Abstract: A toner is composed of toner particles including toner base particles containing at least a binder resin and a colorant, and inorganic fine particles. The toner base particles having a specific circle-equivalent diameter as measured with a flow type particle image analyzer have a specific average circularity. The toner base particles have a specific surface roughness as measured with a scanning probe microscope. The binder resin contains at least a vinyl resin having as partial structure a linkage formed by the reaction of a carboxyl group with an epoxy group.

Abstract: A high chloride {100} tabular grain emulsion is prepared by creating grain nuclei containing greater than 45 mole percent bromide. Growth onto the grains under conditions favorable for high chloride {100} grain growth is conducted while maintaining (a) a temperature in the range of from 25 to 85.degree. C., (b) a pH in the range of from 3.5 to 8.5, and (c) a vAg in the range of from 120 to 200 mV. Crystal lattice field distortions are observed at the nucleation site, and the nucleation site exhibits the maximum bromide concentration, which is greater than 5 mole percent, based on silver at the site.