Jobo reels: old style versus new style

AgX · Jun 11, 2013

Fitting those smaller tanks (the late type 1000 and the current series 1500) Jobo made two versions of reels:

the old style .................................. the new style

-) clear reels .................................. -) white opaque reel

-) stiff plastic .................................. -) rather flexible plastic

-) reel and hub cemented ................. -) reel and hub one moulding

-) reels with wedge-like barbs ........... -) reels with plain groves

-) reels with fins at the openings ....... -) plain openings

Those with lot of experience with both styles and in 35 and 61mm:

Are there practical differences in use? Which one do you prefer?

RichardH · Jun 11, 2013

I use the old style in a 1000 tank. Once you get the hang on how to ratchet and work your thumbs and fingers, it goes in easy. I did have a newer jobo system once and wish I had never sold it.
They work fine once you get used to them.
Every now and then I use a metal tank just to keep in practice with that system.
All in all, I prefer the patterson system with the metal ball bearing though.

Richard

AgX · Jun 11, 2013

I found that "manual" ratchet system most intuitive from the beginning. But in this both, old and new reel, do not differ.
Though concerning feel I'm more attracted io the older style reel.

grahamp · Jun 11, 2013

I got my Jobo 1000 tank (5x35mm) some years ago when I was processing transparency film. The clear reels needed less reversal exposure time. I probably did more hand processing in that tank once I had it since it used a little less chemistry (260ml per 35mm reel than the Paterson 290ml). These days it is under utilized as I use a Jobo. The white reels bounce better (proven by empirical testing).

Either work for me.

Patrick Robert James · Jun 11, 2013

I like to push 35mm onto my Jobo reels. I find it is much faster. The old ones (clear) aren't easy to do that with for whatever reason. The white reels work like a charm. For 120 that extra lip on the old reels makes it easier to load. That is my 2¢.

AgX · Jun 12, 2013

James, the old style reels have got those wedge-like barbs. Those should cause the resistance you encounter.

cmacd123 · Aug 13, 2013

I also find that I can just push 35mm film into the White Jobo reels about 6-8 inches at a time. Since there are no ratchet barbs, it is possible to ease the film out slightly if the end gets caught.

I am still not 100% on the interchange but find I can sometimes mix the two series in the same tank. (I typically run 5 35mm films at once.)

Rhodes · Aug 14, 2013

I got one old style and I feel that is easier to load film with it, than the new type. I use it together with a new type on a 1500 series tank for color and E6 dev. I learn to develop in one of the old style reels and tank. And I still have a old 4000 series (I think, that's the number) with 3 reels, but they are larger. Use it for when developing 3 120 films.

AgX · Oct 23, 2013

a important difference

Both new and old reels have tabs that rest on the collumn.
Both reels fit stuck to the old columm.

But the old reels fit only loose on the new collumns, so they may not rotate correctly in the 1500 System when doing rotational processing.
The most simple solution would be to wind self-adhesive tape around the new collumn. Thus enabling to use old and new reels in the 1500 series tanks with tight fit.

Using the old reels in the System 1500 with inverting processing will make them slide when used in a longer tank without further securing them. But that should not be a problem as they will fall back to the bottom.

AgX · Nov 3, 2013

If you use the System 1000 you can stick each reel together in a way that both flanges lie next to each other. If you take off that extra, white clamp you can place both reel pairs on the column that there still will be some space in the tank, which might be useful on travelling.

The System 1500 reels cannot be put together flange to flange.

moviemaniac · Nov 3, 2013

AgX said:
But the old reels fit only loose on the new collumns, so they may not rotate correctly in the 1500 System when doing rotational processing.

Interesting, my old clear reels work perfectly on the new(er) 1500 system tank. I don't rotate so I don't care anyway, but just sayin'.
//edit: I just double-checked (Used my 1500 for the first time today): There are SOME old reels with a tight fit on the 1500 column and some which are loose as you explained...

I have several of the older and newer reels. I find the old, clear ones vastly superior to the new opaque versions and almost exclusively use the old reels. The reason being the larger film guides of the older versions which make finding/feeling for the starting point so much easier in the dark and the film can't "jump" out of the larger guiding area - something which can happen (and has happened to me on occasion) very easily with the new reels, especially when using PET-based films which have a higher resistance.

Ed Bray · Nov 3, 2013

I have both styles but prefer using the newer ones, I also had the core of a Paterson 2 Reel tank reduced to allow the reels to fit, as if I am doing semi-stand processing I prefer using the Paterson Super System $ tank as it sits nicely in the hole in my TBE.

AgX · Nov 6, 2013

Another aspect is the change of materials.
With a report on static discharge between film and reel on a Paterson reel in mind this could be an issue with Jobo reels too, and than there might be a difference between old and new type reels.

cmacd123 · Nov 7, 2013

As far as the different materials, the Clear reels may be more subject to cracking, although the only clear jobo that I have broken is the top part of the dedicated reel in my "Jobo-Triumf 35-16" tank. (that particular tank can be adjusted to do 1 roll of 35 or one roll of 16mm/110 size film.) I do have a couple of the newer style where the center has broken off the tab that locks the two halves together.

One Very Important mechnical difference is that the older style reels can be set for 127 Size films, but the newer ones are only good for 120 or 35mm

AgX · Aug 22, 2014

-) the old reels aside of type 135 and 120 also take type 127 film

-) the new reels might take type 127 if one cuts off the teeth at the reel shaft used for type 120 and engages the teeth for 135 at the smaller slits. Maybe those teeth have to be made smaller.

(I have not yet tried this modification especially not for the play for type 127 film, maybe someone reports on his attempt.)

pentaxuser · Aug 22, 2014

I have the newer white 1500 reel designed for 35mm and 120 by pulling it out to it to the outermost dowels on its shaft. One half of the reel has a lower inner groove with the hole for the red spacer for developing two x 120 films on the same reel.The other half has both the inner and outer grooves level. It doesn't seem to matter which way I place the reel onto the centre tube but is there a correct way that it is supposed to go onto the tube i.e. should the level grooves be at the top and the indented groove at the bottom?

Thanks

pentaxuser

AgX · Aug 22, 2014

To my understanding it makes no difference how you orientate the reels on the spindle.

The only issue I see is the way the reels turn through the processing bath (with or against the grain). But this rather should be a theoretical issue. And a no-issue with reversing processors anyway. I never ever saw this oriention issue referred to before.

Jobo reels: old style versus new style

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