ipf8400 print head question- are they all real?

[gchappel]

I needed a new print head for my ipf8400. 
I try to support local business- but this ended up costing $470 after shipping and tax.
I see I can get one from b&h- free shipping no tax for $427.

My question- I can get the pf-05 printhead on ebay from japan for $361. 
Are these really oem products? 
I suspect they have no warranty, but for $100 less than I spent it looks promising.
I do want to stay with real canon heads and inks with this printer.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Gary

[Landscapes]

I often wondered as well.  On the one hand, I cannot see how such an intricate part can be copied and sold, without anyone realizing.  Fake SD cards is one thing cause most people might not notice the slower speeds and they are all basically the same how the they to the casual person, but a printhead wouldn't be easy to fake if it would even initially work.  There isn't a huge market for these things, and the work going to fake one would be intense.

On the other hand, to just save $100 and throw out over $300, if its crap, is pretty huge, and you'd also waste ink twice if you need to then go and buy the real thing and having to purge and fill again.  I say go with the cheapest legit source which I guess is B&H.

[deanwork]

If this part is not from a reputable source where you have the standard Canon warranty, meaning you get a new one of it fails while in warranty I certainly wouldn't risk it. I'd play it save and buy from a source that Canon supports.

j


[qusaote author=Landscapes link=topic=114981.msg947795#msg947795 date=1481331097]
I often wondered as well.  On the one hand, I cannot see how such an intricate part can be copied and sold, without anyone realizing.  Fake SD cards is one thing cause most people might not notice the slower speeds and they are all basically the same how the they to the casual person, but a printhead wouldn't be easy to fake if it would even initially work.  There isn't a huge market for these things, and the work going to fake one would be intense.

On the other hand, to just save $100 and throw out over $300, if its crap, is pretty huge, and you'd also waste ink twice if you need to then go and buy the real thing and having to purge and fill again.  I say go with the cheapest legit source which I guess is B&H.
[/quote]

[enduser]

We bought several Asian sourced iPF 03 Canon print heads which were all sealed in what looked identical western sourced products' packaging.  They performed exactly like authorized Canon  sourced heads, both in terms of lifetime and performance. 

Given the extreme complexity of the print head structure I doubt it is a target for copycats.   There are Asian sites that sell "re-furbished" Canon heads and I would be much more suspicious of these.

Overall I think that you need to have a business model where prices of inks and heads are what accountants call a non material expense.

(The above is not advice - merely a summary of our experience.)