JPH1152528A - Color image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color image forming method capable of obtaining a positive image of a standard quality even if a bleaching process in a color film development processing operation is eliminated to shorten a processing time. SOLUTION: In this method, a developing treatment is performed to a halogen silver halide color photographic sensitive material after being photographed by excluding a bleaching process and image information is read out of the developed image and converted into optical or electrical digital information. The optical or electrical digital information after being digitized is image- processed. Thus, the image information equal to that obtained when a color photographic sensitive material is processed by reference development is obtained. Further, it is preferable that a fixing accelerator is used.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color image forming method for obtaining a high quality color print from a photographed silver halide color photosensitive material in a short time.
In particular, the present invention relates to a photographic processing system based on a new technical idea of speeding up by partially omitting a developing process of a photosensitive material, and compensating for a resulting decrease in photographic characteristics by image processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, the most common form of producing color photographs is to process a photographed color photographic light-sensitive material (hereinafter referred to as a color film) in a photo lab and print the image obtained on the film on photographic paper. This is a so-called negative paper system (referred to as an N / P system) for obtaining a color print by printing. The finishing time from when the photo shop receives the photographed color film from the customer to when the color print is handed over to the customer is one day (the next day's finish) when using a large-scale photofinishing lab. Over-the-counter development laboratories that do not require delivery time are becoming popular. In this case, the finishing time is about 30 minutes to 1 hour. This kind of in-store developer is called a mini-lab for a large developer. Finishing prints in a minilab saves a lot of time and is welcomed by customers. Still, it is far from ready for the customer to request development and printing of the photographed film at the store, wait for the finish on the spot, receive the print, and return home.

[0003] Accordingly, it is difficult, but difficult, to shorten the finishing time to the point where the customer finishes the print while in the store. However, the time required for the development processing of the color negative film is 10 to 15 minutes in the finishing time, which accounts for a particularly large part of the total working time. Because of this situation, it is particularly desirable to reduce the processing time of color negative films.However, various types of color negative films have been released by various photographic materials manufacturers. Undertaking. Due to the cost of the developing machine and the required floor space, it is the fact that one developing machine develops various color negative films in the same processing solution and the same processing step. Therefore, the development processing time of the negative film is determined according to the product requiring the longest development processing time among various types of negative films. Color negative films, which require a long development time, are often used for high-sensitivity films with a sensitivity of ISO 1000 or higher. However, a common developing process is performed which is suitable for a product having a high sensitivity and a low developing speed.

[0004] In other words, the most economical method of processing various color negative films in the same developing machine using the same photographic processing solution has been selected in the developing lab. It is not at the moment. In Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-52287, when developing a color negative film that has been photographed, the bleaching step is omitted and the process is shortened, and the density of the dye image and the density of the silver image overlap with that. There is disclosed a method of reading a value and separating and obtaining each density value of a color image and a silver image using a calculation method of obtaining an analysis density from the value. However, even if the three methods of cyan, yellow and magenta and the analysis density of neutral silver are determined by the disclosed method, the quality of the resulting positive image is inferior to the standard quality.
That is, it is estimated that an image quality factor other than the analysis density exists. Therefore, the disclosed technology has not been put to practical use yet.

[0005]

As can be seen from the background described above, an object of the present invention is to introduce a photographed color photographic light-sensitive material into a developing machine without deteriorating photographic quality, and then develop, print, etc. It is an object of the present invention to establish a method for reducing the time required to obtain a positive image through the process. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for obtaining a standard quality positive image even if the processing time is reduced by omitting the bleaching step in the development processing step of a color photographic material.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have conducted intensive studies to achieve the above object, and as a result, (1) converted image information obtained under development processing conditions deviating from the standard development processing conditions into digital information. The present invention has been achieved by developing a technical idea of obtaining an image characteristic value that should be obtained by the reference processing by performing image processing after conversion. Furthermore, (2) high-quality electronic image information is obtained by incorporating a blue light absorption correction process of the yellow filter layer composed of colloidal silver particles into the image processing, and (3) the fixing speed of the process without bleaching is improved. It has also been found that adding a higher speed to improve the reading accuracy of image information sent to the image processing step is more effective in maintaining image quality when the bleaching step is omitted. That is, the present invention is as follows.

[0007] 1. The photographed silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material is subjected to 1) development processing without the bleaching step, and 2) reading image information from the developed image and converting it into optical or electrical digital information. 4) Image processing of the optical or electrical digital information to obtain image characteristic values to be obtained when the color photographic light-sensitive material is developed under standard development processing conditions, A color image forming method characterized by obtaining image information of the same image quality as in the case of performing standard development processing.

[0008] 2. When image processing is performed on optical or electrical digital information read from a photographed silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material that has been subjected to development processing without the bleaching step, and the color photographic light-sensitive material is developed under standard development processing conditions. In obtaining the image characteristic values obtained in step (1), the image processing is performed by: 1) converting the read contrast data into a contrast value obtained by processing under the standard development processing conditions; and 2) processing the read color balance data under the standard development processing conditions. 3) a process of converting the minimum read density data into a minimum density value when processed under the standard development processing conditions; 4) a non-linear relationship between the exposure amount and the density caused by the simplified development process Correcting the exposure to the relationship between exposure amount and density when the photosensitive material is processed under the standard development processing conditions; A process of correcting the non-linearity of the exposure amount-density relationship depending on the type of the photosensitive material caused by the substantially development process and correcting the exposure amount-density relationship of the photosensitive material when processed under the standard development processing conditions; 2. The color image forming method according to the above item 1, comprising at least one or more.

3. 3. The color image forming method according to the above 1 or 2, wherein a fixing solution containing a fixing accelerator is used. 4. The fixing accelerator is a mesoionic compound represented by the following general formula (FI), a thiourea derivative represented by the general formula [FII] and a thiourea derivative represented by the following general formula [F
(3) The color image forming method as described in (3) above, which is a compound selected from mercaptotetrazoles.

[0010]

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Wherein R ₁ , R ₂ and R ₃ represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group,
Represents an amino group, an acylamino group, a sulfonamide group, a ureido group, a sulfamoylamino group, an acyl group, a thioacyl group, a carbamoyl group or a thiocarbamoyl group. However, R ₁ and R ₂ are not hydrogen atoms at the same time.

[0012]

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In the formula, X and Y represent an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, -N (R
_{11) R 12, -N (R} 13) N (R 14) R 15, -OR 16 or -S
Representing the R _17. X and Y may form a ring. However, at least one of X and Y is substituted with at least one of a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, a sulfonic acid or a salt thereof, a phosphonic acid or a salt thereof, an amino group or an ammonium group, and a hydroxyl group. R ₁₁ , R ₁₂ , R
₁₃ , R ₁₄ and R ₁₅ represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, and R ₁₆ and R ₁₇ represent a hydrogen atom, a cation, an alkyl group,
Represents an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group.

[0014]

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In the formula, R ₄ represents a hydroxyalkyl group.

In the above method 1 or 2, a method of further enhancing the image processing or adding a means for specifying a color photographic light-sensitive material to be processed as described below is a method for further enhancing the effect of the present invention. It is. 5. The blue light density contribution of the yellow-filter layer by the colloidal silver and the contribution of the yellow coloring dye derived from the coupler are determined and determined, and the output to the printer is determined corresponding to the coloring dye. 3. The color image forming method as described in 1 or 2 above.

6. 3. The color image forming method according to 1 or 2, wherein the setting of the image processing conditions is corrected based on the type of the photographic photosensitive material in the photographed color determined by reading the DX code.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail, but before that, some explanations of terms used in the present invention will be added. In the present invention, a photographed color photographic light-sensitive material (hereinafter simply referred to as a film)
The "type" is used for both the manufacturer and the type of photographic light-sensitive material. In other words, when one manufacturer manufactures with the same manufacturing prescription and has the same brand name, they are the same “type”. However, if the sensitivity display and the product name are different even for products of the same maker, they are different “types”.

In the following description of the present invention, terms such as standard development (or standard development), reference development conditions, reference conditions (or reference conditions), reference conditions, reference characteristics, and the like are used. deep. As mentioned above, in the case of color film, each lab has its own products (color photographic materials)
And developing by a substantially common developing method worldwide. For example, color negative film products with ISO 400 sensitivity of each company have the performance (sensitivity, gradation) according to the display sensitivity according to the test method specified in the international standard (ISO 5800).
Demonstrate. Therefore, a developing treatment formula that can exhibit the performance specified in the international standard is a processing formula that is common worldwide. From such a relationship, color negative film formulations that have been internationally standardized are CN16 series (designated formula by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.), C41 series (designated formula by Eastman Kodak Company, USA), and CNK4 series (Konica Corporation) Designated prescription). These are considered to be international standard processes even though the process names (product names) are different, and the characteristic curve obtained therefrom is the standard characteristic curve, and the development processing conditions are called standard development processing conditions. Furthermore, even the development processing conditions of the above international standards are configured on the premise of this international common processing. Also, in the common processing, each manufacturer is trying to incorporate their technology into their own products and bring differentiation into commonality, so in some cases, add a "target" to the standard processing The common processing in which a certain degree of width that is appropriate to express is accepted is the actual state of international standard processing, and the processing conditions for this standard development are referred to as standard conditions.

Next, reference development will be described. When developing in a photo lab, the photographic performance obtained by standard processing of a color film of standard performance is set as a quality target. The development conditions (or image processing conditions) are referred to as reference development processing, reference characteristics, and reference conditions, respectively. Therefore, in many cases, the standard processing conditions and the like are of the same nature, but the difference is that the standard processing conditions can be set by each laboratory and differ depending on, for example, local users. Standard processing, standard characteristics, standard conditions, etc. and standard processing, standard characteristics, etc., depending on the specificity of the region, such as reading and setting it to the reference conditions according to the taste (typical example is the difference in photo preference due to race) May differ from the reference conditions. However, in essence, the target photographic characteristics or development conditions set by the lab for realizing the standard photographic characteristics are the reference photographic characteristics and the reference development conditions. If the image forming apparatus is combined with an image processing apparatus, a reference characteristic curve is incorporated in the image processing apparatus, and an image read from each screen frame is subjected to a correction process so as to match the reference characteristic curve. The image information having the improved image quality is output to the positive material.

In the present invention, the aim of the development laboratory is to realize the image quality of the reference characteristic, and from the viewpoint of international commonality, it is also based on the idea that it is also substantially the image quality of the standard processing.

The reference condition will be further described in relation to the present invention. In the present invention, in the process of printing an image from a film to a positive material, image processing is performed to output image information of reference characteristics as target image quality, and the image processing conditions are the reference conditions. The reference condition is usually a condition in which the image processing apparatus is built in as a target in order to develop a color film having a standard performance under the standard processing condition and image-process the color film to obtain a standard photographic characteristic, that is, a reference photographic characteristic. . That is, the term reference condition is used for both development processing and image processing.

Furthermore, in the following description, there are two completely different operations even though the common terms "processing" of "development processing" and "image processing" are attached. It is expressed separately from “development processing” and “image processing”.

Now, with the above as a preamble, a specific description of the present invention will be made in the following order. 1. 1. Overall flow of basic process 2. Pre-process of development Development processing step4. 4. Image reproduction process 4.1 Image information reading from developed film 4.2 Image processing of read image information 4.3 Output of image processed image information to printer Printer output process 6. Supplementary description of the invention

1. Basic flow of the basic process The basic technology of the present invention is to perform a simple development process without a bleaching process on a photographed silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material (hereinafter referred to as a color film) and then record it on the film. When the developed image information is read, the information is converted into optical or electrical digital information, the digital information is image-processed, and the color photographic photosensitive material is developed under standard development processing conditions. By obtaining the expected image characteristic values and outputting the characteristic values to a printer,
This is a color image forming method characterized in that a positive image having the same image quality as that obtained when the reference development processing is performed is obtained.

FIG. 1 shows the overall flow of the working steps of a laboratory according to a typical method of the present invention. The photographed color film has a film type determination step (01) at the initial stage of the development processing step. Here, the type can be known by a perforation symbol for identification called a DX code of each film. Based on the "type" information, a condition setting of image processing described later is selected, and depending on the case, a selection is made as to whether to perform the reference processing or to perform the bleaching step omission processing of the present invention (02). The selection between the reference processing and the bleaching step omission processing may be made in accordance with a predetermined reference by an operator's operation regardless of the DX code (04). Although the present invention is directed to the bleaching step omitting process, the DX code discriminating step is meaningful because the reference process may need to be performed in some cases.

After selection of the developing conditions, the film is conveyed through a series of processing tanks in the developing machine. The standard development process for color negative, which is the main object of the present invention, comprises color development, bleaching, fixing, washing or stabilizing, and a drying process and a slight washing or rinsing process therebetween. The bleaching step is omitted from the inside. The color development process has a significant effect on photographic quality, but in the bleaching process the required dye image is already formed,
The effect on photographic quality is relatively small, and therefore, the load on image processing described below is small, and the effect of shortening the development processing time is almost the same. is there. The film which has been subjected to development processing including color development, fixing, washing or stabilization is then transferred to the image information reading step 1.

In this step, the transmission density of each micro area unit (hereinafter referred to as a pixel) constituting the image of the developed film is measured, and the image information is read as the density of each pixel. As a result of the reading, the image information has been converted into an electric image signal based on the density value.
The signal is converted into a digital signal by a D (analog / digital) converter 18. This information signal is sent to the image processing device 5 via the log converter 20 after the CCD function correction 19 such as the correction of sensitivity variation and dark current for each pixel.

In the image processing device, the image information converted into a digital signal is subjected to electrical processing and converted into a digital image signal that would have been obtained when reference development processing was performed. When the film is subjected to the reference development, this image processing simply means correcting the variation in the photographing conditions, development processing or film characteristics, and correcting it to a statistical center value. Importantly, it is not the subject of the present invention. When the bleaching step skipping process is selected, the developed film contains developed silver, and the fixing speed is delayed because of the coexistence of silver halide and developed silver. In addition, a film using a yellow filter layer of colloidal silver, such as a spectral sensitizer or a dye remaining in the image film, absorbs blue light of colloidal silver. Therefore, there is a deviation from the value at the time of the reference development of the gradation, the color balance, or Dmin (the density value of the unexposed portion). In the present invention, as will be described later, this bias is corrected by image processing. The above image processing operation is described in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 8-1740.
22 and Japanese Patent Application No. 8-182551. The following description will be made using these two examples as materials, but the color image forming method of the present invention is not limited to the use of the apparatuses described therein.

The image signal of the film which has been subjected to the bleaching step omitting process converted to the normal photographic characteristic value at the time of the standard development is output to the printer 8, and as a result, a normal positive image is obtained. The printer may be any printer that inputs an electrical image signal or a photoelectric image signal, but a particularly preferred printer is a color print, an instant photograph,
It is a printer for each positive image such as a silver salt color print such as a dye thermal transfer type, an ink jet, a sublimation type thermal transfer, a wax type thermal transfer, and a color electrophotography. The outline of the apparatus and method of the present invention for obtaining a normal positive image obtained by the reference processing from a photographic image of a film having an abnormal photographic characteristic which has been subjected to the bleaching step omission processing has been described above.

