Imagesetter help

[miambeachshadow]

Hello Everyone,

I've been using film outputs from imagesetters for my work for many years but the service is getting harder and harder to find and reliability is a whole other problem. I want to remove those problems by bringing the tech in house.

I would greatly appreciate any ideas on the best way to do this.

First I need opinions on how practical it is to use an imagesetter without a processor. I do not have the room for it, or the need. I run very few pages per month and a processor would be more trouble than it would be worth. I am all set up for darkroom processes. Can I develop “linotronic” film in trays?

Next is the size. Very small, I don't need film larger than an 8x10 active area. I usually don't even need that much. Nothing fancy with the rip. No traping, or extra printing touches. Just a simple file from Illustrator or Photoshop that I need printed. I don't even need the rip to do the seps. I work all in B+W.

The only thing I do need is high res. Right now I'm getting things outputted at 265 Lpi. I would like higher if I could find it. My files are vector stuff from Illustrator or 800 Dpi files from Photoshop that I need ripped.

Is there a desktop machine that will do this and can I develop the film in trays under safe lights? What rip is the least expensive that will still output 265 lpi or higher? I need no other high end functions. I only need to print wysiwyg from B+W files.

Is there anything better to use these days for film output?

Thanks for the help.

MiamiBeachShadow

[cjwworld]

Well, I don't see how you can process the imagesetter film without an processor.. I don't know of any imagesetter that has processor-less film.. Imagesetter is just like a Laserprinter except the imagesetter prints on film.

I know thats not the answer you wanted but I would like to know out of curiosity if this can be done.

[miambeachshadow]

Originally Posted by cjwworld

Well, I don't see how you can process the imagesetter film without an processor.. I don't know of any imagesetter that has processor-less film.. Imagesetter is just like a Laserprinter except the imagesetter prints on film.

I know thats not the answer you wanted but I would like to know out of curiosity if this can be done.

Just like photographic film or paper can be developed in a machine or in trays manually I expect this photosensitive film can be too.

Its about time and temp in a mix of chem. Why would it matter if it was being done by machine or by hand?

Do you know of a small machine and a rip thats right for me? Thats the hard part.

MiamiBeachShadow

[cjwworld]

O okay.. I see your point

[VladCanada]

You can try to develop the film manualy but you need GREEN safety light in your dark room.
Do not try green LEDs or Sprite green plastic bottle over a lamp bulb as a light source - you are going to expose the film... little bit but expose! I do not remember a proper lightwave length for green safelight but google knows
ECRM VRL30 (desktop design) plus old 3.7 version Harlequin based RIP (Software CD, PELBOX interface PCB or SCSI interface plus a dongle) - that's for you, but a few grants price anyway... or AGFA Accuset 800/1000 (floor stand machine).
Smaller ones had IR laser diode and nowadays it's hard to find IR film on the market.
Check e-bay!

[miambeachshadow]

Originally Posted by VladCanada

You can try to develop the film manualy but you need GREEN safety light in your dark room.
Do not try green LEDs or Sprite green plastic bottle over a lamp bulb as a light source - you are going to expose the film... little bit but expose! I do not remember a proper lightwave length for green safelight but google knows
ECRM VRL30 (desktop design) plus old 3.7 version Harlequin based RIP (Software CD, PELBOX interface PCB or SCSI interface plus a dongle) - that's for you, but a few grants price anyway... or AGFA Accuset 800/1000 (floor stand machine).
Smaller ones had IR laser diode and nowadays it's hard to find IR film on the market.
Check e-bay!

Hello There,

The safelight is the easy part. Could you please tell me more about this imagesetter and rip?

MiamiBeachShadow