Developing agent replenishing method and digital photographic printer

Abstract

There is provided a developing agent replenishing method in a digital photographic printer in which an image is exposed onto a photosensitive material based on digital data containing image data and the exposed photosensitive material is developed by a developing agent, comprising the steps of: (a) calculating an image rate of an image to be exposed based on the digital data, the image rate being a parameter for obtaining, based on at least one of a density characteristic of the image to be exposed, depth of the image to be exposed, and contrast of the image to be exposed, a replenishment quantity of a developing agent used for development processing of the image to be exposed; (b) calculating a replenishment quantity of the developing agent based on the calculated image rate; and (c) effecting replenishment of the developing agent on the basis of the calculated replenishment quantity. The replenishment quantity of the developing agent is calculated based on the image rate as described above, and therefore, an appropriate quantity of developing agent can be supplied.