In the present invention, even if a process in which the bleaching step is omitted (that is, a non-reference process) is performed, it can be said that image information of the same quality or a positive image of the same quality can be obtained as in the case of the reference process. Is obtained, and can be typically determined by the image density. In that case,
It means that the density value is within ± 10% of the reference value.
More directly, it is determined by an unbiased observer (approximate by an average of observation results of a large number of observers). 2. In the block diagram showing the development processing apparatus of the present invention and the operation flow therein, the film is taken into the development processing apparatus from the left end of the diagram.
The type of film is read. This reading is for knowing the type of the photographic film described in the identification perforation symbol called DX code on the film, and this "type" information is used to modify the image processing condition setting described later. Can also. That is, as described above, in the image processing step, the image information of the developed film is read and the read information is subjected to image processing.
Depending on the type of film known by the code, it may result in better finished quality if the processing conditions set before or after image processing are further modified. In such a case, correction based on the type of film can be added to the set image processing conditions. In some cases, a selection is made as to whether to perform the reference processing or the rapid processing condition. Such correction is performed when the ISO sensitivity is 180
The effect is great when the difference in photographic characteristics from the standard development processing is particularly large, for example, when the development progress is slow as in the case of the film No. 0, or when the amount of coated silver is large and the omission of the bleaching step leads to insufficient fixing. The selection between the reference processing and the rapid processing may be made by an operator's operation regardless of the DX code.

3. Development Process After the selection of the development conditions, the film is transported to a developing machine.
The developing machine is preferably of a roller transport type because it is well connected to the preceding and following processes, but is not limited thereto. It is practical to omit the bleaching step by using a developing machine for the reference development process because the necessity of performing the reference process may occur. In other words, the film is subjected to color development, fixing, development processing including washing or stabilization,
Next, the process proceeds to the image information reading step. For the development processing, any of the materials and steps described in the section of the development processing applicable to the present invention described below can be applied, but most commonly used CN
A 16-system, a C41-system, and a CNK4-system are preferred.
In the present invention, the bleaching step is omitted from the developing step.

In the present invention, since the bleaching step is omitted, the fixing speed may be delayed depending on the type of the film. It is not known whether or not it is related to this.However, in the bleaching step omitting process, the finishing quality of a positive image obtained by outputting an image processing method by adding an image processing method by adding a fixing accelerator to the fixing solution is improved. It has been found that the effect of the invention is further enhanced. Thiocyanates for this purpose,
Use of any of the known fixing accelerators such as imidazoles and thioethers is effective. Among them, particularly effective fixing accelerators are represented by the following general formulas [FI] and [FII].
And [FIII].

[0034]

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In the formula, R ₁ , R ₂ and R ₃ represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group,
Represents an amino group, an acylamino group, a sulfonamide group, a ureido group, a sulfamoylamino group, an acyl group, a thioacyl group, a carbamoyl group or a thiocarbamoyl group. However, R ₁ and R ₃ are not simultaneously hydrogen atoms.

[0036]

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In the formula, X and Y represent an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, -N (R
_{11) R 12, -N (R} 13) N (R 14) R 15, -OR 16 or -S
Representing the R _17. X and Y may form a ring. However, at least one of X and Y is substituted with at least one of a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, a sulfonic acid or a salt thereof, a phosphonic acid or a salt thereof, an amino group or an ammonium group, and a hydroxyl group. R ₁₁ , R ₁₂ , R
₁₃ , R ₁₄ and R ₁₅ represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, and R ₁₆ and R ₁₇ represent a hydrogen atom, a cation, an alkyl group,
Represents an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group.

[0038]

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In the formula, R ₄ represents a hydroxyalkyl group.

Hereinafter, the compound of the formula [FI] of the present invention will be described in more detail. R ₁ , R ₂ , and R ₃
The alkyl group, cycloalkyl group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, aralkyl group and aryl group of
And preferably 10 to 10, particularly a hydrogen atom or a carbon number of 1 to 5
Is preferred. These groups may be substituted with various substituents, and preferred substituents include a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a sulfonic acid group, a carboxylic acid group, a nitro group, a phosphate group, a halogen atom, an alkoxy group, and a mercapto group. Group, cyano group, alkylthio group, sulfonyl group, carbamoyl group, carbonamido group, sulfonamido group, acyloxy group, sulfonyloxy group,
And ureido and thioureido groups. Furthermore,
It is more preferable that at least one of R ₁ , R ₂ and R ₃ is an alkyl group substituted with a water-soluble group. Here, the water-soluble group represents a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a sulfonic acid group, a carboxylic acid group, or a phosphate group, and the alkyl group preferably has 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Particularly, a case of a sulfonic acid group or a carboxylic acid group is preferable.
Further, it may have two or more substituents as needed.
Hereinafter, specific examples of the compound of the general formula (I) of the present invention are shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0041]

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[0042]

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[0043]

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[0044]

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[0045]

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[0046]

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The compound of the general formula [FI] of the present invention can be prepared by the method described in Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry (J.
Heterocyclic Chem.) 2, 105 (1965), Journal of Organic Chemistry (J. Org. Ch.)
em.) 32, 2245 (1967), Journal of Chemical Society (J. Chem. Soc.) 3799.
(1969), JP-A-60-87322, JP-A-60-1
No. 22936, No. 60-117240, JP-A No. 4-1
It can be synthesized by the method described in JP-A-43775. When the above compound is used alone as a fixing agent in a fixing solution or a bleach-fixing solution, it is preferably used in an amount of 0.03 to 3 mol / l, preferably 0.05 to 2 mol / l.

Next, the compound of the general formula [FII] of the present invention will be described in detail. X, Y, R in the general formula [FII]
_{11, R 12, R 13,} R 14, R 15, the alkyl group represented by R ₁₆ and R _17, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, the following examples are the aryl group and heterocyclic group. That is, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms (for example, methyl group, ethyl group, propyl group, hexyl group, isopropyl group, carboxyethyl group, sulfoethyl group, aminoethyl group, dimethylaminoethyl group, Propyl group, carboxymethyl group,
Hydroxyethyl group), substituted or unsubstituted carbon number 2
10 to 10 alkenyl groups (for example, vinyl group, propynyl group, 1-methylvinyl group), substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl groups having 7 to 12 carbon atoms (for example, benzyl group, phenethyl group, 3-carboxyphenylmethyl group, 4-sulfophenylethyl group), substituted or unsubstituted carbon number 6
To 12 aryl groups (e.g., phenyl, naphthyl, 4-carboxyphenyl, 3-sulfophenyl), substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms (e.g., pyridyl, furyl, A 5- or 6-membered ring such as a thienyl group, an imidazolyl group, a pyrrolyl group, a pyrazolyl group, a pyrimidinyl group, a quinolyl group, a piperidyl group and a pyrrolidyl group).

In the general formula [FII], the cationic groups represented by R ₁₆ and R ₁₇ represent an alkali metal or ammonium. X
And Y may form a ring. Examples of the ring formed by X and Y include an imidazoline-2-thione ring, an imidazolidine-2-thione ring, a thiazoline-2-thione ring, a thiazolidine-2-thione ring, an oxazoline-2-thione ring, and oxazolidine- 2-thione ring, pyrrolidine-2-
A thione ring, or a respective benzo-fused product.

However, at least one of X and Y is a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof (for example, an alkali metal salt,
Ammonium salts), sulfonic acids or salts thereof (eg, alkali metal salts, ammonium salts), phosphonic acids or salts thereof (eg, alkali metal salts, ammonium salts), amino groups (eg, unsubstituted amino groups, dimethylamino groups, Hydrochloride of methylamino group and dimethylamino group)
Alternatively, it is substituted with at least one of an ammonium group (for example, a trimethylammonium group and a dimethylbenzylammonium group) and a hydroxyl group.

The alkyl, alkenyl, aralkyl, aryl and heterocyclic groups may be substituted. Examples of the substituent include the following. Representative substituents include, for example, alkyl groups, aralkyl groups, alkenyl groups, alkynyl groups, aryl groups, alkoxy groups, aryloxy groups, acylamino groups, ureido groups, urethane groups, sulfonylamino groups, sulfamoyl groups, carbamoyl groups, Sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group,
Examples include an alkyloxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an acyl group, an acyloxy group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, a halogen atom, a cyano group, and a nitro group. These groups may be further substituted. When there are two or more substituents, they may be the same or different.

In the general formula [FII], it preferably represents the following general formula [FIV].

[0053]

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In the general formula [FIV], R represents a group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
An alkyl group, -N having 0 to 10 carbon atoms (R₂₀) R_{twenty one},carbon
-N (R_{twenty two}) N (R_{twenty three}) R_{twenty four}Represents
R_Five, R ₆, R₂₀, R_{twenty one}, R_{twenty two}, R_{twenty three}And R_{twenty four}Is hydrogen field
And an alkyl group. Where R, R_Five, R₆,
R₂₀, R_{twenty one}, R_{twenty two}, R_{twenty three}And R_{twenty four}At least one of
Rubonic acid or its salt, sulfonic acid or its salt, phos
Fonic acid or its salt, amino group or ammonium
And alkyl groups substituted with groups selected from hydroxyl groups.
You. In the general formula [FIV], more preferably, R has 0 to 0 carbon atoms.
6 -N (R₂₀) R_{twenty one}, 0 to 6 carbon atoms -N (R_{twenty two}) N
(R_{twenty three}) R_{twenty four}Represents R_Five, R₆, R₂₀, R_{twenty one}, R _{twenty two},
R_{twenty three}And R_{twenty four}Represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group. However,
R_Five, R₆, R₂₀, R_{twenty one}, R_{twenty two}, R_{twenty three}And R_{twenty four}Less of
One is carboxylic acid or its salt, sulfonic acid or
Represents an alkyl group substituted with a group selected from the salts.

Hereinafter, specific examples of the compound represented by formula [FII] of the present invention will be shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0056]

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[0057]

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[0058]

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[0059]

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[0060]

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[0061]

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[0062]

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[0063]

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The compound represented by the general formula [FII] of the present invention can be prepared by a known method, for example, Journal of Organic Chemistry (J. Org. Chem.) 24, 470-473.
(1959), Journal of heterocyclic chemistry (J. Heterocycl. Chem.) 4,605-
609 (1967), "Drug Journal", 82, 36-45 (19
62), JP-B-39-26203, JP-A-63-22
No. 9449 and OLS-2,043,944.

The alkyl moiety of the hydroxyalkyl group represented by R ₄ in the general formula [III] is a lower alkyl having 1 to 9 carbon atoms, and preferred R ₄ is a hydroxyethyl group, a hydroxypropyl group or a hydroxybutyl group. It is.

The above general formulas [FI], [FII] and [FII]
When the compound [I] is used alone as a fixing agent in a fixing solution, it is preferably used in an amount of 0.03 to 3 mol / l, more preferably 0.05 to 2 mol / l. Further, in the present invention, it is most preferable to use the thiosulfate in combination with the thiosulfate, and the molar ratio to the added amount of the thiosulfate is 0.05 to 0.3, preferably 0.07 to 0.3.
About 0.25 is used. The specific amount of addition varies depending on the amount of thiosulfate used, but it is of the order of 0.001 mol to 0.5 mol / l, more preferably 0.05 mol to 0.1 mol.
It is about 3 mol / liter. The general formula [F
Two or more compounds of the formulas [I], [FII] and [FIII] may be used. Is most preferred.

4. Image Reproduction Step FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of the image reproduction system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the image reproducing system reads a color image from a developed film and generates digitized image data. The image processing apparatus 5 includes an image processing device 5 that performs image processing, and an image output device 8 that reproduces a color image based on image data that has been subjected to image processing by the image processing device 5.

4.1 Image Information Reading from Developed Film Image reading can be performed mainly by the following three methods. (I) While rotating the drum while irradiating the measuring light combined with the color separation filter around the rotating drum, the drum is rotated, and at the same time, sub-scanning is performed in the direction of the drum, and the reflection density of each pixel is photoelectrically converted by a photomultiplier tube. (Ii) using a line CCD in which light-receiving elements are arranged one-dimensionally to determine the transmission or reflection density while sub-scanning the image on the developed film. A line CCD-scanning method in which a signal is received by a line CCD and converted into a time-series electric signal by electric scanning; and (iii) an area CCD which reads the density of pixels in two dimensions using an area CCD. Any of the area CCD systems in which electric signals are converted into electric signals rearranged in chronological order by electric scanning from the apparatus may be adopted. The area CCD system is particularly preferable, and the following description will be made on the premise of this system. However, the present invention can be implemented without any problem in the other two systems.

The appearance of the image reproducing system shown in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, in an actual image reproducing system, as an image reading apparatus 1, a transmission type image reading apparatus 10 for photoelectrically reading a color image recorded on a film, and a color printing apparatus A reflective image reading device 30 that photoelectrically reads a color image recorded in
Optionally, it is configured to be connected to the image processing device 5, so that both the color image recorded on the film and the color image recorded on the color print can be reproduced. However, here, an image reading apparatus will be described for a color negative film according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a transmission type image reading apparatus 10 for a color image reproducing system for generating image data based on a color image. As shown in FIG. 4, the transmission-type image reading apparatus 10 irradiates a color image recorded on the film F with light and detects the light transmitted through the film, thereby reading the color image photoelectrically. The light source 11, a light amount adjustment unit 12 capable of adjusting the light amount of the light emitted from the light source 11, and the light emitted from the light source 11 are output to R (red), G (green), and B (blue). A) a color separation unit 13 for separating light into three colors, a diffusion unit 14 for diffusing light so that light emitted from the light source 11 is uniformly irradiated on the film F, and light transmitted through the film F. CCD area sensor 15 for photoelectrically detecting and CCD area sensor 15 for transmitting light transmitted through film F
Is provided with an electric zoom lens 16 for forming an image. The transmission-type image reading apparatus 10 is configured to exchange 135 film negative (135)
Positive film, Advanced Photo System (APS)
Various types of films such as films can be read.

As the light source 11, a halogen lamp is used.
The light amount adjustment unit 12 moves the two aperture plates,
The amount of light changes exponentially with respect to the moving distance. The color separation unit 13 performs color separation into three colors in a plane sequence by rotating a disk having three filters of R, G, and B. The CCD area sensor 15 has a light receiving element of 920 pixels long and 1380 pixels wide,
Image information on film can be read with high resolution. When reading a color image, the CCD area sensor 15 sequentially converts odd-field image data consisting of odd-line image data and even-field image data consisting of even-line image data of the photoelectrically read image. It is configured to transfer.

