NOTE: This is only one of 15 pages of

Helpful Inkjet Printer Info Troubleshooting and Guide

And now.....

My Independent  Test of 12 Ink Brands---

 INEXPENSIVE INK versus EXPENSIVE  INK SHOOTOUT

Oh boy, comparing inks--  this is a big job. Do not envy the person trying to do a FAIR comparison of inks.

None the less, I've tried to do a fair and honest comparison of about a half dozen after-market Canon BCI-6 compatible pre-filled ink cartridges, and also compared these against Canon ink, and against MIS bulk ink (for refilling carts).

I've tested only Canon and Canon compatible ink, but my educated guess is that the companies that make good ink for Canons, will produce better ink for all printers like Epson and HP than companies that make crappy ink for Canons. Follow?

I've looked at other light-fastness tests, then performed additional tests based purely on color accuracy, related on this page. As far as I can tell, this is the first web site to give accurate comparisons of numerous brands of dye based Canon and compatible inks.

I pay the same price for ink as everyone else and buy from the same dealers as everyone else. You can pick and choose who you buy ink from. For convenience, I've provided a link to the company I've bought ink from for years (INKGRABBER) they've provided me with excellent customer service- and if you've been on the web for a while, you know how important this is. Buy from them or not, its up to you. Many companies sell these brands of ink, and it's up to you who you deal with. 

One strong word of CAUTION however--  these days a lot of companies sell aftermarket ink- and NOT ALL INKS ARE GOOD, in fact, most give you results far from what you should expect from your printer.

Companies that sell ink at rock bottom prices- say under $2 a cart-- or those generic replacement refills at your local office store-- avoid avoid avoid. Each brand printer prints with a different color profile and different formula- Epson is different from Canon which is different from HP which is different from Lexmark. You CAN NOT use the same ink in all printers- this is courting disaster for many reasons. Get the ink MADE FOR YOUR SPECIFIC BRAND AND MODEL.

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But first....

My tests reflect my own experience with these inks, no one else was involved in the tests or the results.

Bear in mind, that the IMAGES below are only as good as your monitor and your monitor's color calibration. If you haven't calibrated your monitor (easy with free online tools, do your homework) DO IT.

Further, things are more complicated because you are looking at SCANS of my prints, and this further makes it another step from reality. I've used a very good scanner, but none the less....

So, even the best digital monitor, perfectly calibrated will only come so close to what you see with your own eyes holding a printed sheet of photo paper in your hands. My page here is meant to give you a good IDEA of what I am seeing here in physical reality.

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This is a test for CANON COMPATIBLE INKS, using BCI-6 carts, one if not the most popular type of Canon ink in use. Extrapolate my results regarding ink for Epson, HP, Lexmark and others for which all the companies below also supply ink.

My current primary color printers are 4 Canon i960 printers, and a Canon ip3000 printer using Kirkland Heavy Photo Gloss paper, a paper I have found to give excellent neutral results with official Canon ink.

I've used Canon premium pro paper as well as Epson plain photo paper, but have never found any difference in color rendition from the inexpensive and reliable Epson plain photo paper. I now use Kirkland paper from Costco, and this is exceptionally good paper (rumor has it that Illford makes it for Costco distribution). It is a steal at 120 heavy duty glossy sheets for $20. All three of these papers produce excellent and neutral prints using Canon ink with the default Canon printer profile settings.

Further, I've been an artist and photographer all of my life, as well as an art teacher. So I've developed a very good eye that can detect things most people don't notice until I point it out.

During the tests I rotated printers to make sure there were no printer inconsistency in the tests. When ink brands were changed I cleaned and flushed the printers BEYOND what was required to insure that the print was only showing the ink being tested and that there were no remnants of previous ink in the head.

Please bear in mind, that NO INK IS 100% consistent, nor are printers. You can have two identical printers from a manufacturer that have variations in components or even microchips that will have an effect on  your prints. In addition, since inks are made by HUMANS, two batches of ink can also vary, even from the big major manufacturers.

Use my findings as a guide, if you like. Ultimately decide using your own experience as the final guide to your ink use.

QUICK EASY SUMMARY OF INK TESTS

My Opinion derived from my personal experience and tests

Okay, for those in a rush to know what I've found here is a brief summary of my results:

Bear in mind, these tests reflect only Canon and Canon compatible inks found in BCI-6 cartridges, one of the most popular types of inks for home inkjet printers. One may speculate how the ink from these companies compares with other compatible inks for other models and printers. My own guess would be that this specific range of tests gives a good overall impression of the quality of a company's products. I might be wrong... but....

