Photographic materials containing light absorbing methine dyes

Light-absorbing fluorine-containing 2-pyrazolin-5-one methine oxonol dyes corresponding to the formula wherein R is C1-C5 alkyl, aryl, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxy, or carbamoyl, and n is 0, 1, or 2. The dyes can be used in light-sensitive silver halide materials in an antihalation layer, in a filter layer or as screening dyes in a light-sensitive layer. They manifest great stability while in dissolved state within a very large pH-range and they are decolorized easily in one of the processing baths. They are prepared by joining 2 appropriately substituted pyrazolone rings in 4-position by 1 methine group through reaction with an ester of an orthocarboxylic acid or by a tri- or pentamethine group through reaction with beta -anilinoacrolein anil HCl or glutaconic dialdehyde dianil HCl respectively.