Process for the production of negative continuous-tone images

Claim 1

A process for producing a standardized or prestandardized negative continuous-tone images or continuous-tone separation records on a photographic material having at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer from black and white or multi-colored originals of different contrasts comprising the steps of: 1. utilizing a photographic material having a characteristic curve having a substantially uniform progressive upward slope in a log It interval h ranging at least over the greatest contrast range of all the originals and wherein the density situated at the half-way point of the interval h of the characteristic curve of the silver halide emulsion layer is higher than the value at the start of the characteristic curve by 15 to 40% of the total contrast U K and that the curve has a maximum sag of at the most 50% of U K situated in the third or fourth fifth of the interval h, 2. determining the range of exposure for satisfactorily exposing the originals on the photographic material, 3. preselecting a series of contrast ranges for the originals, 4. correlating the series of contrast ranges with the ranges of exposures whereby the lower end of the series of contrast ranges is coordinated with the longest exposure and the upper end of the series of contrast is coordinated with the least acceptable exposure; and 5. exposing the originals on the photographic material in accordance with the correlated series of contrast ranges and ranges of exposures whereby the lower the contrast range of the original, the longer the exposure and the greater the contrast range of the original the shorter is the exposure.