Photographic processes

Claim 2

about 0.05 to 30 grams of a silver halide solvent per liter of developer solution, the development step being effected in the presence of a competing coupler which reacts with oxidized color developing agent to produce a leuco or a soluble wash removable dye, and B. washing out the soluble dye where produced to obtain an essentially colorless black and white image.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said development is conducted in the presence of a silver halide solvent.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said development inhibitor releasing coupler has a monothio group in its coupling position which, upon reaction with oxidized primary aromatic amino color developing agent, forms a diffusible mercaptan that inhibits development; and, said competing coupler forms diffusible dye on reaction with said oxidized aromatic primary amino color developing agent.

Claim 5

The method of claim 4 wherein said development inhibitor releasing coupler has one of the following structural formulas:

Claim 6

The method of claim 5 wherein said development inhibitor releasing coupler is employed at a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 20 percent by weight of the silver in said coating; development is conducted with an aqueous processing solution containing the developing agent; said competing coupler is employed in the processing solution at a concentration of from about 0.05 to about 20 g. per liter; and, said silver halide solvent is employed in the processing solution at a concentration of from about 0.05 to 30 g. per liter.

Claim 7

The method as defined in claim 6 wherein said processing solution contains about 50 to 100 mg. per liter of auxiliary black-and-white developing agent.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 wherein the silver halide emulsion contains 1-hydroxy-4-(1-phenyl-5-tetrazolythio)2-(2''-n-tetradecyloxy)naphthanilide dissolved in coupler solvent as a development inhibitor releasing coupler.

Claim 9

The method of claim 8 wherein the developer solution contains an aromatic primary amino color developing agent, about 2 grams of 3,6-disulfo-8-amino-1-napthol per liter of developer solution, and about 2 grams sodium thiocyanate per liter of developer solution.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8 wherein said development is conducted in the presence of about 250 mg. per liter of developer solution of 1-phenyl-1,4-dimethyl-3-pyrazolidone.

Claim 11

A photographic process comprising: A. contacting a photographic element having an exposed fine grain silver halide photographic emulsion with an average diameter of from 0.1 to 0.5 micron and containing a development inhibitor-releasing photographic coupler selected from the group consisting of: a. a 5-pyrazolone b. an open chain ketomethylene, and c. a phenolic photographic coupler, said inhibitor-releasing coupler having a monothio group in coupling position, with a photographic developer solution containing

Claim 12

The photographic process defined in claim 11 wherein said developer solution contains an auxiliary developer selected from the group consisting of a 3-pyrazolidone developing agent and an aminophenol developing agent.