The transmission type image reading apparatus 10 further includes a CC
An amplifier 17 amplifies the R, G, B image signals photoelectrically detected and generated by the D area sensor 15, an A / D converter 18 for digitizing the image signals, and digitization by an A / D converter 18. A CCD correction unit 19 for performing a process of correcting variations in sensitivity and dark current of each pixel with respect to the obtained image signal, and a log converter 20 for converting R, G, B image data into density data. Log converter 2
0 is connected to the interface 21.

The film F is held by the carrier 22, and the film F held by the carrier 22 is
The printer is configured to be fed to a predetermined position by a drive roller 24 driven by the printer 3, press-held in a stopped state, and fed by one frame when reading of one frame of color image is completed. As an auto carrier for handling a negative film, a carrier used in a conventional mini lab such as NC135S manufactured by Fuji Film is used. It is possible to read an image in a range corresponding to a print mode, such as a full size, a panorama size, and a powerful size. In addition, when a carrier used in a conventional minilab is used as a trimming carrier, the magnification can be increased by about 1.4 times around the center.

The screen detection sensor 25 detects the density distribution of the color image recorded on the film F, and transmits the detected density signal to the CPU 26 for controlling the transmission type image reading apparatus 10.
The CPU outputs a signal based on the density signal.
26 is configured to calculate the screen position of the color image recorded on the film F, and stop the driving of the motor 23 when determining that the screen position of the color image has reached a predetermined position. The image reading device may be at any location such as an entrance or an exit of a drying unit of the developing machine, an independent reading / image processing device or attached to a printer unit. 4.2 Image processing of read image information

The image reading apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 has been described in detail above. Next, the image processing apparatus 5 also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a block diagram showing the configuration of the image processing apparatus 5 divided into two figures. As shown in these drawings, the image processing apparatus 5 is provided with an interface 2 of the transmission type image reading apparatus 10.
1 or an interface 48 connectable to the interface 41 of the reflection type image reading device 30 and the value of two adjacent pixel data of the image data generated by the image reading device 1 and transmitted for each line, Averaging means 49 for averaging and making one pixel data;
A first line buffer 50a and a second line buffer 50b for alternately storing pixel data in each line of the image data sent from the averaging means 49.
And the line data stored in the line buffers 50a and 50b are transferred, and the line data recorded on the film F (FIG. 3)
A first frame memory unit 51, a second frame memory unit 52, and a third frame memory for storing image data corresponding to a color image of a frame or a color image recorded on one color print P (FIG. 4). A unit 53 is provided. Here, the first line buffer 50a and the second line buffer 50b alternately store odd-numbered pixel data of each line of image data in one line buffer and even-numbered pixel data in the other line buffer. It is configured as follows.

In this embodiment, first, for one frame of color image recorded on the film F, first reading (hereinafter referred to as pre-reading) by the image reading device 1 and a digital image of the read image are performed. Conversion to data is performed. At this time, based on the image data obtained by the pre-reading, the image processing device 5 performs a second
An image reading condition for reading (hereinafter referred to as main reading) is set. Then, based on the set reading conditions, reading of the color image, that is, main reading, is executed again, thereby generating digital image data to be subjected to image processing for reproduction. In order to perform such processing, the image processing device 5 stores image data obtained by pre-reading in the first frame memory unit 51, and stores image data obtained by main reading in the second frame memory unit 52 and The third frame memory unit 53 is configured to store the information.

Before describing the other components shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, these frame memory units will be described in detail. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing details of the first frame memory unit 51, the second frame memory unit 52, and the third frame memory unit 53. As shown in FIG. 7, the image processing apparatus 5 processes a first frame memory unit 51, a second frame memory unit 52, and a third frame memory unit 52 for processing image data generated by reading a color image.
Of the frame memory units 53
R data memory 51R, G data memory 51G, B data memory 51B, R data memory 52R, and G for storing image data corresponding to (red), G (green), and B (blue).
A data memory 52G and a B data memory 52B, an R data memory 53R, a G data memory 53G and a B data memory 53B are provided. Note that, as described above, the first frame memory unit 51 stores the image data obtained by prefetching, and stores the second and third image data.
In FIG. 7, the image data obtained by prefetching is input from the input bus 63 to the first frame memory unit 51, and the second frame data is stored in the first frame memory unit 51. The state where the image data stored in the memory unit 52 is output to the output bus 64 is shown.

The configuration of the image processing apparatus 5 will be described again with reference to FIGS. The image processing device 5 includes a CPU 60 that controls the entire image processing device 5. C
The PU 60 is a CPU that controls the transmission type image reading device 10.
26 (FIG. 4) and a communication line (not shown) that can communicate with each other and controls an image output device 8 described later.
It is configured to be able to communicate with U via a communication line (not shown). With this configuration, the CPU 60 changes the image reading conditions for performing the main reading of the color image based on the image data obtained by the pre-reading stored in the first frame memory unit 51, and further reads as necessary. It is possible to change image processing conditions for image processing to be performed on a subsequent image.

That is, based on the image data obtained by the pre-reading, the CPU 60 sets the image reading conditions for the main reading so that the dynamic range of the CCD area sensor 15 or the CCD line sensor 35 can be used efficiently at the time of the main reading. Is determined, and a reading control signal is output to the CPU 26 of the transmission type image reading device 10 or the CPU 46 of the reflection type image reading device 30. At this time, when the CPU 26 of the transmission type image reading device 10 or the CPU 46 of the reflection type image reading device 30 receives the read control signal, the CPU 26 of the light amount adjustment unit 12 or the light amount adjustment unit 3
Light amount and CCD area sensor 15 adjusted by 4
Alternatively, the storage time of the CCD line sensor 35 is controlled. At the same time, based on the obtained image data, the CPU 60 makes it possible to reproduce a color image having an optimum density, gradation and color tone on a color paper by a first
A control signal for changing image processing conditions such as image processing parameters of the image processing means and the second image processing means is output to the first image processing means and the second image processing means as necessary. At this time, the image reading conditions or image processing conditions determined by the CPU 60 are stored in the memory 66.
Is stored.

When the CPU 60 performs the above control, if the image reading condition or the image processing condition is held by the instruction of the operator, the CPU 60 does not determine the condition based on the pre-read image data as described above. And outputs various control signals based on the held conditions. When the operator sets various conditions by using an input device such as the keyboard 69, and further instructs to hold these conditions,
These conditions are stored in the memory 66, and when the operator subsequently instructs to release the holding of these conditions, the conditions stored in the memory 66 become invalid. Therefore, when performing the above-described control, the CPU 60 first refers to the condition stored in the memory 66, and if the condition is stored, it follows the condition. Determine these conditions based on the data. Therefore, the operator can read from the DX code, instruct the condition setting according to each film type according to a special order of the customer, or automatically set the conditions for each film type in advance and automatically set the conditions. It is also possible to perform the processing according to the instruction. It is not always necessary to hold such conditions in large units such as image reading conditions or image processing conditions, and it is necessary to store the above conditions in the memory 66 or refer to them in more detail. For example, the setting of the saturation may be maintained, and the sharpness may be set using an automatically determined condition.

The configuration of the image processing apparatus 5 in the range shown in FIG. 5 has been described above. Here, the image data generated by the image reading apparatus 1 is input to the image processing apparatus 5 through the interface 48, and the first The processing performed on the image data from the time when the image data is stored in the third frame memory unit will be described in detail.

Next, as described above, an image processing apparatus for performing image processing on the image data stored in the second frame memory unit 52 and the third frame memory unit 53 as a result of the main reading is performed. 5 will be described.

The image processing device 5 includes a second frame memory unit 52 and a third frame memory unit 53
The look-up table and matrix operation are performed so that the color image can be reproduced on the color paper with the desired density, gradation and color tone in the image data stored in
First to perform image processing such as gradation correction, color conversion, and density conversion
The image processing means 61 (FIG. 6) and the image data stored in the first frame memory unit 51 are stored in a look-up table so that a color image can be reproduced on a CRT screen described later with desired image quality. And a second image processing means 62 (FIG. 6) for performing image processing such as gradation correction, color conversion, density conversion, and the like by matrix operation.
The outputs of the second frame memory unit 52 and the third frame memory unit 53 are connected to a selector 55, and the selector 55 stores the output in one of the second frame memory unit 52 and the second frame memory unit 53. The image data is selectively inputted to the first image processing means 61.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing details of the first image processing means 61. As shown in FIG. 8, the first image processing unit 61 includes a color density gradation conversion unit 100 that converts density data, color data, and gradation data of image data, and a color conversion unit that converts saturation data of image data. Digital conversion unit 102 for converting the number of pixel data of image data, frequency processing unit 103 for performing frequency processing on image data, and dynamic range conversion unit 104 for converting the dynamic range of image data. I have. Each of these conversion means,
As generally called pipeline processing, each processing means operates simultaneously, and after the operation is completed, the next processing is performed, so that high-speed processing is possible.

The image processing means shown in FIG. 8 can perform not only processes such as gradation correction, color conversion and density conversion, but also suppress film graininess as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 7-337510. At the same time, a process for improving sharpness can be performed. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 7-
An automatic dodging process that provides good image reproduction can also be performed on an image having a large contrast between light and dark as shown in Japanese Patent No. 165965. The film subjected to the development processing of the present invention, in which the bleaching step is omitted, has the following problems: (i) deviation of the gradation from the standard development processing due to overlapping of the density of the dye image and the silver image, and (ii) antihalation. Of saturation and increase of Dmin (minimum density value) due to the addition of silver particles in the yellow filter layer and yellow filter layer, and (iii) color especially due to the strong absorption of silver in the yellow filter layer in the blue light region. Imbalance, (i
v) Dmin is excessively increased by residual silver halide due to fixing delay, and the above four factors differ depending on the type of film. Therefore, in this CPU, the condition setting of the image processing of the correction from the digitized read image information to the reference processing with respect to the above four photographic characteristic factors is performed. As can be seen from the above, the items of the image processing conditions to be set particularly for the bleaching omitting process are as follows.

1) a process of correcting a tone deviating from the tone of the reference development process, 2) a process of converting color balance data into a color balance value when processed under the reference process conditions, and 3) a development process in which the bleaching step is omitted. A process for correcting the resulting non-linearity of the exposure amount vs. density relationship as an analysis density value to the exposure amount vs. density relationship when the photographed film is processed under the reference processing conditions (especially a high density portion and a low density portion) ), And 4) Dmin significantly higher than the standard development process
There is a correction process for the effect of the so-called clogs.

The correction of these four characteristic factors by image processing is as follows.
The correction is made in two main ways. One is a method of directly inputting the density value information of the read image to the image processing apparatus described above and performing image reproduction processing, and the other is a method of converting the read image information into an analysis density. This is a method of performing the above-described image reproduction processing on the analysis density information after the processing. From a film in which the bleaching step is omitted and the silver image overlaps, it is considered theoretically that satisfactory image reproduction processing is difficult unless the latter is used.
The inventors of the present invention have found that surprisingly good image reproduction can be achieved even if the conversion operation to the analysis density is omitted. In particular, it shows good results when using a fixing accelerator in the fixing step. However, it goes without saying that a better result can be obtained by converting to an analytical concentration. Hereinafter, a method of directly inputting image reading density information to the image processing apparatus without using the analysis density will be described.

In this series of image processing for image reproduction, the most important image processing for image reproduction is, in particular, the correction of the soft gradation described in (i) to the gradation at the time of reference development. That is, the gradation conversion means 100 has a function of correcting the gradient of the input density value versus the exposure amount to an appropriate value obtained in the reference development processing. At the same time, a large part of the correction of the color balance described in (ii) is performed by adjustment of each color for the high contrast, but is finely adjusted by a combination of the following image processing functions. The further softness of the high-density portion and the elongation of the foot in the low-density portion described in (iii) are set by setting the level of the saturation emphasis of the saturation conversion unit 101 high, and the dynamic range conversion unit 104 and the gradation conversion unit 100 This is performed by modifying the shape of the characteristic curve of the leg and the high-density portion by a combination of changing the density amplification degree by the spatial frequency described below. In this case, it goes without saying that the conditions are set so that the correction process to the saturation reference value is performed at the same time. The increase in Dmin due to residual silver or the like does not appear in the output image characteristics because it is included in the background level and erased in the so-called clogs during image processing. The operation contents of the device of the image processing apparatus used for the above image processing are described in Japanese Patent Application Nos. 8-174022 and 8-1.
No. 82551 is pending.

Next, when performing image information processing after conversion to the analysis density, an arithmetic circuit is added to the CPU 60 of FIG. In the present invention, the blue, green, and red filter light density values (Db, Dg, D
From r), the analysis densities (dyb, dmg, dcr) of the yellow, magenta, and cyan dyes are obtained by the following calculation. Db = dyb + dmb + dcb + Agb (1) Dg = dyg + dmg + dcg + Agg (2) Dr = dyr + dmr + dcr + Agr (3) Dir = Agir (4) (y) Indicates the blue, green, and red filter light density components of the yellow dye, and dmb, dmg, and dmr indicate the blue, green, and red filter light density components of the magenta dye.
dcb, dcg, and dccr represent the blue, green, and red filter light density components of the magenta dye, and Agb, Agg, and Agr represent the blue of the silver image,
Shows the green and red filter light density components. Although Agb has a high density value due to the yellow filter layer, Agg and Agr are almost equal to the infrared light density Agir with little influence of other dyes.

Since the spectral absorption spectrum of each dye is known, the absorption components of the other spectral regions with respect to the maximum absorption wavelength region have the following relationships, and the coefficients Ayg, Ayr, A
mb, Amr, Acb and Acg are known and easy to measure. dyg = Ayg * dyb, dyr = Ayr * dyb, dmb = Amb * dmg, dmr = Amr * dmg, dcb = Acb * dcr, dcg = Acg * dcr, and green, red and infrared light densities of the yellow filter layer Can be set to 0 as is well known.

From the above, the analytical densities of the cyan, magenta, and yellow coloring dyes were determined, and by using the analytical densities, the blue light absorption of the yellow filter layer was reduced by the absorption of the yellow dye at the time of output to the printer. This eliminates the risk of overlapping and distorting the color balance.

Similarly, even for a neutral background density such as an antihalation layer, its influence on the printer output can be completely eliminated by employing the analysis density, no matter how high it is. A method for obtaining the photographic characteristics of the reference development processing based on the technical idea of converting the image density value obtained by the bleaching step omission processing to the analysis density is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-52287. Practical accuracy is obtained only with the corrected invention.

Further, although there is no direct relationship with the image reproduction from the bleaching step omitting processing, the processing of emphasizing the fringe of the image and the processing of increasing the gradation of the low-density portion are taken into account to obtain the image of the whole and the fine image portion. Sharpness can be improved, but this is done by the frequency processing means 103. That is, the spatial frequency of the image part is analyzed,
An emphasis process is set for a fringe portion where the frequency greatly changes and a fine image portion where the frequency increases.

As described above, the accuracy of the correction of the image information by the above-mentioned image processing may be within 10% of the reference value as the density value, preferably within 8%. If the color balance and the gradation characteristics are within the above ranges as the density values, it is determined that the image has been reproduced. The conversion to the characteristic value when the standard development processing is performed may be set automatically for each type of film by setting the conversion conditions and reading the type of film to be processed, or ,
The operator may specify conversion processing conditions for each film to be processed.