The Best OVERALL CONVENIENT QUALITY BEST BUY

G&G Ink

I have not come to this conclusion either lightly or in haste. I've been printing and I do print tens of thousands of documents each year in my publishing business- color book covers, flyers, CD labels, and photos. This is the ink I use daily, and have used more than a year-- a long time and a gazillion documents.

Wilhelm Lab tests show that although G&G color is extremely accurate, G&G does not have great light-fast quality that compares with Canon ink, so don't use it for archival family photos that you plan on handing down to your grandchildren. This said, I have photos hanging on my wall, and have been for longer than I can remember (over a year), and they all still look perfect- and this is in an extremely well lit office. Wilhelm says the ink fades in a half a year, but in the REAL WORLD (not under accelerated "estimated" tests) this just has not been my experience whatsoever. For me, fading has never been an issue. Please see: Ink and Print Life

G&G ink prints on all types of paper, and gives excellent results on plain, matte, and on photo paper. It is an excellent ink for most any project you have. Price is about $2.75 a cartridge.

Note, other after market inks may print well on one type of paper, then either mediocre or completely terribly on another type, G&G does well regardless of the media, just like Canon, or good bulk ink. 

I've bought my G&G ink (and I pay the same price as everyone else) from Inkgrabber.com  for years, so I can comfortably recommend them as reliable, as good a price as anyone, and willing to stand behind what they sell. 

THE VERY BEST INK UNDER ALL PHYSICAL CONDITIONS

Price being no object

IS

Official Canon Ink

HOWEVER------ Well, duh, it costs at least four to twelve times as much as other inks (pre-filled after market or bulk) and its made specifically for their own printers. It better be good!!

Independent tests show that it has the best light fastness (fades the slowest) of any ink, probably because it uses the most expensive polymers and has undergone the most extensive Big Corporate Bucks Testing and Development.

It prints very accurate colors compared to the original digital file, and for the most part completely neutral grays for black and white photo printing.

So, if money is no object, get Canon ink. Price is roughly $12 a cartridge.

HOWEVER-  if you don't like paying over $75 for a set of ink carts, especially when you are printing documents that will end up in someone's trash can (flyers, temporary photos, short term printing, casual photos that you hang on your office cube or refrigerator, CD labels, etc etc etc)-- gee- about 99% of your printing jobs !!---you may consider a much less expensive alternative--- $16 for a set- (see above G&G for example).

Could you tell the difference between a Canon ink print and a G&G ink print?  Chances are no you could not.... keep reading and see actual prints below.

The Best LEAST EXPENSIVE and QUALITY ALTERNATIVE INK (with reservations)

MIS Bulk Ink for refilling

Next to Canon, this is the best ink I've used and tested. I used MIS ink for years, and still do when I've had to fill a cart in an emergency. I had similar results with Computer Friends and Colorbat  Bulk Inks as well. Please note however, Computer Friends cartridge refill plugs are WAAAAAAYYYYYYY better than MIS plugs, details: http://www.neilslade.com/Papers/inkjetstuff11.html

MIS bulk ink is extremely accurate, works on all papers equally well, and has the best fade resistance after Canon inks. Please note, MIS use DIFFERENT ink in their pre-filled carts, so don't confuse.

The best part is that it costs about $1 to refill a cartridge with this stuff.

The worst part is that it can be messy refilling carts, and it takes time and practice to do it without getting it all over your hands and counter, but It can be done.

So, the main thing to consider is this-- Do you want the convenience of just popping in a $2.75 cartridge when you need to- or do you REALLY need the fractional difference in color accuracy and somewhat extended fade resistance that MIS inks provide you with?

PLEASE NOTE!!

I refilled with MIS ink for a VERY LONG time, and it never let me down. I found that personally, spending an extra $1.75 and foregoing some permanence just wasn't an issue for me any longer, so for my practical real world use any more, it was much easier to switch to using just pre-filled carts and that's pretty much all I do now.

Again, Could you tell the difference between a Canon ink print and an MIS ink print and a G&G ink print?  Chances are no you could not.... keep reading and see actual prints below.

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Please bear in mind that there are many inks I have not tested, so there may or may not be better alternatives. Also bear in mind that the web is full of "shills" disguised as ordinary consumers saying how much they like a particular brand of ink--  then they go to the bank and cash the check written by the ink company they work for to advertise their ink.

All of my testing and opinions are based strictly on my personal experience- PERIOD. No bull. If I find a better ink, I'll recommend it.

