A photoresist element comprising a substrate; an etch resistant layer; and at least one photoresist layer prepared from a photoresist composition comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of: (a) a fluorine-containing copolymer comprising a repeat unit derived from at least one ethylenically unsaturated compound characterized in that at least one ethylenically unsaturated compound is polycyclic; (b) a branched polymer containing protected acid groups, said polymer comprising one or more branch segment(s) chemically linked along a linear backbone segment; (c) fluoropolymers having at least one fluoroalcohol group having the structure: --C(R.sub.f)(R.sub.f')OH, wherein R.sub.f and R.sub.f' are the same or different fluoroalkyl groups of from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms or taken together are (CF.sub.2)n wherein n is 2 to 10; (d) amorphous vinyl homopolymers of perfluoro(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole) or CX.sub.2.dbd.CY.sub.2 where X.dbd.F or CF.sub.3 and Y.dbd.--H or amorphous vinyl copolymers of perfluoro(2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole) and CX.sub.2.dbd.CY.sub.2; and (e) nitrile/fluoroalcohol-containing polymers prepared from substituted or unsubstituted vinyl ethers; and (B) at least one photoactive component.