Abstract: A multiple compartment photographic processor particularly adapted to facilitate threading a web to be processed through a predetermined web processing path traveling successively from one processing compartment to another. The ultimate processing web path is defined by two sets of web engaging rollers, one set constitutes web driving rollers mounted above the perspective compartments and the other set constitutes weighted idler rollers positioned in proximity to the bottom of the respective compartments and supported by flexible tape and pulley support systems designed to counterbalance only a portion of the respective weighted rollers. An initial substantially planar threading web path is provided by elevating the idler rollers above the driving rollers to permit the leading end of the web to be passed between the two sets of rollers directly to a takeup roller.