Abstract: The present invention relates to a new silver halide tabular grain emulsion, wherein said silver halide emulsion comprises tabular grains having average thickness lower than 0.15 ?m, an average diameter of at least 1.20 ?m and an average aspect ratio of at least 8:1, and showing a coefficient of diameter variation COVd within the range of from 31% to 44% and a coefficient of thickness variation COVt lower than 25%.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new silver halide tabular grain emulsion, wherein said silver halide emulsion comprises tabular grains having average thickness lower than 0.15 &mgr;m, an average diameter of at least 1.20 &mgr;m and an average aspect ratio of at least 8:1, and showing a coefficient of diameter variation COVd within the range of from 31% to 44% and a coefficient of thickness variation COVt lower than 25%.

Abstract: A light-sensitive silver halide photographic element comprising a support and at least one hydrophilic colloid layer comprising a binder and a vinylsulfonyl type hardener coated thereon, wherein at least one of said hydrophilic colloid layers is a silver halide emulsion layer containing tabular silver halide grains having an average diameter:thickness ratio of at least 3:1, characterized in that said tabular silver halide grains are chemically sensitized by at least one gold sensitizer and at least one thiosulfonate sensitizer in the presence of a palladium compound added during chemical sensitization. The silver halide photographic elements of the present invention can be advantageously developed in hardener free developer and used in high temperature rapid processing in automatic processors which include transporting rollers, have good photographic and physical characteristics and are free from surface defects.