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Dye vs. Pigment Ink for Canon TR4720: Which One to Use, Can You Switch, and What Refill System Works Best?

  • By Ellen Joy
  • On Feb 19, 2026
  • Comment 0

Question: What is the difference between dye ink and pigment ink? Can both be used in a Canon TR4720? I'd like to know the best refill system for the TR4720 (black and color). I'm in Canada (Calgary, Alberta, T2E3V8). Can you also tell me about shipping and refill kit costs?

Answer: 

Below I'll break this down into three practical parts: (1) dye vs. pigment differences, (2) what is safe for the Canon TR4720 and how to avoid clogs, and (3) refill system options and how to estimate shipping to Calgary.

1) What's the Difference Between Dye Ink and Pigment Ink?

Dye ink (colorant dissolved in liquid)

  • The color is fully dissolved into the liquid, so it flows easily and is generally less prone to permanent clogs.

  • Dye often produces very vibrant photos on photo paper.

  • Historically, dye could smear more easily on some papers, especially with double-sided documents-but modern papers and ink chemistry have improved a lot, so for most day-to-day printing this is no longer a deal-breaker.

Pigment ink (tiny particles suspended in liquid)

  • Pigment uses solid particles suspended in a carrier fluid. Those particles sit more on top of the paper, which can give crisper text on plain paper and better water resistance on certain media.

  • Because pigment particles are physical solids, pigment ink is more sensitive to drying and more likely to clog if the printer sits idle or if the ink chemistry isn't a good match.

Practical takeaway: For the average home/office user, dye ink is usually the easiest to live with, least stressful to maintain, and simplest to recover if the printer sits for a while.

2) Can Both Dye and Pigment Be Used in a Canon TR4720?

"Can I make a wrong choice?"

In many cases, you can't make a "wrong" choice in the sense that the printer will often print with either type. However, there's an important maintenance reality:

  • Printers designed around pigment ink tend to run cleaning routines more aggressively than dye-only printers.
    That means if you use dye in a pigment-oriented system, the printer might "over-clean," which actually reduces clog risk (though it can use more ink).

  • If you use pigment ink in a dye-oriented system, pigment can be less forgiving. In that case, you generally need to be more proactive: print regularly, avoid long idle periods, and sometimes do occasional maintenance routines.

What we recommend in most real-world situations

Because dye ink is:

  1. typically less expensive, and

  2. usually much easier to recover from clogs,

...it's often the best choice for most customers unless you specifically need pigment properties (like certain water-resistance requirements, special paper workflows, or long outdoor exposure).

Also, it's worth keeping perspective on the common claims:

  • "Dye isn't waterproof/UV resistant." True in the extreme-but most everyday prints aren't left in direct sunlight for months or soaked in water. For normal documents, schoolwork, shipping labels (kept indoors), and casual photos, dye ink is usually excellent.

  • "Pigment is always better." Not necessarily-pigment can be great, but it demands a little more from maintenance and compatibility.

3) Is It Safe to Switch Ink Types? Can You Mix Dye and Pigment?

This is where many printers get into trouble, so your caution is smart.

Mixing dye and pigment: the real issue

Dye and pigment often use different base solutions. Pigments also rely on a chemical structure that keeps particles suspended. If the base chemistry is incompatible, pigment particles can slowly clump together and create sediment-leading to clogs.

Best practice for switching:

  • Use up as much of the old ink as possible before switching.

  • After switching, print enough pages to flush out the old ink from the lines and printhead.

Is a small amount of mixing always "lethal"?

Not always. Some OEM inks and certain commercial blends use mixed approaches-it's about ratios and chemistry. In general, a small amount of mixing during the transition is often tolerated, especially when OEM ink is involved (OEM ink bases are usually quite tolerant). The bigger risk is switching between two different third-party ink chemistries, because each manufacturer's base solution can be different.

Rule of thumb: Once you find an ink that works well, stick with it.

Optional "base" products for safer switching (advanced approach)

If you want to be extra cautious during transitions, using a compatible "base" solution can help dilute and flush residues before switching:

This can be overkill for many users-but it can reduce risk when you're switching types or brands.

4) What Refill Ink Do We Suggest (Including Canon Options)?

If you decide to go with dye ink for everyday reliability and easier unclogging, here are BCH options:

For reference, here are equivalent sets for other brands (in case you also own other printers):

If you'd like to read deeper comparisons:

5) Shipping to Calgary, Alberta (T2E3V8) and How to Estimate Costs

We provide worldwide shipping coverage with a few exceptions based on customs and delivery reliability:

  • Mexico and Greece - no shipping services available

  • Russia and Ukraine - shipping temporarily suspended until further notice

To get accurate shipping costs to Calgary (T2E3V8):

  1. Add the items you want to your cart on our website.

  2. Click "View/Edit Cart."

  3. On the cart page, enter your postal code and click "Add Info" next to the shipping section to see estimates from available carriers.

We commonly offer:

  • Direct Link (often the most economical; can take ~3-5 weeks because it routes through a partner warehouse before entering your local postal system).

  • FedEx/USPS (we select the best rate between the two; typically faster than Direct Link).

Carrier reference pages (times may change without notice):

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Because of that, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our local diagnostic facility (printer repair service https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so it may take a few weeks before we can get your printer scheduled for drop-off. Our services are structured to repair either a whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge our rates aren't the most economical. That's why we strongly encourage self-help through online research first. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our channel homepage (BCH Technologies on YouTube https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). To find the most relevant videos quickly, use the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of questions every day asking about videos for specific topics, and after creating videos for the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one-so using YouTube's search function is typically the fastest approach. Plus, YouTube may suggest helpful videos from other channels that also apply to your exact model and situation.

Thanks again for reaching out, and thank you for supporting BCH Technologies and our YouTube channel. We truly appreciate it.

BCH Technologies Blog

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