LightJet

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LightJet is a trademark of Oce Graphics (the company that acquired Cymbolic Sciences, Inc.) for a process of printing digital images to photographic paper, and for the corresponding hardware.

Ordinary silver-covered photographic paper is fixed on an internal drum, where three lasers simultaneously expose the paper (or Duratrans) with red, green, and blue light. The print is then processed using traditional photochemical means.

Whereas xerography and inkjet printing employ a halftone process to reproduce digital images on paper, LightJet is a true continuous tone process. Posterization and banding are therefore absent from LightJet prints.

LightJet printers and film recorders are used by a number of high quality printing firms (located in North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South Africa) and is available via the internet. Most deliver a final product printed on Fuji Crystal Archive photographic paper in sizes up to at least 4×10 feet (Thompson).

The LightJet image recorder was introduced at PMA in 1995. The first version of the product was the LightJet 2000, a three-laser continuous-tone film recorder. Its maximum image size was 11×14 inches. The LightJet 2000 largely replaced the Fire 1000 film recorder.

The LightJet 5000 large-format printer was introduced at PMA in 1996. The product produced continuous-tone photographic prints and Duratrans up to 50×50 inches. In 1997 a version capable of printing images as large as 50×100 inches was introduced.

The LightJet 430 and 500XL very large format printers were introduced in 2002. This printers' maximum image size is 76×120 inches.