The information converted into the characteristic values obtained by performing the reference development processing obtained by the image processing for removing the influence of the bleaching omission from the image information read from the film thus processed is stored. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the stage of outputting the positive image to the printer. The conversion to the characteristic value when the standard development processing is performed may be set automatically for each type of film by setting the conversion conditions and reading the type of film to be processed, or Alternatively, the operator may specify conversion processing conditions for each film to be processed.

In addition to the above, the image processing apparatus 5 has a data bus in addition to the input bus 63 and the output bus 64 of the first frame memory unit 51, the second frame memory unit 52, and the third frame memory unit 53. 65
The data bus 65 includes a CPU 60 for controlling the entire color image reproduction system, a memory 66 for storing an operation program of the CPU 60 or data relating to image processing conditions, and a hard disk capable of storing and storing image data. 67, CRT68, keyboard 6
9, a communication port 70 connected to another color image reproducing system via a communication line, and a C of the transmission type image reading apparatus 10.
A communication line with the PU 26 is connected.

4.3 Output of Image Processed Image Signal to Printer The configuration of the image processing apparatus 5 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 has been described in detail. Next, the image output device 8 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 will be described. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an image output device 8 for a color image reproduction system that reproduces a color image on a color paper based on image data processed by the image processing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. is there.

In FIG. 9, the image output device 8 includes an interface 78 connectable to the interface 77 of the image processing device 5 and a CPU 79 for controlling the image output device 8.
And an image data memory 80 composed of a plurality of frame memories for storing image data input from the image processing device 5.
A D / A converter 81 for converting image data into an analog signal; a laser light irradiation means 82; and a modulator driving means 83 for outputting a modulation signal for modulating the intensity of the laser light. The CPU 79 is configured to be able to communicate with the CPU 60 of the image processing apparatus 5 via a communication line (not shown).

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the laser beam irradiating means 82 shown in FIG. 9. The laser beam irradiating means 82 includes semiconductor laser light sources 84a, 84b and 84c, and emits laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser light source 84b. The light is converted into green laser light having a wavelength of 532 nm by the wavelength conversion means 85, and the laser light emitted by the semiconductor laser light source 84 c is converted by the wavelength conversion means 86 into blue laser light having a wavelength of 473 nm.

6 emitted from the semiconductor laser light source 84a
Red laser light of any wavelength between 70 nm and 690 nm,
The green laser light whose wavelength has been converted by the wavelength converting means 85 and the blue laser light whose wavelength has been converted by the wavelength converting means 86 are respectively converted into an acousto-optic modulator (AO).
M) and the like so as to be incident on the optical modulators 87R, 87G, 87B.
B is configured such that a modulation signal is input from the modulator driving unit 83 and the intensity of the laser beam is modulated according to the modulation signal. At this time, if the semiconductor laser light source 84a can operate at high speed, the optical modulator 87R can be omitted by directly modulating the semiconductor laser light source 84a.

The laser light whose intensity has been modulated by the light modulators 87R, 87G and 87B is reflected by the reflection mirrors 88R and 88R.
The polygon mirror 89 is reflected by 88G and 88B.
Incident on. Here, the paper is transported at a speed of about 75 mm per second, the scanning line density is 600 lines per inch, and each pixel is modulated every 100 nsec.

The image output device 8 includes a magazine 91 in which color paper 90 is stored in a roll shape. The color paper 90 having a paper width is conveyed at a speed of about 110 mm per second in the sub-scanning direction along a predetermined conveyance path. It is configured to: A color paper with a width of 89 mm to 210 mm can be used, and it may be a color paper used in ordinary mini-labs or a special color suitable for high-intensity short-time exposure unique to laser exposure. Paper may be used. As the magazine 91, a magazine used in a normal minilab, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 4-317051
Use the one described in the item. The transport path of the color paper 90 is provided with perforation means 92 for making a reference hole at a side edge of the color paper 90 at intervals corresponding to the length of one color print. In the device 8, according to the reference hole, the color paper 90
Is synchronized with the driving of other means. As the transport means, the one shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-272722 is used. As a processing tank, Japanese Patent Application No. 2-280228
Use the one shown in the item.

The laser light modulated by the light modulators 87 R, 87 G, and 87 B is scanned in the main scanning direction by the polygon mirror 89, and exposes the color paper 90 via the fθ lens 93. Here, color paper 90
Is transported in the sub-scanning direction, so that the entire surface is exposed by laser light. Here, the transport speed of the color paper 90 in the sub-scanning direction is the main scanning speed of the laser beam,
That is, it is controlled by the CPU 79 so as to synchronize with the rotation speed of the polygon mirror 89.

The color paper 90 exposed by the laser beam is sent to the developing section 94 at a speed of about 29 mm / sec. A color image is reproduced on the color paper 90 based on the image data subjected to the image processing. The color paper 90 that has been subjected to the color development processing, the bleach-fixing processing, and the water-washing processing by the color developing tank 94, the bleach-fixing tank 95, and the washing tank 96 is sent to the drying unit 97, where the color paper 90 is dried. Based on the reference holes formed in the side edges, the color paper 9
By the cutter 98 driven in synchronization with the conveyance of 0, it is cut into a length corresponding to a color image recorded on one frame of the film F or one color paper P, sent to the sorter 99, and sent to the sorter 99. The number of sheets corresponding to the film F of the book or the number of customers is accumulated. As the sorter, one shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-332146 is used.

Here, the color developing tank 94 and the bleach-fixing tank 9
5. As the washing tank 96, the drying unit 97, the cutter 98, and the sorter 99, those used in an ordinary minilab automatic developing machine can be used. In the present embodiment, the color paper processing prescription CP47L (prescription of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) is adopted.
43FA (both are commonly used by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.).

Further, in the present embodiment, the characteristic variation and the characteristic variation of the color paper used, the laser light source,
Calibration can be performed in order to absorb characteristic variations of the modulator and the development processor and perform stable image reproduction. First, the density data stored as digital data is exposed in a pattern as shown in FIG. 11 for each of a plurality of density steps in a single color of each of the three colors cyan, magenta, and yellow, and in a gray color obtained by superimposing the three colors. After the development, the developed densities are automatically measured using a densitometer. Based on the difference between the target density and the measured density, the table storing the characteristics of the electric signal given to the modulator at the time of exposure is rewritten for the density data to be reproduced. As a result, it is possible to always stably reproduce an image without being affected by changes in the paper used, the device, the environment, and the like. The input device has a calibration function for keeping the characteristics constant independently of absorbing the characteristic fluctuation due to the replacement of the halogen lamp light source or the like in a constant state.
As described above, by independently managing the input device and the output device, stable image reproduction can be always performed.

5. Output Positive Image Material Image property values equivalent to the reference process obtained by the method of the present invention are output to a positive material and obtained in the form of a positive image.
As described above, the output materials for obtaining a positive image include ink jet, sublimation type thermal transfer, color diffusion transfer, color electrophotography, heat developable silver salt color diffusion transfer, heat developable multilayer color diazo, and silver salt. Any type of image signal, such as color paper, can be input as long as the image signal is a time-series electrical or optical signal. Among them, color paper is particularly preferable. All of the photosensitive silver halide emulsions in the light-sensitive material preferably have silver chloride content of at least 95 mol%, the balance being silver bromide, and preferably comprise silver halide grains substantially free of silver iodide. Here, “substantially free of silver iodide” means that the silver iodide content is 1 mol% or less, preferably 0.2 mol% or less, more preferably 0 mol%. From the viewpoint of rapid processing, the silver halide emulsion is preferably a silver halide emulsion having a silver chloride content of 98 mol% or more. Among such silver halides, those having a silver bromide localized phase on the surface of silver chloride grains are particularly preferable because high sensitivity can be obtained and photographic performance can be stabilized. The silver halide emulsion contained in at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer has a coefficient of variation of grain size distribution (standard deviation of grain size distribution divided by average grain size) of 15% or less. Preferably 1
Monodispersed emulsions of 0% or less are more preferred. It is preferable to use two or more of the above monodispersed emulsions in the same layer for the purpose of obtaining a wide latitude. At this time, the monodispersed emulsions preferably differ in average grain size by 15% or more, more preferably differ by 20 to 60%, and particularly preferably differ by 25 to 50%. The sensitivity difference between the monodispersed emulsions is preferably from 0.15 to 0.50 logE, more preferably from 0.20 to 0.40 logE, even more preferably from 0.25 to 0.35 logE. .

In order to obtain a positive image for the purpose of the present invention, iron and / or ruthenium and / or osmium compounds are added to silver chlorobromide having a silver chloride content of not less than 95 mol% which is substantially free of silver iodide. 1 × 10 per mole of silver halide
^-5 to 1 × 10 ^-3 mol, and a silver halide emulsion containing 1 × 10 ^-7 to 1 × 10 ^-5 mol of an iridium compound per mol of silver halide in a silver bromide localized phase. It is effective to use. As the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material for output used in the present invention, conventional photographic materials and additives can be used. For example, a transmissive support or a reflective support can be used as a photographic support. As the transmission type support, a transparent film such as a cellulose nitrate film or polyethylene terephthalate,
A material in which an information recording layer such as a magnetic layer is provided on a polyester of 6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (NDCA) and ethylene glycol (EG) or a polyester of NDCA, terephthalic acid and EG is preferably used. For the purpose of the present invention, a reflective support is preferred, in particular laminated with a plurality of polyethylene layers or polyester layers, and at least one such water-resistant resin layer (laminated layer) contains a white pigment such as titanium oxide. Reflective supports are preferred.

It is preferable that the water-resistant resin layer contains a fluorescent whitening agent. The fluorescent whitening agent may be dispersed in the hydrophilic colloid layer of the light-sensitive material. As the fluorescent whitening agent, preferably, benzoxazole type, coumarin type,
A pyrazoline-based fluorescent whitening agent can be used, and a benzoxazolylnaphthalene-based or benzooxazolylstilbene-based fluorescent whitening agent is more preferable. The amount used is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 100 mg / m ² . The mixing ratio in the case of mixing with the water-resistant resin is preferably 0.0005 to 3% by weight with respect to the resin, and more preferably 0.1 to 3% by weight.
001 to 0.5% by weight. A body in which a hydrophilic colloid layer containing a white pigment is provided on the body may be used. Also,
The reflective support may be a support having a mirror-reflective or second-class diffuse-reflective metal surface. The above-mentioned reflection type support and silver halide emulsion, different metal ion species doped in silver halide grains, storage stabilizer or antifoggant of silver halide emulsion, chemical sensitization method (sensitizer) ,
Spectral sensitization (spectral sensitizer), cyan, magenta, yellow couplers and their emulsifying and dispersing methods, color image preservability improvers (stain inhibitors and anti-fading agents), dyes (colored layers), gelatin species, photosensitive materials Regarding the layer structure and the coating pH of the photosensitive material, those described in the patents in Tables 1 and 2 can be preferably applied to the present invention.

[0111]

[Table 1]

[0112]

[Table 2]

Examples of cyan, magenta and yellow couplers which can be used in the output light-sensitive material (color paper) include, from JP-A-62-215272, page 91, upper right column, line 4 to page 121, upper left column, line 6; JP-A-2-331
No. 44, page 3, upper right column, line 14 to page 18, upper left column last line, page 30, upper right column, line 6 to page 35 lower right column, line 11, and EP
0355,660A2, page 4, lines 15 to 27,
The couplers described on page 5, line 30 to page 28, line 45, page 29 to line 31, and page 47, line 23 to page 63, line 50 are also useful. Bacterial protection for color photosensitive materials
As the fungicide, those described in JP-A-63-271247 are useful. In order to make the image reproduction system of the present invention compact and inexpensive, it is preferable to use a second harmonic generation light source (SHG) combining a semiconductor laser or a solid-state laser with a nonlinear optical crystal. Particularly, in order to design an apparatus that is compact, inexpensive, and has a long life and high stability, it is preferable to use a semiconductor laser, and it is preferable to use a semiconductor laser as at least one of the exposure light sources.

When such a scanning exposure light source is used,
The maximum wavelength of the spectral sensitivity of the output color photosensitive material can be arbitrarily set depending on the wavelength of the scanning exposure light source to be used. In a solid-state laser using a semiconductor laser as an excitation light source or an SHG light source obtained by combining a semiconductor laser and a nonlinear optical crystal, the laser oscillation wavelength can be halved, so that blue light and green light can be obtained. Therefore, the spectral sensitivity maximum of the photosensitive material can be provided in the usual three wavelength ranges of blue, green and red. When the exposure time in such scanning exposure is defined as the exposure time for the pixel size when the pixel density is 400 dpi, the preferred exposure time is 10 ^-4 seconds or less, more preferably 10 ^-6 seconds or less. Preferred scanning exposure methods applicable to the present invention are described in detail in the patents listed in the above table. In order to process the color light-sensitive material for output, refer to JP-A-2-207250, page 26, lower right column, first line to 34.
The processing materials and processing methods described in the ninth line in the upper right column of the page and the 17th line in the upper left column on page 5 to the 20th line in the lower right column of page 18 of JP-A-4-97355 can be preferably applied. As the preservative used in this developer, the compounds described in the patents listed in the above table are preferably used. 6. Supplementary description of the invention

6.1 Development Processing

In the present invention, the color developing solution used for the development processing is preferably an alkaline aqueous solution containing an aromatic primary amine color developing agent as a main component. Aminophenol compounds are also useful as the color developing agent, but p-phenylenediamine compounds are preferably used. Typical examples thereof include 3-methyl-4-amino-N,
N-diethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-
Ethyl-N-β-hydroxyethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-ethyl-N-β-methanesulfonamidoethylaniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-
Ethyl-β-methoxyethylaniline, 4-amino-3
-Methyl-N-methyl-N- (3-hydroxypropyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-
N- (3-hydroxypropyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N- (2-hydroxypropyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-ethyl-N-ethyl-N- (3-hydroxy Propyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-propyl-N- (3-hydroxypropyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-propyl-N-
Methyl-N- (3-hydroxypropyl) aniline, 4
-Amino-3-methyl-N-methyl-N- (4-hydroxybutyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-
Ethyl-N- (4-hydroxybutyl) aniline, 4-
Amino-3-methyl-N-propyl-N- (4-hydroxybutyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-ethyl-N-
Ethyl-N- (3-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)
Aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N, N-bis (4
-Hydroxybutyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N, N-bis (5-hydroxypentyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N- (5-hydroxypentyl) -N- (4-hydroxy Butyl) aniline, 4
-Amino-3-methoxy-N-ethyl-N- (4-hydroxybutyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-ethoxy-
N, N-bis (5-hydroxypentyl) aniline, 4
-Amino-3-propyl-N- (4-hydroxybutyl) aniline, and their sulfates, hydrochlorides or p-
-Toluenesulfonate and the like. Among these, in particular, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-ethyl-N-β
-Hydroxyethylaniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N- (3-hydroxypropyl) aniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N- (4-
Hydroxybutyl) aniline, 3-methyl-4-amino-N-ethyl-N-β-methanesulfonamidoethylaniline and their hydrochlorides, p-toluenesulfonates or sulfates are preferred. These compounds can be used in combination of two or more depending on the purpose.

