Genuine Canon CLI-42 Gray Ink Tank Cartridge for PIXMA PRO-100 Printers - High-Quality Photo Printing for Professional Photographers & Home Studios

I am very pleased with the quality of prints from my Canon Pixma Pro 100 printer. Anyone I sell a print or a set of note cards is also very pleased with the depth and range of the colors. Yes,my printer requires eight cartridges, but when one color runs out, at least you are replacing only that one, not having to toss a multi-cartridge unit as in some other printers. My printer starts giving "cartridge running low" warnings fairly early on; however, with attention, one can continue printing for a while. Obviously, if one were to start a 13 x 19 inch full sheet, that's not the time to try "running on fumes".These inks are rated for a very long life. Light is an enemy of any color dye, as are heat and also acids and compounds in various papers and plastics. When used with special Canon papers, the manufacturer claims up to a 200 year life in an ALBUM (archival quality, of course). I often smirked thinking of a "200 year life", but then I recently visited an elderly friend who has dozens of thick albums of photos of her family, friends and their many travels over the past 70 years. Her color photos from the fifties and sixties are very badly faded, some almost beyond recognition, much less in a state where some serious work in Adobe Photoshop could help. (I tried that on a few for her with less than ideal results.)But if you have a printer that can use these special inks, you probably know all this already. No one "gives away" ink, but the ink price was almost a deterrent to me in purchasing this printer. I have found the cartridges do last a reasonable time, and even on Costco's cheapest glossy photo paper, this printer and its inks create splendid prints that don't fade if left out in a normal room for a couple of years. (Normal meaning no direct sunlight beating on them.) My images print especially nicely on Canson Photogloss Premium papers, and on Staples' house brand matte greeting card stock. On my prints, the range of tones and light/shadows is so much deeper and richer than my previous, simpler Canon printer. I print mainly in color, although this printer works very well with b/w photos. In color printing, you will find the greys are used at a greater rate than the other colors, this is because of how the printer mixes the colors, and probably is what allows the fine graduation of tones.If you look around, you can find a slightly lower price, and if you are a member of a store's "happiness club" (frequent buyer, rewards, or whatever), there can be rebates on ink purchases. Buying with a credit card that gives points or frequent flier miles an also reduce the net cost. I have a separate b/w laser printer for documents. Enjoy your photography and sharing your images and memories!