Can an LCD projector expose an image onto light-sensitive photo paper?
Asked 11/13/2020
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I want to project a fast-moving sequence onto light-sensitive paper, similar to making a photogram, and I’m wondering whether a standard LCD projector can expose the paper successfully. I’ve tried a scanner-based setup, but the scanner light and projected image interfered and mostly produced overexposure. Would an LCD projector work for this kind of analog exposure process, and are there any practical limitations?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
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Noritsu, a Japanese manufacturer of photo equipment designed and marketed mini-lab printers based on the LCD. Also, Electronic System Engineering (ESECO) marketed an enlarger based on an LCD display. Both project an image on standard color negative paper which develops up as a positive color print. The ESECO enlarger micro-moved the LCD display as the projected image played on the paper. This scheme greatly multiplied the resolution of the finished print. This resolution multiplication is possible because most camera digital files contain far more data than the LCD can display. Software was devised that micro-moved the LCD and at the same time the LDC displayed pixels that otherwise would be discarded. These were systems I was involved with. Kodak, Fuji, and many others produced color printing devices based on the LCD. A successful spin-off, Noritsu used a modified Texas Instrument micro-mirror array and made an impressive color printer and they marketed this device.
Originally by user44949. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user44949
5y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — an LCD projector can expose light-sensitive photo paper in principle. Commercial photo printing systems have used LCD, LED, and laser-based enlarger-style exposure systems to project images onto standard photographic paper.
The main practical issues are:
- focus: the projector must be able to focus at the required distance and image size
- exposure: you’ll need to test carefully to find the right brightness and timing for the paper
- resolution: final image quality will be limited by the projector’s resolution
Your scanner result doesn’t mean projection itself won’t work; it mainly shows that the scanner setup introduced its own light/exposure problems. A projector-only setup is more plausible.
So the answer is yes, but expect experimentation with exposure time, brightness, and focus, and don’t expect more detail than the projector can actually render.
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