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What Ink Does the Canon PIXMA TS8120 Use?

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The Canon PIXMA TS8120 is a wireless photo all-in-one inkjet that uses six individual cartridges: Canon PGI-280 pigment black and CLI-281 black, cyan, magenta, yellow, and photo blue. Standard, XL, and XXL high-yield versions are available so you can balance ink cost against print volume.

Ink Cartridges at a Glance

Cartridge Color Yield Options
PGI-280 Pigment Black Standard, XL, XXL
CLI-281 Black (dye) Standard, XL, XXL
CLI-281 Cyan Standard, XL, XXL
CLI-281 Magenta Standard, XL, XXL
CLI-281 Yellow Standard, XL, XXL
CLI-281 Photo Blue Standard

The PGI-280/CLI-281 cartridge family is also used by other Canon PIXMA models including the TR7520, TR8520, TR8620, TS6220, TS6320, TS8320, TS9120, and TS9520. The TS8120 adds a photo blue cartridge for richer photo prints.

Save on PGI-280 and CLI-281 Ink

Castle Ink offers compatible PGI-280 and CLI-281 cartridges at significant savings versus OEM with matching page yields. Shop PGI-280 cartridges or browse CLI-281 colors for your TS8120.

How to Replace Ink in the Canon PIXMA TS8120

  1. Power on the TS8120 and open the top scanner unit; the print head carriage slides to the center.
  2. Press the tab on the empty cartridge and lift it straight up out of the print head.
  3. Unwrap the new cartridge and remove the orange protective cap from the bottom.
  4. Insert the cartridge into the matching color slot and press down until you hear a click and the LED lights.
  5. Close the scanner unit and let the printer run a print head alignment if prompted.

Troubleshooting Tips

Cartridge not recognized: Remove the cartridge, wipe its gold contacts with a lint-free cloth, and reseat firmly until the LED illuminates.

Faded or streaky prints: Run a print head cleaning from Setup > Maintenance. Repeat up to three times before swapping cartridges.

Photo prints look dull: Verify the CLI-281 Photo Blue cartridge is installed and has ink remaining; this cartridge boosts photo color depth.

B200 print head error: Power cycle the printer; if the error persists, remove and reseat all cartridges and the print head assembly.

Official Canon Resources

Canon TS8120 Support Page | Canon Genuine Ink

Bottom Line

The Canon PIXMA TS8120 uses six PGI-280/CLI-281 cartridges including photo blue for photo printing. Choose XL or XXL yields for the lowest cost per page, and consider Castle Ink's compatibles for additional savings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will PGI-270 cartridges fit the TS8120? No, the TS8120 requires PGI-280/CLI-281; PGI-270/CLI-271 have different chips and won't be recognized.

Are XL or XXL cartridges worth the extra cost? Yes, XL and XXL yields deliver substantially lower per-page costs than standard cartridges.

Is the Photo Blue cartridge required? Yes, all six cartridges must be installed for normal operation; Photo Blue improves photo quality but is needed for printing in general.

Will compatibles void my warranty? No, compatible cartridges do not void your Canon warranty under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act unless they cause damage.

How do I check ink levels? Tap the LCD touchscreen and select Setup > Estimated Ink Levels to see remaining ink for each cartridge.

Written by William Elward, founder of Castle Ink, with 20+ years of experience in the printer and ink industry.

Written and reviewed by — Founder of Castle Ink, 20+ years in the printer & imaging supplies industry.

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