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108 out of 117 people found this review helpful
1.5 stars
"Great printer... until the ink-filling reared it's head"
Pros: autoduplexing is wonderful, quality and speed are respectable
Cons: Microchip in ink cartridge will not allow refilling!!!
Summary: I have only encountered recently the aspect of this printer which changed my opinion of it from a 9 (it's a really nice printer, overall) to a 4 or 5, mostly because it's an insulting defect.
Printing... works great.
My BEEF with the IP-4200:
First, background:
1. The printer uses individual ink tanks.
2. Each tank has a visual prism for detecting low/no ink conditions.
3. Each ink tank now also has a microchip (think "killer chip" of an epson inkjet or lexmark laser cartridge) to record ink usage.
The physical refilling the cartridge isn't a problem(same as the BCI-3K series, and on the pixma 4000 series), but it will land you in the following scenario:
1. The microchip on the cartridge colludes with the computer (calculating how much ink you've used) and notices that you've printed a suspiciously high number of pages from the cartridge, and pops up a dialog with effectively two choices:
CHOICE THE FIRST: (Cannon's preferred choice): Admit that you've refilled your ink cartridge, remove it, and place a new cannon certified cannon manufactured ink cartridge in it. I achieved approximately 420 pages in a refilled "300-page" pigment black cartridge.
CHOICE THE SECOND: (The insulting option):
Conceed that you are refilling your ink tanks, with the following consequences:
1. The warrantee is voided, and this fact is written into the flash-rom of the printer, thus barring you from claiming service under warrantee period, even if the failure is unrelated.
2. The visual ink-monitoring system is DISABLED. Completely. Without a good reason, other than scaring you into buying cannon ink. (Or, rather, if you've chosen choice the second, being spitefully punitive you for doing so. Once the "I admit I refill my ink" choice has been selected, there is no way to return to the "good graces" of their warrantee.) In plain english, the consequences of a disabled visual ink monitoring system are that you will not receive warning when your ink runs low (even though the hardware is present to do so), and that your print heads and ink plumbing will dry up into a crusty sad little crisp, squeak their last little squeak, and die. Then you purchase a non-cannon printer. (May I reccomend the IP4000, or the IP5000, neither of which have the chipped ink bottles).
Voiding the warrantee, I can understand. Disabling the ink monitoring system is simply, spiteful BS from some heartless bottom-feeding bottom-liner.
So...
To Canon, for making an affordable, dependable, high-quality duplexing printer: Kudos. You've done well.
AND,
To Canon, for their spiteful business plan:
A seven page fax, with the letter F on the first page.
Harumph.
My next printer will be something other than a Canon.
- 17 replies to this review
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Very witty, well written warning. I'm taking it to heart. This review, along with many others that I have read are making me leery of Cannon products precisely because of their "cheap" ink-gouging practices.
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Thank you for this VERY Informative & Helpful review!
Being unhappy with my HP printer, I had decided my next printer would be a Canon, but not so now! Unless I can find the models you recommended.
** I wonder if this kind of monitoring and punishment holds true for Canon's digital cameras too. HHhhmmm...
Thanks again. -
I am also having all sorts of problems with my Pixma 4200
The whole system is designed to prevent use of compatible cartridges or refills, it throws up all sorts of warnings and errors resulting ultimately in a refusal to print. - some high flyer at Canon is too clever by half and is just losing them customers. after this bad experience, I will need some very convincing arguments to come back.
I moved over from Epson to Canon due to good reviews of the photographic capabilities of thius printer but I will not buy Canon again until they change their protective policies
I am despatching a nearly new 4200 to the recycling bin and going out to buy anything but Canon
I would rather pay more for the Printer and have a reasonably priced consumable than have this stupid merry-go-round -
The last Cannon product that will ever again enter this household is now sitting on the local dump site.
I finally lost all patience with it when it printed out 110 pages of text only from a brand new ink bottle...and then expired with the old familiar "check ink" phrase.
I can no longer afford to keep Canon in the style to which they are accustomed. Good machine...stupid company!! -
Thanks for this information on the cartridge chip. I will never buy a model IP4200.
However, how do I learn what other Canon printers use this same fatal print cartridge policy????? -
thanks, i'll stay away from cannon!!
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Likewise. I own several canon products that will be replaced by other brands. I can be spiteful too.