DETAILS and ALL INK PRODUCT TEST RESULTS

Inks tested in Alphabetical Order

Arrow

B P I

Canon

Colorbat Bulk Ink

Computer Friends Bulk Ink

G & G

M M C

M I S bulk ink

My Ink

Procolor

V V G

PART ONE-

CANON versus BULK INK Versus CHEAP AFTERMARKET Ink

There must be a million alternative ink suppliers out there these days selling ink much cheaper than the name brand printer manufacturing companies. Undoubtedly some of these ink sources sell crappy ink, and my recent tests show that they are NOT all the same, and there are significant differences in formulas.  But to our delight, many of them seem to make perfectly good ink at a mere fraction of the price, making printing affordable, not astronomical. My testing shows that G&G pre-filled cartridge ink is the closest to Canon OEM ink, and I have been a paying customer of INKGRABBER for several years, first using "Rainbow" brand ink, and then switching to G&G last year when my tests showed it to be superior in accuracy and color matching. 

For PART ONE comparison done in 2004, I simply chose two alternative ink sources that I have personally been using for well over a year-- and compared it with official Canon ink. For PART TWO comparison I tested 7 brands of pre-filled after market Canon compatible cartridges.

The Canon ink cartridges cost about $12 each plus tax, so that's about $75 for a full set of inks.

Aftermarket  sources sells inks for about $2.79 each, no tax, and that totals $16.

The MIS Associates cartridges sell for $5 each, but in bulk 4 oz bottles at $8 and refilling cartridges using a syringe and a plug, and that brings the cost down to about $1 or less a cartridge. Extra work but the most economical method of ink refilling. The bulk ink is different ink and SUPERIOR to their pre-filled cartridge ink. I have only tested the MIS bulk ink.

I've also used bulk ink from Computer Friends and Colorbat, and these give roughly equivalent results as MIS ink.

The big question is, is the Canon ink worth four to twelve times as much. You decide.

I would expect similar results with other original manufacture ink versus custom alternative second party inks.

I printed on Epson Glossy Photo Paper, and later tests on Kirkland Heavy Photo Paper the stuff I use day in and day out.

I then did  the same test printing on Canon Photo Paper Plus glossy. There was absolutely no difference in results between the different papers regarding color tone and color accuracy.

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. This is a VERY close contest. 

The biggest difference I can see in person is that the Canon and MIS cyan is more ULTRAMARINE, and the G&G  is more COBALT, not quite  as  evident in the web rendition above. Okay, now go to the art store and look at tubes of Ultramarine and Cobalt oil color to see what I am talking about.

Ultimately this has some effect on NEUTRAL GRAYS in the 80% density- G&G dark gray takes on a slight blue green tinge. Not that noticeable at all in most photos, but in black and white photos a little more apparent. G&G actually looks more neutral in the lighter grays at 60% and lower.

THIS IS A BIGGER PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THE OTHER BRANDS OF AFTERMARKET INK CARTS I"VE TRIED- including Procolor, BPI, and Arrow. They have a much more difficult time with neutral gray than G&G. I do not recommend any other after market inks at this time besides G&G. The exception would be Black and White ONLY photos, in which MMC ink gives wonderfully and perfect neutral gray across the board.

After this, The Canon MAGENTA reflects a little more, and hence, 'pops' a little more than the others, the MIS magenta being a bit darker, the G&G being lighter and less pop. This difference makes the Canon mid-tones like orange and red stand out just a bit more than the others.  See the dancer below.

The G&G yellow is more intense, as is the G&G photocyan and photomagenta. This is actually nice, and makes greens and yellows very vibrant.

The inks are NOT EXACTLY the same, but  they are really quite close. You have to really look pretty hard and close to spot the differences. You might even like the cheap stuff better in some respects many times. Graphics show even less difference than photographs. Below, the biggest difference can be seen in the orange band  in the middle which has a bit  more red to it in the Canon. The skin tone in the G&G is a little more olive, and actually more accurate. The black is a little deeper an more neutral in the Canon.

Okay, so the real question  is- How does this apply to your printing on a practical and day to day basis?

Cover  up each one of the prints above with your hand and look at it alone..... they both look great, don't they?

Below- Each print is done with each color set- which is which? (Answer at bottom of this page..) How good are your eyes? ;-)  

Make sure and move each individual picture to the center of  your monitor, especially LCD monitors for the big ones... they both have their good points.

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PART TWO:

NEW AFTERMARKET INK SHOOTOUT:

In March of 2006 I did a new aftermarket ink shoot out for Canon BCI6 inks, and the results are below- so, as long as you can get the dependable new cartridges of G&G ink, in my opinion its a no brainer- they make the best ink of the seven pre-filled aftermarket ink cartridges I tried.

