A photographic exposure apparatus has a light path for directing an optical pattern of a display image from an image display to a photosensitive material and a light path for directing an optical pattern of a negative image from a negative film of the photosensitive material. The two light paths are selectively switched from one to the other to project each of the display and negative images onto the photosensitive material at a common exposure station. A mirror is disposed turnably to be movable across and between the two light paths. A mirror drive turns the mirror through a predetermined angle to switch between the light path for projecting the display image and the light path for projecting the negative image.
A monochrome printer (100) and a method for printer optics design utilizing a spatial light modulator (52), able to deploy a number of possible monochromatic light sources for use with a number of different types of photosensitive media (160), are disclosed. The printer provides high resolution and grayscale imaging capability for monochromatic applications such as micrographics and for diagnostic imaging. In the apparatus and method, illumination optics (11) receive a source light beam, from one or more LEDs or from a number of other possible monochromatic light sources available on the printer (100), uniformize and polarize the beam, and direct the beam through a polarization beamsplitter element (50). The polarization beamsplitter element (50) directs one polarization state of light to an LCD spatial light modulator (52). The LCD spatial light modulator (52) modulates the polarization of the polarized beam to provide output exposure energy suitable for image marking on dry or aqueous photosensitive media (160). An optional sensor (234) allows printer (100) to automatically select a monochromatic light source of appropriate wavelength for a given type of photosensitive media (160).
