Silver halide photosensitive element sensitized with an inorganic bismuth compound and the use thereof

A process for developing a silver halide photosensitive element comprising a support having thereon a silver halide photosensitive emulsion layer and a constitutive layer adjacent to the emulsion layer, having incorporated into the silver halide photosensitive emulsion composition of said emulsion layer an inorganic bismuth compound after completion of a second ripening step during the preparation of the silver halide photosensitive emulsion composition, and before coating the silver halide photosensitive emulsion composition as a layer on said support, and/or having incorporated said bismuth compound into the constitutive layer, said bismuth compound is selected from the group consisting of bismuth oxide, bismuth oxide hydrate and bismuth hydroxide, said bismuth compound being present in an amount of 0.05 to 5 moles per mole of the silver halide in the photosensitive element which process comprises imagewise exposing said element to light and immediately thereafter developing said exposed element by treatment with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a silver halide developing agent, thereby obtaining an image.