The invention is generally accomplished by providing a tabular silver halide emulsion formation process in which the pH is controlled to greater than 9 by the addition of an alkali base prior to digesting to form uniform nucleated silver bromide particles. In a particularly preferred process the emulsion is adjusted to a pH greater than 9 by the use of sodium hydroxide, digestion takes place in between 3 and 7 minutes, and the emulsion making is completed in less than 100 minutes without the use of ammonium hydroxide. The emulsions formed are suitable for x-ray films and produce the image tone required by radiologists.