Paterson Auto-Load Spoel

The ball bearing ratchet system is a game-changer for loading 120 film—it clicks securely into place every time without any fighting or bending. I loaded a roll in under 30 seconds on my first try, even with wet hands from the developer.

I was dreading 120 film after ruining a roll on an old plastic reel, but the ball bearing ratchet system on this one just clicks along smoothly. Wet loading worked fine for me too, no jamming or kinks in the negatives.

Loading 120 film onto this thing took me three tries instead of the usual fifteen minutes of swearing in the dark bag. The ratchet clicks along smoothly and the reel just swallows the film without any buckling at the edges. Genuinely the least frustrating part of my developing routine now.