The amount of the aromatic primary amine developing agent to be used is preferably 0.0002 mol to 0.2 mol, more preferably 0.001 mol to 1 liter of the color developer.
0.1 mol.

Color developing solutions include pH buffers such as alkali metal carbonates, borates or phosphate 5-sulfosalicylates, chlorides, bromides, iodides, benzimidazoles, It generally contains a development inhibitor such as a thiazole or a mercapto compound or an antifoggant. If necessary, besides hydroxylamine, diethylhydroxylamine, and
Various preservatives such as hydroxylamines, sulfites, hydrazines such as N, N-biscarboxymethylhydrazine, phenylsemicarbazides, triethanolamine and catecholsulfonic acids represented by the general formula (I) of JP-144446. Organic solvents such as ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, development accelerators such as benzyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, quaternary ammonium salts, amines, dye-forming couplers, competitive couplers,
Auxiliary developing agents such as 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidone; viscosity-imparting agents; various chelating agents represented by aminopolycarboxylic acids, aminopolyphosphonic acids, alkylphosphonic acids, and phosphonocarboxylic acids; Acetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid, hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid, 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1
-Diphosphonic acid, nitrilo-N, N, N-trimethylenephosphonic acid, ethylenediamine-N, N, N, N-tetramethylenephosphonic acid, ethylenediamine-di (o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) and salts thereof as representative examples Can be mentioned.

Of the above, the preservative is most preferably a substituted hydroxylamine, and among them, diethylhydroxylamine, monomethylhydroxylamine, or an alkyl group substituted with a water-soluble group such as a sulfo group, a carboxy group, or a hydroxyl group as a substituent. Are preferred. The most preferred example is N, N-bis (2-sulfoethyl)
Hydroxylamine and its alkali metal salts.

As the chelating agent, a compound having biodegradability is preferable. An example of this is disclosed in JP-A-63-1.
46998, JP-A-63-199295, JP-A-6-199295
JP-A-3-267750, JP-A-63-267751, JP-A-2-229146, JP-A-3-186841,
Chelating agents described in German Patent 3739610, European Patent 468325 and the like can be mentioned. It is preferable that the processing solution in the replenishing tank or processing tank of the color developing solution be shielded with a liquid agent such as a high boiling organic solvent to reduce the contact area with air. Liquid paraffin is most preferred as the liquid shielding agent. It is particularly preferable to use it as a replenisher. The processing temperature of the color developer in the present invention is 20 to
55 ° C, preferably 30 to 55 ° C. Processing time is 20 seconds to 5 minutes, preferably 30 seconds to
3 minutes and 20 seconds. More preferably, it is 40 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds.

The contact area between the photographic processing solution and the air in the processing tank can be represented by the aperture ratio defined below. That is, aperture ratio = [contact area between treatment liquid and air (cm ² )] ÷ [capacity of treatment liquid (cm ³ )] The above-mentioned aperture ratio is preferably 0.1 or less, more preferably 0. 0.001 to 0.05. As a method of reducing the aperture ratio in this manner, in addition to providing a shield such as a floating lid on the surface of the photographic processing solution in the processing tank, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
No. 033, a method using a movable lid,
And a slit developing method described in JP-A-216050. Reducing the aperture ratio is not only in both the color development and black-and-white development steps, but also in the subsequent steps,
For example, it is preferably applied to all steps such as bleaching, bleach-fixing (the above is the case of the standard processing), fixing, washing with water, and stabilization. Further, the amount of replenishment can be reduced by using means for suppressing the accumulation of bromide ions and chloride ions in the developer.

In the processing apparatus of the present invention, after desilvering,
It is common to go through a washing and / or stabilization step. The amount of rinsing water in the rinsing step depends on the characteristics of the photosensitive material (for example, the material used such as a coupler), the use, the rinsing water temperature, the number of rinsing tanks (the number of stages), the replenishment method such as countercurrent, forward flow, and other various conditions. Can be set widely. Of these, the relationship between the number of washing tanks and the amount of water in the multi-stage countercurrent method is described in Journal.
of the Society of Motion Picture and Television En
gineers vol. 64, p. 248-253 (1955
Month) can be obtained. According to the multi-stage countercurrent method described in the literature, the amount of washing water can be significantly reduced, but due to an increase in the residence time of water in the tank,
There is a problem that bacteria proliferate and the generated suspended matter adheres to the photosensitive material. In the processing of the color light-sensitive material of the present invention, such a problem is solved by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
The method of reducing calcium ions and magnesium ions described in -288,838 can be used very effectively. Also, chlorinated fungicides such as isothiazolone compounds, thiabendazoles, chlorinated sodium isocyanurate, etc., and benzotriazoles described in JP-A-57-8542, Hiroshi Horiguchi, "Antibacterial and antifungal agents" Chemistry "
(1986) Sankyo Publishing Co., Sanitary Technology Association, "Microbial Sterilization, Sterilization, and Fungicide Technology" (1982) Industrial Technology Association, Japan Society of Fungicides and Fungi, "Encyclopedia of Fungicides and Fungicides" (1986) The bactericides described can also be used.

The pH of the washing water in the processing of the light-sensitive material of the present invention is from 4 to 9, preferably from 5 to 8. The washing temperature and washing time can also be variously set depending on the characteristics of the photosensitive material, the use, etc., but are generally at 15 to 45 ° C. for 20 seconds to 10 minutes,
Preferably, a range of 30 seconds to 5 minutes at 25 to 40 ° C is selected. Further, the light-sensitive material of the present invention can be processed directly with a stabilizing solution instead of the above-mentioned water washing. In such a stabilization process, JP-A-57-8543 and 58-58
All known methods described in JP-A-14834 and JP-A-60-220345 can be used.

The stabilizing solution contains a compound for stabilizing a dye image, for example, a benzaldehyde such as formalin or m-hydroxybenzaldehyde, an adduct of formaldehyde bisulfite, hexamethylenetetramine and its derivatives, hexahydrotriazine and its derivatives, N-methylol compounds such as dimethylol urea and N-methylol pyrazole, organic acids, pH buffers and the like are included. The preferable addition amount of these compounds is from 0.001 to 0.02 mol per liter of the stabilizing solution. The lower the concentration of free formaldehyde in the stabilizing solution, the less the formaldehyde gas is scattered. From these viewpoints, examples of the dye image stabilizer include N-methylolazoles described in JP-A-4-270344, such as m-hydroxybenzaldehyde, hexamethylenetetramine and N-methylolpyrazole, and N, N'-bis (1 4,3,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl) piperazine and the like.
Azolylmethylamines described in 13753 are preferred. In particular, azoles such as 1,2,4-triazole and 1,4-bis (l, 2,4) described in JP-A-4-359249 (corresponding to EP-A-519190A2).
A combination of azolylmethylamine and its derivative such as (-triazol-1-ylmethyl) piperazine is preferable because of high image stability and low formaldehyde vapor pressure. Further, if necessary, ammonium compounds such as ammonium chloride and ammonium sulfite, metal compounds such as Bi and Al, a fluorescent brightener, a hardener, and US Pat.
No. 86,583, or a preservative which can be contained in the above-mentioned fixing solution or bleach-fixing solution, for example, a sulfinic acid compound described in JP-A 1-231051 is also preferable. .

The washing water and / or the stabilizing solution may contain various surfactants in order to prevent water droplet unevenness when the photosensitive material after processing is dried. Among them, a nonionic surfactant is preferably used, and an alkylphenol ethylene oxide adduct is particularly preferable. Octyl, nonyl, dodecyl, and dinonylphenol are particularly preferred as the alkylphenol, and the number of moles of ethylene oxide added is particularly preferably 8 to 14. It is also preferable to use a silicon surfactant having a high defoaming effect.

The washing water and / or the stabilizing solution preferably contain various chelating agents. Preferred chelating agents include aminopolycarboxylic acids such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid, N, N, N '.
-Trimethylene phosphonic acid, diethylene triamine-
Organic phosphonic acids such as N, N, N ', N'-tetramethylenephosphonic acid or EP 345,172A
The hydrolyzate of the maleic anhydride polymer described in No. 1 can be used.

The overflow solution accompanying the replenishment of the washing water and / or the stabilizing solution can be reused in other steps such as a desilvering step. About the processor of the present invention, a part other than a drive is described. It is preferable that the area (opening area) where the color developer and the color development replenisher come into contact with air in the processing tank and the replenisher tank is as small as possible. For example, when the value obtained by dividing the opening area (cm ² ) by the liquid tank (cm ³ ) in the tank is defined as the opening ratio, the opening ratio is preferably 0.01 (cm ⁻¹ ) or less, more preferably 0.005 or less. , Especially 0.00
Most preferably 1 or less.

In the present invention, in order to perform the processing quickly, the shorter the air time, ie, the crossover time, when the photosensitive material moves between the processing solutions, the better, preferably 20 seconds or less, more preferably 10 seconds or less. The time is not more than seconds, more preferably not more than 5 seconds. In order to achieve the short-time crossover as described above, the present invention preferably uses a cine-type automatic developing machine, and particularly preferably employs a leader transport system or a roller transport system. Such a system is used in an automatic developing machine FP-560B and PP1820V manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Also, it is preferable that the linear velocity of conveyance is high,
Generally 30 cm to 30 m per minute, preferably 50 cm
10 to 10 m. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 60-191257 and 60-19125 describe a reader and a means for transporting photosensitive material.
No. 8, No. 60-191259, and a belt transport system is preferred.
No. 5794, No. 1-266915, No. 1-26991
It is preferable to adopt each system described in No. 6. Also,
In order to shorten the crossover time and to prevent the mixing of the processing solution, the structure of the crossover rack is as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei.
Those having a mixing prevention plate described in US Pat.

It is preferable to perform so-called evaporation correction by supplying water corresponding to the amount of evaporation of the processing liquid to each processing liquid in the present invention. Particularly, it is preferable in a color developing solution.
As a specific method of replenishing such water, Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2-46743, 2-47777 and 2-4777.
The evaporation correction method using a liquid level sensor or an overflow sensor described in JP-A Nos. 78, 2-47779, and 2-117772 is preferable. The most preferable evaporation correction method is to predict and add water corresponding to the amount of evaporation. As described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-103894, information on the operation time, stop time, and temperature control time of the automatic developing machine is provided. Is added by the amount of water calculated by a coefficient obtained in advance based on the above.

It is also necessary to devise measures to reduce the amount of evaporation, and it is necessary to reduce the opening area and adjust the air volume of the exhaust fan. For example, the preferable aperture ratio of the color developing solution is as described above, but it is preferable to similarly reduce the opening area in other processing solutions. The exhaust fan is installed to prevent condensation during temperature control.
Preferred emissions, per minute 0.1 m ³ to 1 m ^3,
Particularly preferred engine displacement, a 0.2m ³ ~0.4m ^3. The drying conditions of the photosensitive material also affect the evaporation of the processing liquid. The drying method is preferably a ceramic hot air heater is preferably min 4m ³ to 20 m ³ as feed air volume, particularly 6 m ³ through 10m ³ preferred. The thermostat for preventing heating of the ceramic hot air heater is preferably operated by heat transfer, and the mounting position is preferably mounted on the leeward or upwind side through a radiation fin or a heat transfer portion. The drying temperature is preferably adjusted according to the water content of the photographic material to be processed. For a film having a width of 35 mm, 45 to 55 ° C, and for a brownie film, 55 to 65 ° C,
For printing materials, 60-90C is optimal. A replenishing pump is used for replenishing the processing solution, and a bellows type replenishing pump is preferable. As a method of improving the replenishment accuracy, it is effective to reduce the diameter of the liquid feeding tube to the replenishment nozzle in order to prevent a backflow when the pump is stopped. A preferred inner diameter is 1 to 8 mm, and a particularly preferred inner diameter is 2 to 5 mm.

Although various parts materials are used in the automatic developing machine in addition to the above-described driving section, preferable materials are described below. Tank material such as processing tank and temperature control tank is made of denatured PP
O (modified polyphenylene oxide) and modified PPE (modified polyphenylene ether) resins are preferred. Modified PP
O is "Noryl" manufactured by GE Plastics, and modified PPE is "Zylon" manufactured by Asahi Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd., "Iupiece" manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co., Ltd., and the like. In addition, these materials are suitable for parts that may come into contact with the processing liquid, such as processing racks and crossovers.

The drying time is preferably from 10 seconds to 2 minutes, more preferably from 20 seconds to 80 seconds. As described above, the continuous processing by the replenishment method has been mainly described. In the present invention, the processing is performed without performing the replenishment with a certain amount of the processing liquid, and then the whole or a part of the processing liquid is replaced with a new liquid and the processing is performed again. A batch processing method to be performed can also be preferably used. [5. Sensitive material prefab)

Next, the light-sensitive material used in the present invention
Details will be described. The photosensitive material used in the present invention is a magnetic recording medium.
It is preferable to have a recording layer. Magnetism used in the present invention
The recording layer will be described. Magnetic recording used in the present invention
A layer is an aqueous layer in which magnetic particles are dispersed in a binder.
Or an organic solvent-based coating solution coated on a support.
You. The magnetic particles used in the present invention are γFe_TwoO_ThreeSuch
Ferromagnetic iron oxide, Co-coated γFe_TwoO_Three, Co deposited magne
Tight, Co-containing magnetite, ferromagnetic chromium dioxide,
Ferromagnetic metal, ferromagnetic alloy, hexagonal Ba ferrite,
Sr ferrite, Pb ferrite, Ca ferrite, etc.
Can be used. Co deposited γFe_TwoO_ThreeCo-coated ferromagnetic
Iron oxide is preferred. Needle shape, rice grain shape, sphere
Shape, cubic shape, plate shape, etc. The specific surface area is S
_BETAt 20m^Two/ g or more, preferably 30 m ^Two/ g or more is particularly good
Good. The saturation magnetization (σs) of the ferromagnetic material is preferably
3.0 × 10^Four~ 3.0 × 10^FiveA / m, especially preferred
Or 4.0 × 10^Four~ 2.5 × 10^FiveA / m. strength
The magnetic particles are made of silica and / or alumina or organic element.
Surface treatment with a material may be performed. Furthermore, magnetic particles
On the surface as described in JP-A-6-160332
Treated with silane coupling agent or titanium coupling agent
May be done. JP-A-4-259911 and JP-A-5-81
No. 652, a magnetic substance having a surface coated with an inorganic or organic substance
Particles can also be used.

