PURPOSE: To provide the compact developing device which avoids the excessive stretching and contracting of a film and reduces the consumption of heat energy by successively disposing transporting roller pairs having coarser to finer water absorptivities from the upstream to the downstream of a drying chamber so that drying is executed rapidly at a relatively low temp.

CONSTITUTION: The water absorbing treatment at a high water absorbing speed and high water absorbing capacity is executed by the water absorbing roller pairs 194A of the coarse density in the initial period of drying, i.e. when the film F is transported on the upstream side. The water is absorbed by the water absorbing roller pairs 194B having the higher efficiency and the higher density to absorb the microwater drops to remove the moisture on the film surface in the middle to late period of drying, i.e. as the film F is successively transported on the down stream side. The rapid drying is, therefore, possible as a whole and the drying at the relatively low temp. is possible. Thus, the compact hot wind drying chamber which avoids the excessive stretching and contracting of the film and reduces the consumption of the heat energy is obtd.