Nordic Lab film-loading aid for Paterson developing reels

• Load in the light, only wind in the dark: You insert the film into the aid in daylight. In the changing bag, you then just finish winding until it sits on the reel.
• Straight reel guide: Reel and film are aligned so the film winds on straight instead of slipping or jamming in the changing bag.
• No trimming of the film ends: The usual angling or rounding of the corners is no longer needed, the film feeds cleanly straight into the reel.
• Backing paper separation solved for 120: The 120 version has a second part for this, the take-up roller. It winds up the backing paper and pulls the roll film onto the reel at the same time. No tangle of paper in the changing bag.
• Preload and store: Load several reels in advance and keep them ready to use. Develop later at your leisure.

Design & idea: Nordic Lab (Sasha Yakovlev). Licensed design, made in Germany and checked for fit.

Compatibility

• Standard Paterson developing reels (Paterson Super System 4 and identical adjustable reels) in the respective format setting.
• Suitable for developing in any Paterson-compatible tank.
• 35mm version for 35 mm film (cassette), 120 version for 120 roll film. One 120 film is loaded per Paterson reel.
• The same loading aid is available in a separate version for Jobo reels of the 1500 series: Film loading aid for Jobo developing reels.
• Reels from other manufacturers (AP/Samigon) may differ in dimensions, so a proper fit is not guaranteed.

Scope of delivery

• 35mm variant: 1x loading aid 35mm, one-piece
• 120 variant: 1x loading aid 120, two-piece: body and take-up roller that plug together
• Set 35mm + 120 variant: 1x loading aid 35mm and 1x loading aid 120 (two-piece)
• All variants come without developing reel, without developing tank and without film. These are not included.

The two parts of the 120 version

• Body: Holds the Paterson reel in the 120 position on the left and the 120 film in the round chamber on the right. Both are held firmly in place relative to each other, so nothing shifts in the dark.
• Take-up roller (the second part): Plugs into the round chamber above the film. It has a slot for the end of the backing paper and a turning knob on top. When you turn it, the backing paper winds onto the roller, pulling the film out of the roll and onto the reel as it goes. The roller thus acts as both paper winder and crank; without it, you would have to separate the film from the paper by hand and feed it in blind.

Technical details

• Material: engineering plastic
• Colour: black, matte
• Film formats: 35 mm (small format) and 120 (medium format / roll film)
• Compatible with: Paterson developing reels (Super System 4 / identical design) in the respective format position
• 35mm design: one-piece
• 120 design: two-piece: body with reel holder and film chamber, plus the removable take-up roller with paper slot and turning knob
• Made to order in Würzburg

Description

Getting the film onto the Paterson reel inside a dark bag is, for many, the most unpleasant step of film developing: working blind, the cassette slips, the film jams at an angle, and in the worst case the material gets kinked. This loading aid solves that: you load the film in daylight, with no need to bevel or trim the film ends. In the changing bag you then simply finish winding until it sits cleanly and straight on the reel, calmly, repeatably and manageable even for beginners. Because the part is inexpensive, you can prepare several reels at once and keep them ready to use on the shelf.

With 120 roll film there is the added difficulty that backing paper and film are attached to each other and have to be guided apart blind. That is exactly why the 120 version is two-piece. Here is how it works: in daylight, you place the 120 film in the round chamber with the tape facing up. You push the end of the backing paper into the slot of the take-up roller and plug the roller in above the film. Then the Paterson reel goes into the holder in the 120 position, and you thread the film end into the reel. In the changing bag you only need to turn the roller: the backing paper winds onto it, and the film is pulled evenly onto the reel in the process. Nothing lies loose in the bag, nothing has to be found by feel.

The design comes from Sasha Yakovlev, aka Nordic Lab, who develops tools for analogue film developing in his lab and shares his designs freely. We manufacture it under licence and with his explicit permission here in Würzburg and check the fit on a Paterson reel. Sasha provides the original files free of charge on his Ko-fi page, and anyone who wants to print it themselves is warmly invited to do so: 35mm version and 120 version. If you would rather have a ready-printed, tested part with fast shipping from the EU, you can get it here.

Frequently asked questions

What is the second part in the 120 version for?
That is the take-up roller for the backing paper. It sits above the film in the round chamber. You slide the end of the paper into its slot and turn the knob inside the changing bag. The backing paper winds onto the roller, and exactly this pull draws the film out of the roll onto the reel. The 35mm version does not have this part, because 35mm film has no backing paper.

Which reel do I need for it?
A standard Paterson reel (Super System 4 or identical in design) set to the matching format position. The reel is not included.

Why is 120 film so hard to load?
Unlike 35 mm film, 120 roll film is attached to a long backing paper that you have to separate in the dark while guiding the thin film at the same time. The helper takes care of exactly this separating and guiding.

Does it work in a changing bag / dark bag?
Yes, that is exactly what it is made for. The helper guides the film and keeps reel and film together, so nothing slips or flies around inside the bag.

Does the emulsion side matter?
No. In the developing tank it makes no difference whether the emulsion faces inward or outward. The film develops the same way in both cases.

Can I prepare several reels?
Yes. You can load several reels one after another and store them ready for use, so you can develop later at your leisure.

Is a reel, a tank or film included?
No. Only the loading aid is supplied. You use reel, tank and film from your existing equipment.

Nordic Lab shows how to use it

Loading aid 35mm in use · Loading aid 120 in use