A print engine includes a printer module for printing image data in a plurality of different print modes, wherein each print mode has an associated line print time. A data interface receives image data and associated metadata for a print job from a pre-processing system, the metadata including print mode metadata. A digital memory stores a plurality of pulse timing functions, each pulse timing function corresponding to one of the line print times associated with the plurality of print modes. A metadata interpreter interprets the metadata and determines the print mode to be used to print the image data. A printer module controller controls the printer module to print the image data using the pulse timing function corresponding to the line print time associated with the print mode, wherein each light source is activated for a pulse count corresponding to a pixel code value of an associated image pixel.