Although there are some differences between the better of the inks, the differences are rather small, and in many cases undetectable whatsoever, especially with graphics. 

You can make adjustments to compensate in your printer settings and get very close results from each for most purposes. 

The Canon and MIS colors are the best in terms of neutrality seen in grays. Also, the Canon and the magentas and related bright red/oranges are the most vibrant. The G&G yellows are nice and deep, compared to the Canon yellows which seem on the light side.

The G&G cyan and photocyan are a slightly different kind of blue than the Canon and MIS cyan and photocyan. Thus, G&G blues and related color blends take on a slightly different color, perhaps more towards green. So, if you need really accurate blues, but like the G&G prices in general-- simply substitute the G&G Cyan's with either MIS or Canon cyans, then you'll still retain very very very close accuracy to Canon standards and not go broke buying ink. It's probably in the G&G cyans which are responsible for the mid-tone gray tones taking on the slight green tinge- see comment following. 

Nothing is more convenient that popping in a pre-filled new cart when you need to. Make sure and to keep using the cart until the printer won't let you print any more, because the sponge area of the cart has lots of ink left even when the reserve (clear side of the cart) is completely empty. If you don't want to refill carts, just go to someone who sells G&G ink (like INKGRABBER ) and get your carts inexpensively. Simple.

If you are refilling your carts, I've always used MIS Associates ink-- you'll be very accurate in everything and your ink will be the lowest possible cost. I've also used ink by Computer Friends and Colorbat with similar great results. Prices vary among these brands, so shop around. There are other bulk inks that probably do well, but I have not used them.

For most casual use, this is not even that big a deal. If you have an artist's eyes, you'll perhaps prefer the MIS or Canon cyans.

Tweak the 1/6th and the 1/12 cost  colors a tiny bit, and voila, you get very good, as good, and sometimes better results. Even if you don't tweak at all, they'll be very close to begin with.

The biggest problem I've seen with the G&G ink is that 80% neutral grays take on a slight greenish hue. Most of the time this is unnoticed completely as in the poster above. For me, this is pretty much a non-issue. Otherwise, ise MIS or Canon cyans for the cure. You can mix any of these brands at one time in a printer head without problems, although results may vary a bit.

All three inks are of the same consistency, and there is no bleeding as reported by others using inexpensive ink that I've ever noticed-- but then I always use either photo matte paper or glossy photo paper. 

I don't find enough difference to justify the huge cost of Canon inks for most purposes I can think the majority of inkjet customers are printing for. 

I would expect similar results with comparing ink for Epsons, and HPs. The only advantage of HP is that you get a new print head built into each cartridge- albeit, this is the least cost effective ink solution. You have less clogging, but you pay through the nose for it. And HP ink cart/heads STILL get clogged up anyway.

If you are thinking about printing for an art gallery or for selling prints- well, you shouldn't be using dye inks to begin with. You need to use much more permanent pigment inks, and that calls for an entirely different set up and you need to do your homework on that one. The Epson R800 seems to be state of the art (this was over a year ago, things have now changed) for 8.5 X11 pigment ink prints- at $400 for the printer, and 8 ink cartridges at $14 each- Archival prints come at  a price, just like darkroom photos. The Epson 2200 will do large format pigment inks, but prints much slower than the R800. And, Epsons are high maintenance- these printers will clog up if you don't use them every single day. I haven't done  much research on pigment inks for Canon printers, and I don't think there are many if any, options at present. 

And keep in mind, pigment inks are not as vibrant as dye inks to begin with, so permanence has its price. Look at our printer shoot out page to see what I mean: http://www.neilslade.com/Papers/printtest.html

PS- YES YOU CAN MIX AND MATCH VARIOUS BRANDS OF custom blended INK without any problems save the inherent subtle tonality differences between brands, which are generally very very mild anyway.

But- if you print a lot of volume, casual photos, business stuff- find some cheap ink and use it. You won't see the difference without a magnifying glass, and neither will anyone else.

Ultimately you have to decide if the difference in cost between the second/third party ink that you are using and the "official" ink is worth the enormous difference in price. Probably not in most cases.

(ANSWER TO WHICH IS WHICH EXCLAMATION EYE:  In the small pictures, the Canon Ink Set is in the middle, G&G  on top, and MIS on the bottom. Adjustment can be made in printer settings to get these to match even closer than shown. I would suggest bumping up the yellow for Canon, and decreasing the Magenta in the MIS,  increasing the Magenta and decreasing the Cyan in the G&G. You'll have to experiment to find what works best for you.)

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