Henry: automatic agitator for the Paterson Super System 4 developing tank

• No more inverting: Henry moves the reels via the Paterson agitator stick, and the tank stays upright the whole time.
• Nonstop motion: The reels swing back and forth continuously, constantly changing direction, and you set the speed with the rotary knob.
• Battery instead of a cable at the sink: It charges via USB-C, and LEDs on the housing show the charge level.

Compatibility

For the Paterson Super System 4 developing tank with the supplied agitator stick, fitting the tank for two 35mm reels. We are still testing whether Henry also reliably moves the larger tanks in the series.

Technical details

• Movement: swinging back and forth with constant change of direction
• Speed: adjustable via rotary knob
• Power supply: rechargeable battery, charging via USB-C
• Display: charge level via LEDs
• Housing material: engineering plastic
• Color: black

Description

If you develop film in a Paterson tank, you know the drill: minutes of inverting, and the lid still drips. Henry takes the agitation off your hands. It sits on top of the tank, engages the agitator and moves the reels until you switch it off. Our customers used the first version for black and white as well as C-41; with colour film, the tank sits in a water bath with a temperature controller as usual.

We built the first version of Henry a few years ago and sold more than 100 units, each one wired by hand. The new version gets its own circuit board, a rechargeable battery with a USB-C port and a rotary knob for the speed. Henry is developed and assembled by us in Würzburg.

Henry is still in development; we are currently testing the production boards. Sign up for the waiting list above and we will let you know as soon as Henry can be ordered. We will announce the scope of delivery at launch; the early bird price applies to the first batch.

What buyers said about the first Henrys

We sold the first, hand-wired version via eBay from 2020 to 2023. The following reviews were left there by buyers of this first version; on eBay, only people who bought the item can leave a review. We have reproduced them word for word (just without emojis); they do not refer to the new Henry.

“A great helper for C41 colour development if you don't have the money to invest in a Jobo processor. My first colour negative development with it worked wonderfully.”
eBay buyer i***r, February 2022

“good item, great to be able to walk away while developing! battery indicator is helpful as are the switches to set agitation speeds. It goes back and forth instead of full revolutions.”
eBay buyer j***t, April 2023

“Went great, works very well, makes the work considerably easier, would buy again anytime, thank you very much.”
eBay buyer d***6, January 2022

“Top! Great to find film photography enthusiasts who make affordable alternatives to otherwise unaffordable prices! Thanks”
eBay buyer h***s, August 2021

“Fantastic! Highly recommended!”
eBay buyer m***t, March 2022

Frequently asked questions

Is it enough to turn the agitator instead of inverting the tank?
Paterson itself recommends turning the agitator only at the beginning and inverting afterwards. Rotary processors such as those from Jobo, which move the film without pause, show that continuous agitation with regular changes of direction also develops evenly. Henry changes direction after every swing. Even so, we recommend a test film to start with.

Do I need to adjust my development times?
Usually, yes. With continuous agitation, the film develops more strongly than with inversions once a minute. In rotary processing, a 10 to 15 percent shorter time is a common rule of thumb. The safest approach is a test film with your combination of film and developer.

When can I buy Henry?
Once the circuit boards, housing and scope of delivery are finished and have passed our tests. We will only announce a date once we can keep it; on the waiting list, you will get it by email.

Video

An early prototype of Henry in action: