Does Canon printer mix colored ink to make black?

[patrickd314]

I have a Canon MX870 All-In-One (which I like very much).

When I get a "low ink" warning on the "fat" (routine text black, not photo black) black ink cartridge, I generally wait until the printing actually becomes defective before replacing. This often takes a very long time.

I have read that when black ink is low or gone, some printers begin to mix the colored ink to make black, thus depleting up the colored ink as well. Is this true? Does anyone know if it is true of this Canon printer?

 

[bystander]

I have a portal battery operated Cannon printer, and unless I set it to grey scale, black uses some blue and possibly other colors in black. I don't think it is done only when black is low, but all the time.

 

[phil22]

The Canon MX870 has separate cartridges for each colour, not a composite tri-colour cartridge.
This means you are not throwing ink away when one colour runs out.

At no time does the Canon MX870 use any of the other colours to produce composite black for text or for graphics, not even when the two black cartridges are empty.

 

[mariamenounous]

I have a Canon MX870 All-In-One (which I like very much).

When I get a "low ink" warning on the "fat" (routine text black, not photo black) black ink cartridge, I generally wait until the printing actually becomes defective before replacing. This often takes a very long time.

I have read that when black ink is low or gone, some printers begin to mix the colored ink to make black, thus depleting up the colored ink as well. Is this true? Does anyone know if it is true of this Canon printer?

Hello patrickd314,
Yes definitely Cannon printers can mix colors but you can directly use the black ink for your print outs