A black-and-white silver halide conductive film element precursor has at least one first non-color hydrophilic photosensitive layer comprising a silver halide and a first hydrophilic overcoat disposed over the first non-color hydrophilic photosensitive layer. This first hydrophilic overcoat is the outermost layer and contains one or more immobilized radiation absorbers such as immobilized ultraviolet radiation absorbers, in a total amount of at least 5 mg/m2. These precursors can be imagewise exposed and processed to provide conductive film elements with various conductive silver patterns (or grids) with narrow conductive silver lines on one or both sides. In many instances, the precursors have the same or different layers on both sides of a transparent substrate and the resulting conductive film element has the same or different conductive silver patterns on both sides.