Internal latent image-type silver halide emulsion

Claim 1

An internal latent image silver halide emulsion containing core/shell silver halide grains with a mean grain size of about 0.4 μm or less, said grains comprising a core of chemically sensitized silver halide and a shell of silver halide covering at least the light-sensitive sites of the core, and the surface of said grains being chemically sensitized, wherein the core is chemically sensitized to such an extent that the difference between fog density F 1 and fog density F 2 as defined below is at least 0.10, where fog density F 1 is the fog density when the internal latent image emulsion is coated in an amount (as silver) of 1.5 g/m 2 and developed with Developer D as described below at 20° C. for 13 minutes without application of imagewise exposure, not including base density; ______________________________________ Composition of Developer D ______________________________________ N--Methyl-p-aminophenol Sulfate 2.5 g L--Ascorbic Acid 10 g Sodium Metaborate 35 g Potassium Bromide 1 g Sodium Thiosulfate 3 g Water to make 1,000 ml ______________________________________ and fog density F 2 is the fog density when the internal latent image emulsion is coated in an amount (as silver) of 1.5 g/m 2 and developed with Developer E as described below at 20° C. for 13 minutes without application of imagewise exposure, not including base density ______________________________________ Composition of Developer E ______________________________________ N--Methyl-p-aminophenol Sulfate 2.5 g L--Ascoribc Acid 10 g Sodium Metaborate 35 g Potassium Bromide 1 g Water to make 1,000 ml ______________________________________