Patent ID: 6242166
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: G03C,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of processing color photographic film that has been imagewise exposed in a camera, said film having at least three light-sensitive unit which have their individual sensitivities in different wavelength regions, each of the units comprising at least one light-sensitive silver-halide emulsion, binder, and dye-providing coupler, wherein the method comprises:(a) a color development step comprising contacting the imagewise exposed color photographic film with a developing agent comprising a non-blocked p-phenylenediamine developing agent, under agitation at a temperature of 30 to 50.degree. C., in order to form a color negative image in the film by reaction of the non-blocked p-phenylenediamine developing agent with the dye-providing couplers inside the silver-halide emulsions, the dyes formed from the dye-providing couplers in the three light-sensitive units being different in hue,(b) desilvering said film in one or more desilvering solutions to remove unwanted silver and silver halide, thereby forming a color negative image; and(c) forming a positive-image color print from the desilvered film;wherein said film further comprises an internally located blocked developing agent in reactive association with each of said three light-sensitive layers such that the blocked developing agent is substantially unreactive in the color development step (a) above, but wherein color development of the same imagewise exposed film is capable of being alternatively and comparatively obtained, without any externally applied developing agent, by heating said film to a temperature above about 50.degree. C. under aqueous conditions, such that the blocked developing agent then becomes unblocked to form a phenylenediamine developing agent, whereby the unblocked developing agent forms dyes by reacting with the dye-providing couplers inside the silver-halide emulsions, the dyes thus formed from the dye-providing couplers in the three light-sensitive units being different in hue.