Dot-for-dot from inkjet prints?

[ElyseC]

The short version of this story is that a client upgrading their publishing operation is contractually bound for a few more months to use a particular print shop that, believe it or not, still has a process camera and shoots dot-for-dot film. The print shop will not take electronic files. (I know, I know...astounding isn't it?)

Anyway, my client has an ancient Apple Laserwriter 8500 that is on its last legs, er fuser, that they print everything to and paste up on layout sheets for the printer to shoot. They are very nervous about the Laserwriter because it's starting to act wonky yet again and they doubt very much they'll be able to find a replacement fuser for it this time. If it goes out on them, they're prepared to buy a new printer, but need something that'll let them print the line screen they need now, then take them into the future when this obligation to the old print shop is done.

It has been so many years since I've even thought about doing what they're doing that I'm not sure I remember how I used to do it. Will inkjet printers print halftones like laser printers? If they get another laser printer as a replacement, do they need it to be PostScript these days? And whatever they get needs to do tabloid, ideally tabloid bleed. Their target budget for a new printer would be under $2000 -- as far under as possible!