Method of processing silver halide color photographic materials

A method for processing a silver halide color negative film comprising the steps of loading the film into a chamber adapted to hold the film therein, introducing a measured amount of a color developer solution containing a para-phenylenediamine developing agent into the chamber;

• developing the film with the color developer solution for 100 seconds or less;
• introducing into the chamber a measured amount of a processing solution which arrests development, without removing the color developer solution, to form a developer/stop solution mixture;
• processing the photographic material with the developer/stop solution mixture for 30 seconds or less;
• substantially removing all of the developer/stop solution mixture from the chamber;
• then introducing into the chamber a measured amount of a bleach solution containing a ferric chelate bleaching agent and a measured amount of a fixer solution containing a thiosulfate fixing agent to provide a bleach/fixer solution mixture;
• and processing the film with the bleach/fixer solution mixture for 120 seconds or less;
• wherein the color developer solution is utilized in the amount of greater than or equal to 375 ml/m2 of the color negative film that is processed and wherein the ratio of the bleaching agent equivalents utilized in the process to the volume of color developer solution utilized in the process, in liters, is less than or equal to 0.48;
• and wherein the total volume of solution or solution mixture for each processing stage is spread over the whole area of the film in a repetitive manner to enable uniform processing and the entire process is carried out at a temperature of 35 to 60° Centigrade.