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Great printer best one I ever had and I've had at least 10 over the last 10 years. Good colour fast, really fast. Some died from lack of use (heads dried out) others wore out from over use and constant refilling, however they were all canons. One problem with iP4000 is some genius has figured out how to make you buy a new set of cartridges at 80 dollars, or void your warrenty. Oh an as soon as you void your warrenty the printer then stops printing black correctly. I'm the lucky one that did it twice in a 12 day period. Great printer if your willing to pay aprox. 67 cents for the first 300 copies and 27 cents for the next 300. Wonder if canon picked up that guy that decided to change the coca-cola formula? Two hundred fifty in the rubish bin. Any fast printers that can be refilled? Bye canon I'll miss you.
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I have IP4200 and microchip of my original ink has failed. now Canon says that ink has no guarantee and you should change the ink! and this is in the case that 3/4 of ink tank is still full! I am really sorry for Canon and their new policy.
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I've had two experiences with hopelessly clogging printheads by using "cheap" ink. The 1st time I bought "compatible" cartridges at a local outlet. Within a couple week the heads clogged and the printer was shot.
Recently I bought "Genuine" Canon cartridges online. Print quality started downhill immediately and finally the heads got gummed up. I examined the cartridged and realized I had bought counterfeits. -
Everything was going fine until I read your comment on ink carts. Now looking for a replacement for my "buggy" HP AIO and have read dozens of reviews - Avoided Epson because of ink issues (chips & cost)and now steering clear of HP because just about every comment remarked on set up/software problems - Canon was coming out a clear winner overall, UNTIL NOW. Surely if microsoft can be prosecuted for holding a gun to the head of the consumer then something should be done, in a similar way, with these printer manufacturers - I can't think of any product that uses blackmail to enforce after market sales of its own replacement parts - and then corrupts the product if you use an alternative. Maybe consumer bodies need to take this up in law and stop this mal-practice once and for all to protect the individuals' rights and freedom of choice. Alas, back to square one.
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try http://www.inkproducts.com/ink/index.html?loadfile=itemc84.html
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I was strongly considering chosing a Cannon product until I read the review submitted by the "TestTube". Now I need to re-evaluate my original choices.
I am - or was a fan of HP products, but was somewhat concerned about there printer cartridge replacement prices, and the groups current struggle for survival. However, I will throw all hesitation to the wind, and take a chance on them for my next printer purchase. -
Concerning ink printers, the cartridges issues are essential, in order not to waste lots of money in the long run.
The companies policies with these "inteligent" chips, which decide for themselves whether and how can WE make use of a product we have paid for, is totally unfair. More when the canon cartridges (as most brand ones) are very expensive. -
Since I refuse to buy the expensive inks for my Epson C84 and my former stylus Photo 7oo, I resorted to purchasing my ink from printpal.com. Along with the normal price there is alot of promos for 10% off and free shipping. I do alot of Photos and have had no real problems in the last 2 years. There are other discount online places to buy from that you can try. My C84 has left some trails recently but I dont know if its the printer or ink since the printer had a few crappy reviews. I personally think this is a really good printer for the price.
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I share your distaste for the use by Epson, Canon and other manufacturers of chips on their ink cartridges, which appears to have been done for no other reason than to discourage refilling. I had no idea that these existed when I bought an Epson C60. I found out really fast when I tried to refill the cartridges, as I had done before with my Lexmark printer, only to find that no matter how much ink I put into them the computer insisted that they were empty.
Determined not to be held hostage by Epson, I scoured the internet and came across two solutions, one software and one hardware. The first is a freeware program published by a Russian company (who says the Russians never did anything good for us)which allows you to reset the chip on either or both of the color and black cartridges. It also provides some really handy utilities that Epson left out. It can be downloaded at http://www.ssclg.com/epsone.shtml. It purports to work only on Epson cartridges, although I've never tried it on any other brand and don't know if it might work on them as well. It's free, so give it a try.
The second solution are chip resetting devices that are offered on a number of generic ink cartridge websites at prices around $20-25. Those seem to have multi-brand application.
So, you can legally beat Epson and Canon at their own game. And don't get mad, get even. Pass this information on to everyone you know, until so many people know how to circumvent the chips that they will realize that they are useless and stop this predatory practice. -
Thank you for posting your comment. I have been trying to decide if I should buy this printer with all its good reviews. Yours just help me decide against buying it because I have intende to refill my own cartridges.
Where to buy
Canon Pixma iP4200:
$267.99
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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