The present invention is an imaging element including a support having a front side and a back side, at least one backing layer on the back side of the support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the front side of the support, an interlayer superposed on the silver halide emulsion layer having a thickness of between 0.2 .mu.m and 1.2 .mu.m and a stiffness ratio of the interlayer to the silver halide emulsion layer of from 2 to 15; and a protective overcoat layer superposed on the interlayer having a thickness of from 0.3 to 2 .mu.m. The ratio of the thickness of the interlayer to the protective overcoat layer is less than or equal to 1.