Are Fuji Provia 120 spools smaller than Ilford HP5 ones?

[ChrisGalway]

I struggled to fit Ilford HP5 120 film into my DaYi film back ... and cursed the DaYi back (there are many reasons to curse a DaYi back!).

But I've now loaded the DaYi back with Fuji Provia 100f 120, and they fit perfectly, loading is easy.

My measurements indicate that my Ilford 120 spools have an external height that is around 0.14mm larger than the Fuji ones, hence the tight fit for the Ilford spools. Has anyone else noticed this? Or am I imagining things ... it's only a sample of 2 of each film spool.

 

[AnselMortensen]

It appears that the Fuji spools are slightly rounded (convex) at the outer edges, while other spools are flat.

 

[ChrisGalway]

Yes, the combination of the Fuji Provia reels being very slightly less high, and very slightly rounded, makes a huge difference in the DaYi back!

 

[BrianShaw]

It’s been a while since I’ve interrogated the film spool standard, but absolute measurement values might be important to consider rather than just the difference. All of the spool dimensions had a minimum and maximum value. The difference you computed is smaller than I remember, but my memory might be hazy. The measurements of the film holder might be what’s out of spec also.

 

[AnselMortensen]

Having slightly rounded edges makes the maximum diagonal measurement slightly smaller...which makes it easier to 'bayonet' the spool into the camera/back.
Clever.
Also, Fuji came up with a hole in the leader of their 120 film that catches on a prong in the center of their spool's loading slot. No annoying slippage when loading.
Also clever.

 

[ChrisGalway]

And I like their black dot sequence leading to the frame number ... a large black dot (you can't miss it) following by 3 black dots of decreasing size, designed so you concentrate and look out for the numeral. Fuji put thought into the details of their products.

 

[Slixtiesix]

My experience as well that Fuji 120 spools are easier to load in most cameras because of the "sleeker" design, compared to most other manufacturers.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Fuji Easy-Load spools are slightly rounded on the ends, making them easier to insert. It's too bad that all spools aren't made that way. Now Fuji Acros II, which is made in England instead, has the same conventional spools as Ilford and Kodak films.