The binder used for the magnetic particles may be a thermoplastic resin, a thermosetting resin, a radiation-curable resin, a reactive resin, an acid, an alkali or a biodegradable polymer, a natural material described in JP-A-4-219569. Combinations (cellulose derivatives, sugar derivatives, etc.) and mixtures thereof can be used. Tg of the above resin is −40 ° C. to 300 ° C.,
The weight average molecular weight is from 2,000 to 1,000,000. Examples thereof include vinyl copolymers, cellulose derivatives such as cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and cellulose tripropionate, acrylic resins, and polyvinyl acetal resins, and gelatin is also preferable. Particularly, cellulose di (tri) acetate is preferable. The binder can be cured by adding an epoxy-based, aziridine-based, or isocyanate-based crosslinking agent. As the isocyanate-based crosslinking agent, isocyanates such as tolylene diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate,
Reaction products of these isocyanates with polyalcohols (for example, a reaction product of 3 mol of tolylene diisocyanate and 1 mol of trimethylolpropane), and polyisocyanates formed by condensation of these isocyanates are mentioned. No. 6-59357.

As a method for dispersing the above-mentioned magnetic substance in the binder, a kneader, a pin type mill, an annular type mill, etc. are preferably used, as in the method described in JP-A-6-35092. JP-A-5-088283
And other known dispersants can be used. The thickness of the magnetic recording layer is 0.1 μm to 10 μm, preferably 0.2 μm to 5 μm, more preferably 0.3 μm to
3 μm. The weight ratio between the magnetic particles and the binder is preferably 0.5: 100 to 60: 100, and more preferably 1: 100 to 30: 100. The coating amount of the magnetic particles is 0.005 to 3 g / m ² , preferably 0.01 to ³ g / m ² .
2 g / m ^2, more preferably from 0.02 to 0.5 g / m ^2. The transmission yellow density of the magnetic recording layer is 0.01 to 0.5.
50 is preferable, and 0.03 to 0.20 is more preferable.
0.04 to 0.15 is particularly preferred. The magnetic recording layer can be provided on the entire back surface of the photographic support by coating or printing, or in a stripe shape. As a method for applying the magnetic recording layer, air doctor, blade, air knife, squeeze, impregnation, reverse roll, transfer roll, gravure, kiss, cast, spray, dip, bar, extrusion, etc. can be used. The coating solution described in 341436 or the like is preferable.

In the magnetic recording layer, lubricity improvement, curl control,
It may have functions such as antistatic, antiadhesion, and head polishing, or may provide another functional layer to provide these functions. At least one of the particles has a Mohs hardness of 5 or more. Abrasives of the above non-spherical inorganic particles are preferred. As the composition of the non-spherical inorganic particles, oxides such as aluminum oxide, chromium oxide, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, silicon carbide, carbides such as silicon carbide and titanium carbide, and fine powders such as diamond are preferable. These abrasives may have their surfaces treated with a silane coupling agent or a titanium coupling agent. These particles may be added to the magnetic recording layer, or may be overcoated (for example, a protective layer, a lubricant layer, etc.) on the magnetic recording layer. As the binder used at this time, the above-mentioned binders can be used, and the same binder as the binder for the magnetic recording layer is preferable. US Pat. Nos. 5,336,589 and 5,25 for photosensitive materials having a magnetic recording layer
0,404, 5,229,259, 5,215,8
74, EP 466,130.

The light-sensitive material of the present invention may be provided with at least one light-sensitive layer on a support. A typical example is a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material having at least one light-sensitive layer comprising a plurality of silver halide emulsion layers having substantially the same color sensitivity but different sensitivities on a support. is there. The light-sensitive layer is a unit light-sensitive layer having color sensitivity to any of blue light, green light, and red light. The red-sensitive layer, the green-sensitive layer, and the blue-sensitive layer are provided in this order from the support side. However, depending on the purpose, the order of installation may be reversed, or the order of installation may be such that different photosensitive layers are sandwiched between layers of the same color sensitivity. A non-light-sensitive layer may be provided between the silver halide light-sensitive layers and as the uppermost layer and the lowermost layer. These may contain a coupler, a DIR compound, a color mixing inhibitor and the like described below. The plurality of silver halide emulsion layers constituting each unit photosensitive layer are DE1,121,470 or GB923,04.
As described in 5, the high-sensitivity emulsion layer and the low-sensitivity emulsion layer are preferably arranged so that the sensitivity gradually decreases toward the support. Also, JP-A-57-11275
1, 62-200350, 62-206541, 6
As described in 2-206543, a low-speed emulsion layer may be provided on the side farther from the support, and a high-speed emulsion layer may be provided on the side closer to the support. As a specific example, from the side farthest from the support, a low-sensitivity blue-sensitive layer (BL) / a high-sensitivity blue-sensitive layer (BH) / a high-sensitivity green-sensitive layer (GH) / a low-sensitivity green-sensitive layer (GL) / High-sensitivity red-sensitive layer (RH) / low-sensitivity red-sensitive layer (RL), or BH / BL / GL / GH / R
H / RL, or BH / BL / GH / GL / RL /
They can be installed in the order of RH. In addition, Tokiko Sho 55-
As described in JP-A-34932, the layers may be arranged in the order of blue-sensitive layer / GH / RH / GL / RL from the farthest side from the support. Also, JP-A-56-2573
8. As described in JP-A-62-63936, the blue-sensitive layer / GL / RL / GH /
They can be arranged in the order of RH. In addition, Tokubo Sho 49-1
5495, the upper layer is a silver halide emulsion layer having the highest sensitivity, the middle layer is a silver halide emulsion layer having a lower sensitivity, and the lower layer is a silver halide emulsion having a lower sensitivity than the middle layer. An example is an arrangement of three layers in which the layers are arranged and the sensitivities are sequentially reduced toward the support. Even when such three layers having different sensitivities are used, as described in JP-A-59-202264, a medium-sensitivity emulsion layer / high The layers may be arranged in the order of a light-sensitive emulsion layer / a light-sensitive emulsion layer. In addition, a high-speed emulsion layer / low-speed emulsion layer / medium-speed emulsion layer, or a low-speed emulsion layer / medium-speed emulsion layer / high-speed emulsion layer may be arranged in this order. The arrangement may be changed as described above even in the case of four or more layers. In order to improve color reproducibility, US Pat.
271, 4,705,744, 4,707,43
6. A donor layer (CL) having a multilayer effect different in spectral sensitivity distribution from a main photosensitive layer such as BL, GL, or RL described in the specification of JP-A-62-160448 and JP-A-63-89850 is adjacent to the main photosensitive layer. Alternatively, it is preferable to arrange them close to each other.

The preferred silver halide used in the present invention is silver iodobromide, silver iodochloride, or silver iodochlorobromide containing about 30 mol% or less of silver iodide. Particularly preferred is silver iodobromide or silver iodochlorobromide containing from about 2 mol% to about 10 mol% silver iodide. Silver halide grains in photographic emulsions include those having regular crystals such as cubic, octahedral and tetradecahedral, those having irregular crystalline forms such as spheres and plates, twin planes, etc. Or a composite form thereof. The silver halide may be fine grains having a grain size of about 0.2 μm or less or large grains having a projected area diameter of about 10 μm, and may be a polydisperse emulsion or a monodisperse emulsion. The silver halide photographic emulsion usable in the present invention is, for example, Research Disclosure (hereinafter abbreviated as RD) No. 17643 (197
December, 8), pp. 22-23, "I. Emulsion production (Emulsi
on preparation and types) ”and No. 187
16 (November 1979), p. 648, ibid. 307
105 (11/1989), pp. 863-865, and "The Physics and Chemistry of Photography" by Grafkid, published by Paul Montell (P. Glafkides, Chemie et Phisique Photographiq).
ue, Paul Montel, 1967), Photographic Emulsion Chemistry by Duffin, published by Focal Press (GFDuffin, Photogra
phic Emulsion Chemistry, Focal Press, 1966),
Zeligman et al., "Manufacture and Coating of Photographic Emulsions," Focal Press (VLZelikman, et al., Making and Coating)
Photographic Emulsion, Focal Press, 1964).

US Pat. Nos. 3,574,628 and 3,655.
Monodisperse emulsions described in 394 and GB 1,413,748 are also preferred. Tabular grains having an aspect ratio of about 3 or more can also be used in the present invention. Tabular grains are written by Gatoff, Photographic Science and Engineering (Gutoff, Photographic Sciencean).
d Engineering), Vol. 14, pp. 248-257 (197
0); US Pat. Nos. 4,434,226 and 4,414,31
0, 4,433,048, 4,439,520 and GB 2,112,157. The crystal structure may be uniform, or the inside and outside may be composed of different halogen compositions,
It may have a layered structure. Silver halides having different compositions may be joined by epitaxial joining, or may be joined to a compound other than silver halide, such as, for example, silver rhodanate or lead oxide. Also, a mixture of particles of various crystal forms may be used. The above emulsion may be either a surface latent image type in which a latent image is mainly formed on the surface, an internal latent image type in which the latent image is formed inside the grains, or a type having a latent image on both the surface and the inside. It is necessary to be. Among the internal latent image type emulsions, core / shell type internal latent image type emulsions described in JP-A-63-264740 may be used.
This preparation method is described in JP-A-59-133542. Although the thickness of the shell of this emulsion varies depending on the development process and the like, it is preferably 3 to 40 nm, particularly preferably 5 to 20 nm.

As the silver halide emulsion, usually, those subjected to physical ripening, chemical ripening and spectral sensitization are used. The additive used in such a process is RD No. 17643,
No. No. 18716 and the same No. 307105, and the corresponding portions are summarized in the table below. In the light-sensitive material of the present invention, two or more types of emulsions different in at least one property of the grain size, grain size distribution, halogen composition, grain shape and sensitivity of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion,
They can be mixed and used in the same layer. US4,0
82,553, fogged silver halide grains, US Pat. No. 4,626,498, JP-A-59-214.
It is preferable to apply the silver halide grains and the colloidal silver having the inside of the grains described in 852 to a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and / or a substantially light-insensitive hydrophilic colloid layer. The term “silver halide particles having a fogged interior or surface” refers to silver halide particles that can be uniformly (non-imagewise) developed regardless of the unexposed portions and exposed portions of the photosensitive material. The preparation method is US 4,626,49
8, described in JP-A-59-214852. The silver halide forming the internal nucleus of the core / shell type silver halide grain having the inside of the grain fogged may have a different halogen composition. Any of silver chloride, silver chlorobromide, silver iodobromide and silver chloroiodobromide can be used as the silver halide having the inside or the surface of the grain fogged. The average grain size of these fogged silver halide grains is 0.1.
It is preferably from 0.01 to 0.75 μm, particularly preferably from 0.05 to 0.6 μm. The grains may be regular grains or polydispersed emulsions, but may be monodisperse (at least 95% of the weight or the number of silver halide grains is ± 40% of the average grain size).
Having a particle diameter within the range described above).

In the present invention, it is preferable to use non-photosensitive fine grain silver halide. The non-photosensitive fine grain silver halide is a silver halide fine grain which is not exposed during imagewise exposure for obtaining a dye image and is not substantially developed in the developing process, and is preferably not fogged in advance. The fine grain silver halide has a silver bromide content of 0 to 100 mol%, and may contain silver chloride and / or silver iodide as needed. Preferably, it contains 0.5 to 10 mol% of silver iodide. Fine grain silver halide has an average grain size (average value of projected area equivalent circle diameter)
Is preferably 0.01 to 0.5 μm, and 0.02 to 0.2 μm.
μm is more preferred. Fine grain silver halide can be prepared by the same method as that for ordinary photosensitive silver halide. The surface of the silver halide grains does not need to be optically sensitized, and no spectral sensitization is required. However, prior to adding this to the coating solution, it is preferable to add a known stabilizer such as a triazole-based, azaindene-based, benzothiazolium-based, or mercapto-based compound or a zinc compound in advance. Colloidal silver can be contained in the layer containing fine silver halide grains. The coated silver amount of the light-sensitive material of the present invention is preferably 8.0 g / m ² or less, and more preferably 6.0 g / m ² or less.
g / m ² or less is most preferred.

The photographic additives which can be used in the present invention are also described in RD, and the relevant portions are shown in the following table.

[0143]

[Table 3]

Various dye-forming couplers can be used in the light-sensitive material of the present invention, and the following couplers are particularly preferable. Yellow coupler: Formula (I) of EP502,424A,
A coupler represented by formula (1) or (2) of EP513,496A (particularly Y
-28); couplers of the formula (I) in claim 1 of EP 568,037A; US 5,066,576
A coupler represented by the general formula (I) in column 1 of the line 45 to 55; a coupler represented by the general formula (I) in paragraph 0008 of JP-A-4-274425; EP 498,381
The couplers described in claim 1 on page 40 of A1 (especially 18
D-35 on page 4); Couplers represented by formula (Y) on page 4 of EP447,969A1 (especially Y-1 (page 17),
Y-54 (p. 41)); couplers represented by formulas (II) to (IV) on lines 36 to 58 of column 7 of US Pat. No. 4,476,219 (particularly II-17, 19 (column 17), II-24).
(Column 19)). Magenta coupler: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-39737 (L-57)
(Page 11, lower right), L-68 (page 12, lower right), L-77
(Page 13, lower right); A-4-63 of EP456,257
(Page 134), A-4-73, -75 (page 139); E
P486,965, M-4, -6 (p. 26), M-7
(Page 27); M-45 of EP 571,959A (19
(M-1) of JP-A-5-204106 (page 6); M-22 of paragraph 0237 of JP-A-4-32631. Cyan coupler: CX-1, described in JP-A-4-204843
3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 14, 15 (14 to 16
P.); JP-A-4-43345, C-7,10 (35
P.), 34, 35 (p. 37), (I-1), (I-17)
(Pages 42 to 43); a coupler represented by the formula (Ia) or (Ib) according to claim 1 of JP-A-6-67385. Polymer coupler: P-1, P of JP-A-2-44345
-5 (page 11).

