For over half a year I use the Pixma IP4200 mainly for b / w text expression and only occasionally for photo printing. The hardware is functioning properly, in principle, for me the important duplexing (double-sided printing). But what is not well known and is completely concealed by the manufacturer in the operating manual, is the fact that in B / W duplex text printing, the ink does not come as the simplex printing from the large tank with pigmented black ink, but (after consultation with Canon) yellow from three colors, magenta, cyan is mixed. This results in a matt gray-sided printing print image, which is significantly worse quality than in simplex printing. Even worse for cost-conscious printing, that this increases the printing cost dramatically. Hardly anyone will want to use the duplexer for photo printing, but there where it's important at text printing, increase the cost per page of text 4-5 cents to about 30 cents a reduced quality! To my surprise, was by frequent duplexing the magenta tank empty first, the pigment ink is still almost fully halfway while the photo black cartridge. Is mixed that the duplex b / w text and obviously not the Photo Black ink is used, is justified by the alleged danger of Canon Printer pollution from the paper with ink pignentierter. This is no more convincing, because let breaks for drying before the automatic backs printing manually and automatically, depending on the print job, set. The strategy behind this is obviously another, namely the increase of sales in the ink cartridges while the printer itself have now reached such a low level of prices, that hardly can make money with them. Is sad that such a reputable company its customers does not clear from the outset, so that the described problem is not recognized long. In the short term like that promote the business success, lagfristig thereby lost trust and reputation.
Incidentally, the same problem persists when using the printer driver only manual duplexing is enabled and the stack of paper by hand is turned over and re-inserted. The only thing that works for double-sided printing in simplex quality at low cost, is, in the print menu of the application program to print only the odd numbered pages in deactivation of all Duplex functions, then to turn the stack of papers to sort the columns and reinserting it, and then print the even pages , Of course there are the usual risks of false paper-order and rotation, which could remove one of the duplexer well. Unfortunately, the duplexer at this technically otherwise good device is thus almost completely useless and obviously designed only as a money pit. With an improved driver, the duplexer could be used effectively, but it seems the manufacturer is not to be interested.
