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]

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]

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