Examples of couplers in which a coloring dye has an appropriate diffusivity include US Pat. No. 4,366,237, GB 2,125,
570, EP 96,873B, DE 3,234,533
Are preferred. Couplers for correcting unnecessary absorption of color-forming dyes are yellow colored cyan couplers represented by the formulas (CI), (CII), (CIII) and (CIV) described on page 5 of EP 456,257A1 (particularly Y on page 84).
C-86), yellow colored magenta coupler ExM-7 (p. 202) and EX-1 (249) described in the EP.
EX-7 (page 251), US Pat. No. 4,833,069.
Magenta colored cyan couplers CC-9 (column 8), CC-13 (column 10), US Pat.
7,136 (2) (column 8), WO92 / 1157
Colorless masking couplers of formula (A) of claim 1 of claim 5 (especially the exemplified compounds on pages 36 to 45) are preferred. Examples of compounds (including couplers) which release a photographically useful compound residue by reacting with an oxidized developing agent include the following. Development inhibitor releasing compound: EP37
Formulas (I), (II) and (II) described on page 11 of 8,236A1.
Compounds represented by I) and (IV) (especially T-101 (30
Page), T-104 (page 31), T-113 (page 36),
T-131 (page 45), T-144 (page 51), T-1
58 (page 58)) and the compound represented by formula (I) described on page 7 of EP 436,938 A2 (particularly D-49 (51
P.)), Compounds represented by formula (1) of EP568,037A (especially (23) (p.11)), EP440,19.
Compounds of the formulas (I), (II) and (III) described on pages 5 to 6 of 5A2 (especially I- (1) on page 29); Bleaching accelerator releasing compounds: EP310, 125A2 on page 5 Compounds of the formulas (I) and (I ') (especially (6) on page 61)
0), (61)) and the compound of formula (I) of claim 1 of JP-A-6-59411 (especially (7) (page 7); Ligand releasing compound: described in claim 1 of US Pat. No. 4,555,478). (Especially the compounds in rows 21 to 41 of column 12); leuco dye releasing compound: compound 1 in columns 3 to 8 of US 4,749,641
Compounds represented by C0UP-DYE of claim 1 of US Pat. No. 4,774,181 (especially compounds 1-11 of columns 7-10); Development accelerator or fogging agent releasing compounds: US Pat. 123, compounds represented by formulas (1), (2) and (3) in column 3 (particularly, (I-22) in column 25) and EP450,6
ExZK-2, p. 75, lines 36 to 38 of 37A2; a compound which releases a group which becomes a dye only after leaving: US 4,8
Compounds of the formula (I) of claim 1, 57,447 (especially Y-1 to Y-19 in columns 25 to 36).

The following additives are preferred as additives other than the coupler. Dispersion medium of oil-soluble organic compound: JP-A-62-215272
P-3, 5, 16, 19, 25, 30, 42, 49,
54, 55, 66, 81, 85, 86, 93 (140 to
144)); Latex for impregnation of oil-soluble organic compound: U
Latex described in S4, 199, 363; oxidized developing agent scavenger: a compound represented by the formula (I) in column 2, lines 54 to 62 of US Pat. , (6), (12) (columns 4-5),
US Pat. No. 4,923,787, columns 5 to 10 of formula (particularly compound 1 (column 3);
Formulas (I) to (II) on page 4, lines 30 to 33 of 98321A
I), especially I-47, 72, III-1, 27 (24-48
Page); Anti-fading agent: A-6,7, of EP298321A
20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 37, 4
0, 42, 48, 63, 90, 92, 94, 164 (6
9-118), column 25 of US 5,122,444.
II-I to III-23, especially III-10, EP47
1347A, pages 1 to 12 I-1 to III-4, especially II-
2, US 5,139,931 Columns 32-40 A-
Nos. 1 to 48, especially A-39, 42; a material for reducing the amount of a color-enhancing agent or color-mixing inhibitor used: EP 411324A
I-5 to I-15 on pages 5 to 24, especially I-46; Formalin scavenger: 24-47 of EP 477932A.
SCV-1 to 28 on page 9, especially SCV-8; Hardener: H-1,4,6,8, page 17 of JP-A-1-214845.
14, compounds (H-1 to 5) represented by formulas (VII) to (XII) in columns 13 to 23 of US Pat. No. 4,618,573.
4), compounds (H-1 to 76) represented by the formula (6) on the lower right of page 8 of JP-A-2-214852, especially H-14, U
Compound described in claim 1 of S3,325,287; Development inhibitor precursor: P described in JP-A-62-168139.
-24, 37, 39 (pages 6-7); US 5,019, 4
92 Compounds of claim 1, especially column 7-2
8, 29; preservatives, fungicides: I-1 to III-43 of columns 3 to 15 of US Pat. No. 4,923,790, especially II-1,
9, 10, 18, III-25; stabilizers, antifoggants:
US Pat. No. 4,923,793, Columns 6 to 16 I-1
(14), especially I-1, 60, (2), (13), US
Compounds 1 to 6 in columns 25 to 32 of 4,952,483
5, especially 36: chemical sensitizer: triphenylphosphine
Selenide, compound 50 of JP-A-5-40324; dye:
JP-A-3-156450, pages 15-18, a-1 and b-
20, especially a-1, 12, 18, 27, 35, 36, b
-5, V-1 to 23 on pages 27 to 29, especially V-1, EP
456627A, FI-1 to F-II-, pages 33 to 55
43, especially FI-11, F-II-8, EP45715
IIIA, pages III-36 on pages 17-28, especially III-1,
3, Dye-1 to 8-26 of WO88 / 04794
24, a microcrystalline dispersion, compounds 1 to 22 on pages 6 to 11 of EP319999A, in particular compound 1, EP519306A
Compounds D-1 to 8 represented by Formulas (1) to (3)
7 (pages 3 to 28), US Pat. No. 4,268,622, formula (I)
1-22 (columns 3-10), US
Compounds (1) to (31) represented by the formula (I) of 4,923,788 (columns 2 to 9); UV absorbers: compounds represented by the formula (1) of JP-A-46-3335 (18)
b) to (18r), 101 to 427 (pages 6 to 9), EP
520938A represented by the formula (I):
(66) Compounds HBT-1 to 10 (page 14) represented by (pages 10 to 44) and formula (III), EP521823
Compounds (1) to (31) represented by Formula (1) of A (columns 2 to 9).

The present invention can be applied to general-purpose or movie general-purpose color negative films. It is also suitable for a film unit with a lens described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-3615 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-39784. Suitable supports that can be used in the present invention are described, for example, in RD. N
o. No. 17643, page 28; 647 of 18716
From the right column of page 648 to the left column of page 648, and the same No. 307105
On page 879, it is preferable to use a polyester support.

The polyester support used in the present invention will be described below. For details including photosensitive materials, treatments, cartridges and examples described later, see Japanese Patent Publication No.
4-6023 (Invention Association; 1994. 3.15.). The polyester used in the present invention is formed with diol and aromatic dicarboxylic acid as essential components,
2,6-, 1,5-, 1,4 as aromatic dicarboxylic acids
-And 2,7-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, phthalic acid, and diols include diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, cyclohexanedimethanol, bisphenol A, and bisphenol. Examples of the polymer include homopolymers such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, and polycyclohexanedimethanol terephthalate. Particularly preferred is a polyester containing 50 to 100 mol% of 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid. Among them, polyethylene 2,6-naphthalate is particularly preferred. The average molecular weight ranges from about 5,000 to 200,000. The Tg of the polyester of the present invention is 50 ° C. or higher, preferably 90 ° C. or higher.

Next, the polyester support is heat-treated at a heat treatment temperature of 40 ° C. or more and less than Tg, more preferably Tg−20 ° C. or more and less than Tg in order to make it difficult to form a curl. The heat treatment may be performed at a constant temperature within this temperature range, or may be performed while cooling. The heat treatment time is from 0.1 hour to 1500 hours, and more preferably from 0.5 hour to 200 hours. The heat treatment of the support may be performed in a roll form, or may be performed while transporting the support in a web form. The surface is provided with irregularities (for example, Sn
(Conductive inorganic fine particles such as O ₂ and Sb ₂ O ₅ are applied), and the surface state may be improved. It is also desirable to take measures such as applying knurls to the ends and making the ends slightly higher so as to prevent the cut end of the core from appearing. These heat treatments may be performed at any stage after the formation of the support, after the surface treatment, after the application of the back layer (antistatic agent, slip agent, etc.), and after the application of the undercoat. Preferably after application of the antistatic agent. An ultraviolet absorber may be incorporated into this polyester. In order to prevent light piping, the purpose can be achieved by kneading a commercially available dye or pigment for polyester, such as Diaresin manufactured by Mitsubishi Kasei or Kayaset manufactured by Nippon Kayaku.

Next, in the present invention, it is preferable to perform a surface treatment in order to bond the support and the light-sensitive material constituting layer. Chemical treatment, mechanical treatment, corona discharge treatment, flame treatment, ultraviolet treatment, high frequency treatment, glow discharge treatment, active plasma treatment,
Surface activation treatments such as laser treatment, mixed acid treatment, ozone oxidation treatment and the like can be mentioned. Among the surface treatments, preferred are an ultraviolet irradiation treatment, a flame treatment, a corona treatment, and a glow treatment. Next, the undercoating method is described.
It may be more than layers. As a binder for the undercoat layer, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, butadiene, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, itaconic acid, including a copolymer starting from a monomer selected from maleic anhydride, as a starting material,
Examples include polyethyleneimine, epoxy resin, grafted gelatin, nitrocellulose, and gelatin. Compounds that swell the support include resorcinol and p-chlorophenol. In the undercoat layer, gelatin hardeners such as chromium salts (chromium alum, etc.), aldehydes (formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, etc.), isocyanates, and active halogen compounds (2,4-dichloro-6-hydroxy-S-triazine) And the like, epichlorohydrin resin, active vinyl sulfone compound and the like. SiO ₂ , TiO ₂ , inorganic fine particles or polymethyl methacrylate copolymer fine particles (0.01 to 10 μm) may be contained as a matting agent.

In the present invention, an antistatic agent is preferably used. Examples of such antistatic agents include polymers containing carboxylic acid and carboxylate and sulfonate, cationic polymers, and ionic surfactant compounds. The most preferred antistatic agent is Zn
O, TiO ₂ , SnO ₂ , Al ₂ O ₃ , In ₂ O ₃ , Si
A particle size of at least one selected from O ₂ , MgO, BaO, MoO ₃ and V ₂ O ₅ having a volume resistivity of 10 ⁷ Ω · cm or less, more preferably 10 ⁵ Ω · cm or less. .00
Fine particles of crystalline metal oxides or composite oxides thereof (Sb, P, B, In, S, Si, C, etc.), furthermore, sol-like metal oxides or composite oxides thereof Particles. 5 to 5%
500 mg / m ² is preferred, particularly preferably 10 to 350 mg / m ²
a m ^2. The ratio of the amount of the conductive crystalline oxide or its composite oxide to the binder is preferably from 1/300 to 100/1, more preferably from 1/100 to 100/5.

The light-sensitive material of the present invention preferably has a slip property. The slip agent-containing layer is preferably used on both the photosensitive layer surface and the back surface. A preferable slip property is a dynamic friction coefficient of 0.25 or less and 0.01 or more. The measurement at this time represents the value when the stainless steel ball having a diameter of 5 mm was conveyed at 60 cm / min (25 ° C., 60% PH). In this evaluation, even when the surface of the photosensitive layer is replaced as the partner material, the values are almost the same level. Examples of the slipping agent usable in the present invention include polyorganosiloxane, higher fatty acid amide, higher fatty acid metal salt, ester of higher fatty acid and higher alcohol, and polyorganosiloxane as polydimethylsiloxane, polydiethylsiloxane, polystyrylmethyl. Siloxane, polymethylphenylsiloxane, or the like can be used. The additional layer is preferably the outermost layer of the emulsion layer or the back layer. Particularly, polydimethylsiloxane or an ester having a long-chain alkyl group is preferable.

The light-sensitive material of the present invention preferably contains a matting agent. The matting agent may be on either the emulsion side or the back side, but is particularly preferably added to the outermost layer on the emulsion side.
The matting agent may be soluble in the processing solution or insoluble in the processing solution, and preferably both are used in combination. For example, polymethyl methacrylate, poly (methyl methacrylate / methacrylic acid = 9/1 or 5/5 (molar ratio)), polystyrene particles and the like are preferable. The particle size is preferably 0.8 to 10 μm, and the particle size distribution is also preferably narrow. It is preferable that 90% or more of the total number of particles is contained between 0.9 and 1.1 times the average particle size. . It is also preferable to simultaneously add fine particles having a size of 0.8 μm or less in order to enhance the matting property. For example, polymethyl methacrylate (0.2 μm), poly (methyl methacrylate / methacrylic acid = 9/1 (molar ratio), 0.3 μm) ), Polystyrene particles (0.25
μm) and colloidal silica (0.03 μm).

Next, the film cartridge used in the present invention will be described. The main material of the patrone used in the present invention may be metal or synthetic plastic. Preferred plastic materials are polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyphenyl ether and the like. Further, the patrone of the present invention may contain various antistatic agents, carbon black, metal oxide particles, nonions, anions,
Cationic and betaine-based surfactants or polymers can be preferably used. These anti-charged patrones are disclosed in JP-A Nos. 1-312537 and 1-31253.
8. Particularly, the resistance at 25 ° C. and 25% RH is preferably 10 ¹² Ω or less. Usually, a plastic patrone is manufactured using a plastic into which carbon black, a pigment, or the like is kneaded in order to impart light shielding properties. The size of the patrone may be 135 size at present,
To reduce the size of the camera, it is also effective to reduce the diameter of the current 135-size 25 mm cartridge to 22 mm or less.
The volume of the patrone case is 30 cm ³ or less, preferably 2
It is preferred to be 5 cm ³ or less. Weight of plastic used for patrone and patrone case is 5g
~ 15 g is preferred.

Further, a patrone used in the present invention to feed a film by rotating a spool may be used. Further, a structure may be employed in which the leading end of the film is accommodated in the cartridge body, and the leading end of the film is sent out from the port of the cartridge by rotating the spool shaft in the film sending direction. These are US 4,834,306 and 5,2
26, 613. The photographic film used in the present invention may be a so-called raw film before development,
A photographic film that has been processed may be used. Further, the raw film and the developed photographic film may be stored in the same new patrone, or may be different patrones.

In the light-sensitive material of the present invention, the total thickness of all the hydrophilic colloid layers on the side having the emulsion layer is preferably 28 μm or less, more preferably 23 μm or less, and 18 μm or less.
m or less, more preferably 16 μm or less.
Further, the film swelling speed T _1/2 is preferably 30 seconds or less, and more preferably 20 seconds or less. T _1/2 is a color developer at 30 ° C., 3
When 90% of the maximum swelled film thickness reached when the treatment is performed for 15 minutes is defined as the saturated film thickness, it is defined as the time until the film thickness itself reaches １ ／. The film thickness means a film thickness measured at 25 ° C. and a relative humidity of 55% under humidity control (2 days), and T _1/2 is a value obtained by Photographic Science and Engineering (A. Green) et al. Photogr.Sci.En
g.), Vol. 19, pages 2, 124-129, using a serometer (swelling meter). T _1/2 can be adjusted by adding a hardening agent to gelatin as a binder or by changing the aging conditions after coating. In addition, the swelling ratio is 150 ~
400% is preferred. The swelling ratio can be calculated from the maximum swelling film thickness under the conditions described above by the formula: (maximum swelling film thickness-film thickness) / film thickness. The photosensitive material of the present invention has a total dry film thickness of 2 μm to 20 μm on the side opposite to the side having the emulsion layer.
It is preferable to provide a hydrophilic colloid layer (referred to as a back layer). In this back layer, the above-mentioned light absorber, filter dye, ultraviolet absorber, antistatic agent, hardener,
It is preferable to include a binder, a plasticizer, a lubricant, a coating aid, and a surfactant. The swelling ratio of this back layer is 1
50-500% is preferred.

