Apparatus and method for recording an image on photographic film

A method comprising:

• positioning a photographic film on an imaging plane;
• emitting a first light pulse from a first light source in an illuminator including a plurality of light sources, each having a different wavelength;
• modulating the first light pulse using a spatial light modulator assembly;
• projecting the modulated first light pulse onto a linear portion of the photographic film on the imaging plane;
• advancing the photographic film on imaging plane by a fraction (1/n) of a width of the linear portion of the photographic film, where n is the number of plurality of light sources;
• emitting a second light pulse from a second light source in the illuminator;
• modulating the second light pulse using the spatial light modulator assembly;
• and
• projecting the modulated second light pulse onto the linear portion of the photographic film on the imaging plane,
• wherein the modulated second light pulse is offset from the modulated first light pulse on the imaging plane by 1/n of the width of the linear portion to expose the linear portion of the photographic film.

A film recorder comprising:

• an illuminator including first, second and third light sources generating first, second and third light pulses;
• a spatial light modulator assembly to receive and modulate light pulses from the illuminator;
• a film transport for transporting a photographic film on an imaging plane;
• imaging optics disposed in a light path between the spatial light modulator assembly and the imaging plane to image modulated light pulses onto a linear portion of the photographic film, wherein the first, second and third light pulses are offset from one another on the imaging plane by ⅓ of a width of the linear portion of the photographic film;
• and
• a controller to control operation of the illuminator, the spatial light modulator assembly, and the film transport to sequentially expose the linear portion of the photographic film to each of the first, second and third light pulses.