Canon CLI-221 Black Ink Tank Deep, Archival-Quality Black for Stunning Photographic Prints When printing photographs at home, the quality of your black ink determines the depth of your shadows, the smooth transition of your gradients, and the overall "punch" of the final image. The Canon CLI-221 Black Ink Tank is a genuine, dye-based OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) cartridge engineered specifically to deliver rich, professional-quality photo blacks for a wide range of legacy Canon PIXMA printers, including the popular iP4600, MP620, and MX870. Operating on Canon’s highly efficient individual ink tank system, this cartridge ensures you never throw away unused ink; you only replace this specific black tank when it runs dry. Furthermore, as an essential component of Canon's proprietary ChromaLife100+ system, this genuine ink guarantees your family memories and creative projects will resist fading and remain spectacular for generations when paired with authentic Canon photo paper. Why You'll Love This Ink Genuine OEM Reliability: Built to Canon's exacting standards, this authentic ink cartridge ensures perfect communication with your PIXMA printer. It dramatically minimizes the risk of clogged printheads, banding, and streaking that frequently plague cheaper, third-party knockoff inks. Dye-Based Photographic Black: Unlike standard pigment inks that sit on top of the paper, this dye-based black formulation absorbs beautifully into glossy and semi-gloss photo papers. This delivers smooth, continuous tones, deep shadow details, and exceptional contrast for your photographs. ChromaLife100+ Technology: When this genuine Canon ink is combined with authentic Canon photo paper, it creates the ChromaLife100+ system. This powerful synergy produces stunning photos that can last up to 300 years in an archival photo album, 30 years displayed under glass, or 10 years exposed to ambient air without fading. Individual Tank Efficiency: Because this photo black is kept in its own dedicated tank, you never waste money throwing away a tri-color cartridge just because you printed a lot of dark shadows and depleted your black ink. Smart LED Indicator: Take the guesswork out of printer maintenance. The CLI-221 cartridge features an integrated Smart LED light that glows solid red to confirm it is installed correctly, and flashes to alert you when the ink is running low so you can perfectly time your replacements. Technical Specifications Specification Detail Cartridge Series Canon CLI-221 Model Number 2946B001 Ink Color Black (Photo Black) Ink Chemistry Dye-Based Volume Approx. 9 ml Print Technology Inkjet Smart LED Integration Yes Archival System ChromaLife100+ Printer Compatibility PIXMA iP3600, iP4600, iP4700, MP560, MP620, MP640, MP980, MP990, MX860, MX870 Things to Note The most crucial thing to understand before purchasing this ink is Canon's dual-black ink system. Your PIXMA printer requires two different black cartridges to operate: this CLI-221 Black and a larger PGI-220 Black. It is highly recommended that you open your printer and check exactly which black cartridge is empty before checking out. What is the difference? This CLI-221 Black is a dye-based "Photo Black." It comes in a skinny cartridge and is used exclusively by the printer when printing photographs and graphics to ensure smooth blending and rich shadows. The PGI-220 Black is a pigment-based black. It comes in a much thicker, wider cartridge and is used exclusively for printing sharp, smudge-resistant text documents on standard copy paper. They are not interchangeable. Ensure you are buying the correct type for your needs. Finally, while incredibly tempting, avoiding third-party ink knockoffs is highly recommended. Counterfeit inks often lack the Smart LED microchip (meaning your printer won't read ink levels correctly), their chemical formulations can permanently clog your delicate printer nozzles, and their colors will shift and fade significantly faster over time. Why Shop With Camera Exchange? Fast Shipping: We ship all orders within one business day. Expert Packaging: Your gear is packed professionally to ensure safe transit. Combined Shipping: Buying multiple items? We gladly combine shipping to save you money. We BUY Gear: We are always looking to purchase your used photographic equipment! We pay TOP DOLLAR!! Proudly serving the photography community from Waterford, Michigan. 2946B001
