Patent ID: 6200739
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: G03C

Abstract:
A processing method comprising the steps of:imagewise exposing a silver halide photographic material comprising a support having thereon at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer;developing the exposed photographic material; andfixing the developed material;wherein said developing is carried out in the presence of a compound represented by formula (A) or (B):##STR133##wherein R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9 and R.sub.10, which may be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a substituent bonded to the ring by any of a carbon atom, a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or a phosphorus atom, provided that at least two of R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, and R.sub.7 represent an --SM group (wherein M represents an alkali metal atom, a hydrogen atom or an ammonium group), wherein if R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are bonded together to form a condensed ring, they are bonded together to form a condensed ring by condensation of a hydrocarbon ring or an aromatic ring;wherein the compound represented by formula (A) or (B) is present in an amount of 0.01 to 10 mmol per liter of developing solution; andwherein the silver halide emulsion in said photographic material is spectrally sensitized with at least one dye represented by formula (II), (III), (IV) or (V):##STR134##wherein R.sub.21 represents an alkyl group; Z represents an atomic group necessary to form a 5- or 6-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group; W and Wa represent atomic groups necessary to form an acyclic or cyclic acidic nucleus; L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3, L.sub.4, L.sub.5 and L.sub.6 each represents a methine group; M.sub.1 represents a counter ion necessary to neutralize a charge; m.sub.1 represents a number of 0 or more necessary to neutralize a charge in the molecule; and n represents 0 or 1;##STR135##wherein Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2 each represents a nonmetal atomic group necessary to form a benzothiazole ring, a benzoselenazole ring, a naphthothiazole ring, a naphthoselenazole ring or a quinoline ring, which may be substituted with a lower alkyl group, an alkoxyl group, an aryl group, a hydroxyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or a halogen atom; R.sub.31 and R.sub.32 each represents a lower alkyl group or an alkyl group having a sulfo group or a carboxyl group; R.sub.33 represents a methyl group, an ethyl group or a propyl group; X.sub.1 represents an anion; n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 each represents 0 or 1; and m.sub.1 represents 1 or 0, and when an inner salt is formed m.sub.1 represents 0;##STR136##wherein Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 each represents an atomic group necessary to form a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring; Z.sub.3 represents an atomic group necessary to form a 5- or 6-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring, and the nitrogen atom in Z.sub.3 has a substituent represented by R.sub.43 ; R.sub.41 and R.sub.42 each represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group or an aryl group; R.sub.43 represents the same substituent as R.sub.41 and R.sub.42, or a substituted amino group, an amido group, an imino group, an alkoxyl group, an acyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group or a heterocyclic group, and at least one of R.sub.41, R.sub.42 and R.sub.43 represents a water-soluble group; L.sub.11, L.sub.12, L.sub.13, L.sub.14, L.sub.15, L.sub.16, L.sub.17, L.sub.18 and L.sub.19 each represents a methine group; m and n each represents 0, 1 or 2; l and p each represents 0 or 1; and X represents a counter ion;##STR137##wherein Y represents --S-- or --Se--; at least two of R.sub.51, R.sub.52, R.sub.53, R.sub.54 and R.sub.55 represent an organic group having a water-soluble group, and R.sub.51 to R.sub.55 other than the organic group having a water-soluble group each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a substituted alkyl group, an alkenyl group, a substituted alkenyl group, an aryl group or a substituted aryl group; and R.sub.56 and R.sub.57, which may be the same or different, each represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxyl, alkylthio, arylthio, aryl, acyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, carbamoyl or sulfamoyl group, a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom, a carboxyl group or a cyano group, R.sub.56 and R.sub.57 may be linked to each other to form a carbocyclic ring, and the carbocyclic ring may have the same or different one or more substituents selected from the substituents defined above for R.sub.56 and R.sub.57.