There are many types of machines, and possibly not all are as good. I'm however quite sure more can go wrong with the ink jets due to all sorts of configurations they can have. I can only say that I've had much more luck with C prints than with inkjet prints when ordering from a lab. C prints seems to be on the way out though, Durst Lambda which is the make I'm using is not making any new machines, and I'm not sure how many other active manufacturers there are.
Concerning following through a print from start to finish I agree it's satisfying, I don't really see that the way of letting someone else load the printer, clean and calibrate the print heads and press the print button is less satisfying though. When you send to a lab it doesn't mean that you don't do test prints and tune the result to fit the medium. What I do lack from inkjet is the ability to choose various papers though, on the other hand C prints have a photographic look that I have not seen any inkjet produce. Instead of worrying about I can't print on canvas I have spent some extra time making the best out of the look C prints provide.
If I did have my own inkjet printer I'd probably get nerdy with that and print on different papers depending on subject etc, but actually to be honest I think there is tendency in the photographic community to go overkill on printing, creating more angst than joy. If one doesn't see economy in having an own printer I don't think it's necessary to make high end results, you need to know what medium you work with though and cooperate with it.
Concerning following through a print from start to finish I agree it's satisfying, I don't really see that the way of letting someone else load the printer, clean and calibrate the print heads and press the print button is less satisfying though. When you send to a lab it doesn't mean that you don't do test prints and tune the result to fit the medium. What I do lack from inkjet is the ability to choose various papers though, on the other hand C prints have a photographic look that I have not seen any inkjet produce. Instead of worrying about I can't print on canvas I have spent some extra time making the best out of the look C prints provide.
If I did have my own inkjet printer I'd probably get nerdy with that and print on different papers depending on subject etc, but actually to be honest I think there is tendency in the photographic community to go overkill on printing, creating more angst than joy. If one doesn't see economy in having an own printer I don't think it's necessary to make high end results, you need to know what medium you work with though and cooperate with it.
From what I've seen, these "wet lab" machines do require a bit more than a modicum of maintenance