[0157]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following Examples, but it should not be construed that the invention is limited thereto. Example 1 Tested Color Negative Film A color negative film equivalent to Sample 101 described in Example 1 of JP-A-8-339063 was used as a sample that can represent a general-purpose color negative film according to the ISO1007 standard.
It was used in the form of 35-24Ex (normal 35 mm, with 24 cartridges of patrone). The ISO sensitivity of this film is 400. 2. Method of photographic characteristics test Each test film was exposed to a standard C light source described in ISO 5800 (sensitivity measuring method for color negative film) and illuminated with standard exposure, half under exposure and four times over standard exposure. A snapshot of a person was taken at three levels of exposure against a gray wall, and the development processing conditions were changed as described below to produce a photographic original of the input image. The input image thus obtained was converted into an image signal using the image reading device described in the section of the embodiments of the invention. According to the procedure of the embodiment 4.2 of the invention, image processing combining the gradation correction processing and the color correction processing is performed, and based on the image signals, the laser scanning exposure apparatus shown in FIG. Exposure was performed, and the following development processing was performed to obtain an image for evaluation. The overall image quality was evaluated by the five-point scale given below by 10 persons specializing in photographic evaluation, with an emphasis on the granular smoothness of the image for evaluation. Very poor and unacceptable. ... 1 point Slightly inferior and unacceptable. ····· 2 points Relatively inferior, but acceptable. ··· 3 points Relatively excellent and preferable. ... 4 points Very good. ... 5 points

[0158] 3. Developing Process of Input Image The standard processing was performed according to the following color negative developing process specifications. As a processing machine, an automatic developing machine FP-560B manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. was used to carry out processing with the following processing steps and processing solutions. Further, the bleaching step omitting processing, which is the processing step of the present invention, was carried out by modifying the film transport system of the processing machine so that the sample was skipped from the bleaching rack and immediately sent to the fixing bath after color development.

(Processing step) Process Processing time Processing temperature Replenishment amount * Tank capacity Color development 3 minutes 5 seconds 38.0 ° C 20 ml 17 liter Bleaching 50 seconds 38.0 ° C 5 ml 5 liters Fixing (1) 50 seconds 38.0 ° C -5 Liter Settling (2) 50 seconds 38.0 ° C 8 ml 5 liter Washing water 30 seconds 38.0 ° C 17 ml 3.5 liter Stability (1) 20 seconds 38.0 ° C-3 liter Stability (2) 20 seconds 38.0 ° C 15 ml 3 liter Dry Drying 1 minute 30 seconds 60 ° C * Replenishment amount is 35 mm width of photosensitive material 1.1 m (equivalent to 24 Ex. 1 bottle) Stabilizing solution is countercurrent method from (2) to (1). All were introduced into fixing (2). The fixing solution is also connected from (2) to (1) by a countercurrent pipe. The amount of the developer brought into the bleaching step, the amount of the bleaching liquid brought into the fixing step, and the amount of the fixing liquid brought into the washing step were 2.5 ml and 2.0 ml, respectively, per 1.1 mm width of 35 mm photosensitive material. , 2.0 ml.
The crossover time is 6 seconds in each case, and this time is included in the processing time of the previous step.

The composition of the processing liquid is shown below. (Color developing solution) Tank solution (g) Replenisher (g) Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid 2.0 2.0 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid 2.0 2.0 Sodium sulfite 3.9 5.3 Potassium carbonate 37.5 39.0 Potassium bromide 1.4 0.4 Potassium iodide 1.3 mg-disodium-N, N-bis (sulfonatoethyl) hydroxylamine 2.0 2.0 hydroxylamine sulfate 2.4 3.3 2-Methyl-4- [N-ethyl-N- (β-hydroxyethyl) amino] aniline sulfate 4.5 6.4 1.0 liter with water 1.0 liter pH (adjusted with potassium hydroxide and sulfuric acid) 10.05 10.18

(Bleaching solution) Tank solution (g) Replenisher (g) Ferric ammonium 1,3-diaminopropanetetraacetate monohydrate 118 180 Ammonium bromide 80 115 Ammonium nitrate 14 21 Succinic acid 40 60 Maleic acid 33 50 Add water 1.0 liter 1.0 liter pH (prepared with aqueous ammonia) 4.4 4.0

(Fixing solution) Tank solution (g) Replenisher (g) Ammonium methanesulfinate 1030 Ammonium methanethiosulfonate 4 12 Aqueous ammonium thiosulfate (700 g / L) 280 mL 840 mL Imidazole 7 20 Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid 15 45 Fixing accelerator described in Table 4 0.05 mol 0.15 mol Add water 1.0 liter 1.0 liter pH [prepared with ammonia water and acetic acid] 7.4 7.45

(Washing water) Tap water was replaced with H-type strongly acidic cation exchange resin (Amberlite IR- manufactured by Rohm and Haas Company).
120B) and a mixed bed column packed with an OH type strongly basic anion exchange resin (Amberlite IR-400) to reduce the calcium and magnesium ion concentration to 3 mg.
Per liter or less, followed by 20 mg / liter of sodium diisocyanurate and 150 mg of sodium sulfate.
mg / l was added. The pH of this solution is 6.5 to 7.
5 range.

(Stabilizing solution) Common to tank solution and replenisher (unit: g) Sodium p-toluenesulfinate 0.03 Polyoxyethylene-p-monononylphenyl ether (average degree of polymerization: 10) 0.2 Disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate 0.05 1, 2,4-triazole 1.3 1,4-bis (1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl) piperazine 0.75 1,2-benzoisothiazolin-3-one 0.10 1.0 liter with water added pH 8.5

[0165] 4. Development processing of evaluation image The high-speed scanner / image processing is an example of a commercially available input device that can convert the input image produced by the above configuration into an electric image signal and input the signal to create a positive image. A workstation SP-1000 (manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) and a laser printer / paper processor LP-1000P (manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) were used as examples of commercially available output devices. Further, with regard to SP-1000, the program software was changed so that the image processing could be performed, and used. Further, for a comparative sample, a minilab PP-1257V manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., which is now generally used, is used. The printer of this device is a simultaneous full-surface exposure method in which the developed color negative is transmitted through and printed on color paper, and the color balance is controlled by controlling the filter, which is a method commonly used in the current market. is there. In each case, a commercially available Fuji Color Laser Paper was used as the color paper, and the development was carried out in accordance with a general color paper processing prescription CP-47L and a processing agent (both manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.).

5. Tests The following tests were performed. Comparative Sample-1: The sample which had been subjected to the standard development processing in accordance with the above-described color negative development processing prescription and process was subjected to the image processing by SP-1000, and was baked and subjected to positive development processing by LP-1000P to obtain a comparative color print. Comparative Sample-2: A surface-exposure type PP was prepared by subjecting the sample subjected to the standard development processing according to the above-described color negative development processing recipe and process to the standard development processing.
Printing at -1257 V and positive development were performed to obtain a color print for comparison. Comparative Sample-3: A sample in which the bleaching step was omitted was used as PP-12.
Printing at 57 V and positive development were performed to obtain a color print for comparison. Inventive Sample-1: A sample having the same bleaching step omission process as Comparative Sample-3 was subjected to the above-described image processing using SP-1000.
Printing and positive development were performed with P-1000P to obtain a color print by the method and apparatus of the present invention. The image processing conditions are corrected by inputting the development density obtained in the development processing in which the bleaching step is omitted in the image processing apparatus (that is, SP-1000) described in 4.2 above. Other than that, the condition is the same as the normal condition of SP-1000. Inventive Samples-2 to 10: Samples of the same bleaching step omitting treatment as in Inventive Sample-1 were subjected to the above-mentioned image processing by SP-1000, and were baked and subjected to positive development by LP-1000P. A color print was obtained by the method and apparatus. However, as shown in Table 4, the fixing solution to which the fixing accelerator according to the present invention was added in an amount of 0.05 mol per liter of the fixing solution was used.

6. Test results Table 4 shows the test results.

[0168]

[Table 4]

As can be seen from Table 4, the comparative samples -1 and 2 which had been subjected to the reference development processing exhibited a standard image quality, and the difference in output device, that is, the difference in image quality between the comparative samples -1 and 2 was observed. Is small. On the other hand, in Comparative Sample-3 in which the image processing for image reproduction is not performed after the bleaching step omission processing, the reproduction of the image quality is insufficient, particularly when overexposure is performed. In the sample 1 of the present invention in which the image processing was performed after the bleaching step was omitted, the reproduction of the image quality was almost satisfied. Furthermore, Samples-2 to 10 of the present invention in which a fixing accelerator was added to the fixing solution provided more satisfactory image quality.

Embodiment 2 1. Tested color negative film (1) Commercially available color negative film with ISO sensitivity of 100 [trade name; REALA ACE (manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.)] (2) Commercially available color negative film for business people [trade name; n
exiaF (Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.)

The above two photosensitive materials were tested in accordance with the conditions of the present invention-1 of Example 1 except that the image processing section of the present invention-1 of Example 1 was changed as follows. . Process A: Using the input device SP-1000 (same as the present invention-1 of the first embodiment). Process B: Image processing unit of input device SP-1000 (FIG. 5,
In particular, a device modified so as to perform image processing incorporating the calculation mechanism for calculating the analysis density described in 4.2 above in the calculation section of the CPU 60) was used. After the processing, each sample was evaluated for image quality in the same manner as in Example 1. The test results are shown in Table 5.

[0172]

[Table 5]

Although this embodiment is an embodiment of the present invention in any case, it has been found that the image quality is further improved by incorporating the above-mentioned arithmetic mechanism.

[0174]

According to the present invention, image processing is performed on the obtained image information even when a simple developing process in which the bleaching step is omitted is performed when developing the photographed color film.
It is possible to obtain image information having substantially the same image quality as in the case of performing the standard development process (that is, the standard development process) without deteriorating the image quality. Furthermore, a color print of normal image quality can be provided from the simplified developing treatment. The effects of the present invention can be more easily obtained by adding a fixing accelerator to the fixing solution.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration and an overall flow of an image forming method and apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of an image reproduction system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of an image reproducing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a transmission type image reading apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a part of the configuration of the image processing apparatus 5 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing another part of the configuration of the image processing apparatus 5 shown in FIG. 2, which is not shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing details of a first frame memory unit, a second frame memory unit, and a third frame memory unit shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing details of the first image processing means shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the image output device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 shows a laser light irradiation means of the image output device shown in FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Description of reference numerals in FIGS. 1 to 10 F film P Coupler print 01 DX code 02 Development selection instructing part 03 Reference development process 03A Non-reference development process 04 Manual development selection 1 Image reading device 5 Image processing device 8 Image output device 10 Transmission image Reading device 11 Light source 12 Light intensity adjustment unit 13 Color separation unit 14 Diffusion unit 15 CCD area sensor 16 Lens 17 Amplifier 18 A / D converter 19 CCD correction means 20 Log converter 21 Interface 22 Carrier 23 Motor 24 Drive roller 25 Screen detection sensor 26 CPU 48 Interface 49 Averaging operation means 50a First line buffer 50b Second line buffer 51 First frame memory unit 51R R data memory 51G G data memo 51B B data memory 52 second frame memory unit 52R R data memory 52G G data memory 52B B data memory 53 third frame memory unit 53R R data memory 53G G data memory 53B B data memory 55 selector 60 CPU 61 first Image processing means 62 Second image processing means 63 Input bus 64 Output bus 65 Data bus 66 Memory 67 Hard disk 68 CRT 69 Keyboard 70 Communication port 75 Data synthesizing means 76 Synthetic data memory 76R R data memory 76G G data memory 76B B data memory 77 interface 78 interface 79 CPU 80 image data memory 81 D / A converter 82 laser light irradiation means 83 modulator driving means 84a, b, c Light source 85 wavelength converting means 86 wavelength converting means 87 R, G, B light modulator 88 R, G, B reflecting mirror 89 polygon mirror 90 color paper 91 magazine 92 perforating means 94 color developing tank 95 bleach-fixing tank 96 washing tank 97 drying unit 98 Cutter 99 Sorter 100 Color density gradation conversion means 101 Saturation conversion means 102 Digital magnification conversion means 103 Frequency processing means 104 Dynamic range conversion means

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04N 1/46 H04N 1/46 Z

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A photographed silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material is subjected to 1) development processing without a bleaching step, and 2) image information is read from a developed image and the obtained information is optically or electrically digitalized. 3) image processing of the optical or electrical digital information to obtain an image characteristic value to be obtained when the color photographic light-sensitive material is developed under standard development processing conditions; -A color image forming method characterized by obtaining image information of the same image quality as when a photographic photosensitive material is subjected to standard development processing. 2. An image processing of optical or electrical digital information read from a photographed silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material which has been subjected to a development processing without a bleaching step, and the color photographic light-sensitive material is subjected to a standard development processing condition. In obtaining the image characteristic value obtained when the image is developed by the image processing, the image processing includes: 1) converting the read contrast data into a contrast value obtained by processing under the standard development processing conditions; 2) converting the read color balance data into the standard development processing 3) a process of converting the minimum read density data into a minimum density value when processed under the standard development process conditions; 4) a process of converting the exposure amount generated by the simple development process into a color balance value. Correcting the non-linearity of the density relationship to correct the exposure-density relationship when the photographic light-sensitive material is processed under the standard development processing conditions And 5) the exposure amount of the photographic light-sensitive material when processed under the standard development processing conditions by correcting the non-linearity of the exposure amount-density relationship depending on the type of the photographic light-sensitive material generated by the simple development processing. 2. A color image forming method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a process for correcting to a density relationship. 3. The color image forming method according to claim 1, wherein a fixing solution containing a fixing accelerator is used. 4. The fixing accelerator according to claim 1, wherein the fixing accelerator is a mesoionic compound represented by the following general formula (FI), a thiourea derivative represented by the general formula [FII], or a mercaptotetrazole represented by the general formula [FIII]: Item 4. A color image forming method according to Item 3. In the formula, R ₁ , R ₂ and R ₃ represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group,
Represents an aralkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, an amino group, an acylamino group, a sulfonamide group, a ureido group, a sulfamoylamino group, an acyl group, a thioacyl group, a carbamoyl group or a thiocarbamoyl group. However, R ₁ and R ₂ are not hydrogen atoms at the same time. Embedded image Wherein, X and Y is an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic _{group, -N (R 11) R 12} , -N
It represents the _{(R 13) N (R 14} ) R 15, -OR 16 or -SR _17. X
And Y may form a ring. However, at least one of X and Y is substituted with at least one of a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, a sulfonic acid or a salt thereof, a phosphonic acid or a salt thereof, an amino group or an ammonium group, and a hydroxyl group. R ₁₁ , R ₁₂ , R ₁₃ , R ₁₄ and R ₁₅
Represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, and R ₁₆ and R ₁₇ represent a hydrogen atom, a cation, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group. Express. Embedded image In the formula, R ₄ represents a hydroxyalkyl group.