Film Spool 620 for reloading 120 Film

In 1931, Kodak introduced a new film size--620. This was not actually a new film size, but rather a redesign of the spool used for 120 size film. Before you accuse Kodak of the proprietary shenanigans practiced by contemporary software manufacturers, let's consider some of the issues. The 620 spool is more compact. It has a smaller spindle and thinner and smaller flanges; thus the overall size of a spool of 620 film is smaller. When Kodak developed its roll film formats, wooden spools were used, but these were later replaced by stronger metal spools that could be smaller. This allowed Kodak to make somewhat thinner cameras and minimize the size of the film spool chambers. Coming at about the same time as 828 film--unsprocked 35mm film in 8 exposure lengths spooled on what amount to mini 620 spools--it is possible to see the introduction of 620 as a design trend in film packaging. That said, did the redesign significantly benefit the film-buying public? Probably not. The smaller spindle size probably increased film curl somewhat and introduced a complexity for retailers and camera users.