficient-g1000-g2000-and-g3000-are-canons-first-ink-tank-system-printers

PS: The tanks are all fixed into the printer body, so I am curious on how they solve the problem of settlement of black pigment ink in black tank. Maybe a stirring blade or something?

 

[PeterBJ]

PS: The tanks are all fixed into the printer body, so I am curious on how they solve the problem of settlement of black pigment ink in black tank. Maybe a stirring blade or something?

Or maybe clever chemists at Canon invented additives that will keep the pigments in suspension without stirring? This could prevent the use of non-OEM ink as the pigments in the non OEM ink could clog the system.

I'm sure Canon has done something to prevent the use of non-OEM ink. Having to enter codes from ink bottles online to have the ink activated in Microsoft style, would be very inconvenient to most users I think.

@Ink stained Fingers also wondered about protection against the use of non-OEM ink in these printers, see this post.

 

[martin0reg]

First I was glad to get a OEM ink for my small canon's to refill - then I realized that there is only C-M-Y as dye photo inks!? The pigment black is for text, there is no photo-black in bottles, the new printers are all CMY type without K (like older ip3000 or ix4000/5000)
So if you want to refill a C-M-Y-K printer (like ip4500 or many more) you will miss the photo black in bottles.
- Would it be possible to mix (dye) K out of (dye) CMY?

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

- Would it be possible to mix (dye) K out of (dye) CMY?

- yes, why not, but you may not get the darkest black level this way, it's all up to a test, when those inks become available.

 

[martin0reg]

ISF, did you do this yet? If so, what is the mixing ratio for C, M, and Y to get a decent neutral K or at least very dark grey?

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

Epson or Canon ,or Brother, all of them mix black from C and M with their 4 color models on the paper, so you can do that as well in a bottle. I did it once for fun, I think I used 50% C and M, and that was a little bit too blueish. I would think that yellow just would act as a thinner and worsening the black level. And it only looks black on photo paper, but dark grey on copy paper

 

[PeterBJ]

I have also tried this experiment, inspired by this thread. My result was also a dark blueish ink. I also remember an entry level Lexmark colour inkjet printer, the Z11. It came with both a black and a tri-colour cartridge, but it could only hold one cartridge, so you could install either the black or the tri-colour cartridge. Text printed on plain paper using the tri-colour cartridge was not black but dark grey. I also think a DIY mix will not be black but a dark grey.

The new Canon Pixma G series printers seem to be office printers intended for the small office / home office segment.

I also think Canon has no intention of supplying a reasonably priced complete refill ink set for the larger photo or all round printers sold after the cheap printer and expensive ink model.

 

[The Hat]

ISF, did you do this yet? If so, what is the mixing ratio for C, M, and Y to get a decent neutral K or at least very dark grey?

Mix 35% Cyan and Magenta and 30% Yellow in small quantities of say 1 ml.
Then mix 35% Magenta and Yellow and 30% Cyan for the second mix.
Lastly mix 35% Yellow and Cyan and 30% Magenta, this will give you the full range of possible colour combinations.

A good swatch of the 3 colours drawn down on Matte photo paper should help you to decide which one is better, they won't look very black in your test but all 3 will still print out as black..

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

you probably can mix C and M to give you a somewhat neutral black on photo papers, but don't use it on copy paper. And such mixed black will give you some metamerism - the tone of the black may vary with the color temp of the ambient light

 

[mikling]

I now have a Maxify MB2020 in my stable now and was purchased for less than the cost of a discounted MG5620. My observations leads me to believe that the chip or rather ink level is reset based on the removal and reinsertion of the cartridge itself. The chip itself might only be used for color ID and ink volume. I will eventually flesh this out but it will take a LONG time because it is meant to be primarily an office printer and does not use a lot of color ink. I will compare this machine against the Epson. Both are primarily meant to compete against the office laser printer.

It's a very straightforward machine meant to print office documents as its purpose in life. It has large ink tanks and basically says CISS?...don't need them.