Frugal Film Project 2024 - October - 120

 October arrived here in Wigan and I decided my October roll of Ilford HP5 needed to be shot in Mesnes Park, the crown jewel of our public spaces in town. After my shenanigans in September where I made a mess of half a roll, I checked Baldy the Baldax thoroughly and ensured I had my settings dialled in before I set off into town. It was time for my annual booster jab against COVID and, as the clinic is not far from the park, I took a wander in my favourite classroom.

It's been a while since I went for a walk in the park, the trees where showing their preparations for autumn with various shades of green, gold and red and of course I was pulling double duty. I had my Nikon D90 and 50mm f/1.8 AIS with me to capture those autumn colours and I also used it as my light meter. Nikon are noted for the accuracy of the metering built into their cameras and I'm happy to put my faith into it.

Weather wise it was a lovely day with ominous clouds threatening to soak me at any moment which ensured I would need to switch settings on Baldy at various points on my walk. When clouds blocked the sun I was using 1/100th of a second at f/11 and when the clouds parted, I was back to 1/300th at f/11 or f/16. Fortunately the ominous clouds stayed to the north and gave me a remarkable back drop to play with.

I really enjoyed my walk in the park and for once I was patiently waiting for the clouds to part and the light to improve. You can get away with it most of the time, but this walk was about patience. I had just had my Covid jab and should I have a reaction, I was ready for it. Thankfully I was fine and slowing down did me some good, I was able to enjoy the afternoon and really appreciate the autumn sunshine. I soon finished my roll of Ilford HP5 and set off for my bus home.

I developed my film a few days later using Kodak HC110, 1+47 dilution E, for 8 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had it hanging to dry in my bathroom. Once dry I digitised it with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi 120 film holder, Pixl-Latr and A5 size LED light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Photo 2.

On first look I could see I have got a better grip on those light leaks, I didn't get any of the big leaks of recent times. My constant tinkering and cleaning is having an effect, but I am still giving it a full CLA in the new year. Having a little patience helped too as my photos improved as the afternoon wore on. Baldy really performed beautifully this month and I hope I get a repeat in November.

Here's a few of my favourite photos from my October roll of Ilford HP5 400 shot with Baldy the Baldax for the frugal Film project 2024. As always i have placed them and a few more in my Frugal Film Project 120 album on Flickr you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Frugal Film Project 2024 - October - 120

Autumn Colour - Nikon D90 and 50mm f/1.8 manual focus lens.

 Autumn has well and truly arrived here in Wigan. I was toying with shooting some colour film, but the lure of my Nikon D90 and Nikon AIS 50mm f/1.8 longnose was too good to pass by. I needed to go into town for my annual Covid jab and I took the opportunity to take a walk in Mesnes Park to capture some Autumn colour. I was also shooting Ilford HP5 in Baldy the Baldax for the Frugal Film Project and using my D90 for metering the glorious light we had that day.

There's a few things to like about the Nikon D90, I have waxed lyrical about this camera many times and it never ceases to make me smile. It was marketed as the top of the enthusiast range of Nikon DSLR's and aimed at the enthusiastic amateur who wanted pro features and decent manual control, but without the pro price tag. On this day I was in full manual mode and fitted my manual focus AIS 50mm f/1.8 longnose lens to take full advantage of the colour science Nikon built into the software for this gem of a camera.

Nikon positioned the D90 immediately below it's professional grade APSC camera of the time, the D300 and it's easy to see why. The 12 mega pixel sensor is very similar to the one in the D300 and the colour profile ensures I get great colour every time. Dynamic range is also excellent and you can easily produce bangers with it. It's also a lot lighter than the D300, but don't expect to use it in bad weather unless you are hiding under an umbrella as there's no weather sealing.

It didn't matter on this day as the weather only threatened me with dark ominous clouds that stayed to the north and helped me out by adding a little drama to several of my compositions. I was enjoying the autumn colour on display in Mesnes Park and time always flies by when I'm having fun. I had finished my roll of film I was shooting in Baldy the Baldax for the Frugal Film Project and headed towards the bus station for my ride home.

I processed my RAW files over the course of a few days with Affinity Photo 2. Nikon made the colour profile for the D90 to be easy to work with and I enjoyed being able to use a few simple adjustments to bring my digital photos to life. Autumn is full of vibrant colours and my D90 paired with my Nikon AIS 50mm f /1.8 was definitely the right tool for the job.

Here's a few of my favourite photos of the autumn colour in Mesnes Park during Autumn 2024. As always I have placed them and more in an album on Flickr you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Autumn In Mesnes Park Wigan

 

 

Kodak Pro Image 100

 During the summer of 2024 I decided to use up three rolls of Kodak Pro Image 100 colour film that has been sat in my fridge for a few years. I don't use a lot of colour film, it isn't the price of processing that's stopping me, it's my love for black and white that sees me reaching for that rather than colour film when I go out for a wander with my camera. I fancied a change and it gave me the impetus I needed to start using film I had been hoarding. It's not going to use itself...

My first roll was shot with my Minolta X700 and MD 50mm f/1.7 lens. The metering on this camera is excellent and is very easy to use it in full program mode. All I have to do is point it at something, focus and release the shutter. I just needed a nice day to go for a wander. Summer 2024 wasn't as hot and sunny as previous years, but we got a few dry days and I managed to get the first one done.

Finding things to photograph is never a problem for a self confessed happy snapper. Photographing the same things can be tedious for just about every other photographer out there who's not called Jim, but I got used to it as a part of my therapy. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a big help when you have poor mental health.

The first half of my first roll of Pro Image 100 was shot when the wheat was still green in early summer. I love to walk the public footpaths across the farmland and be amongst the cycle of nature. It was good to be able to see further than the next stalk of corn, as had been the case in 2022 and 2023 when the corn was growing really tall. The second half was shot when the wheat had changed colour and was almost ready for harvesting. I was also trying a Minolta MD 2x teleconverter on my MD 50mm lens that I purchased a few days beforehand and I had fun with it.

I had a change for my second roll of Pro Image 100 and shot it with my Olympus OM-10 and Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 lens. My Minolta X-700 has a great aperture priority setting and I just fancied seeing how the Olympus OM-10's aperture priority fared against the formidable Minolta. I needn't have worried as they compare well to each other. To be fair to the OM-10 the program mode on the Minolta X-700 is the biggest difference between them.

I did waste a few shots with my OM-10 as I occasionally forgot to check my settings properly when using the manual mode. D'oh! I walked my usual route in the opposite direction as I wanted to visit the horses, just to be sociable, you understand. I also wanted to see if the wheat had been harvested in the big field and it was still there when I got there on this walk.

My third roll of Pro Image 100 was shot with my Minolta X-700 and MD 50mm f/1.7 in the woodland near my home. I was capturing the colours and textures of late summer. The Farmer had harvested his wheat and yet again I bloody missed it. One day I will see him out and about and we can have a chat so I can plan this better than just leaving it to chance.

I photographed late summer flowers, berries and the leaves on a few trees as they started to change colour in readiness for shedding them and settling down for their winter slumber. It was good to be out and about, getting some much needed fresh air and documenting the annual changes in the local countryside with my camera. I had fun and it helped me get out of the doldrums I had been experiencing.

With three rolls finished I sent them to Analogue Wonderland for developing and scanning. I could do it at home, but I don't have a C-41 developing kit. I did have a fair few Wonder Points saved up and that helped keep the price down. I filled in the online form, packed my film in a box with my order number and my postcode written on the handy card Analogue Wonderland sends out with every order. I printed off the address label, stuck it to the box and popped it in the post.

A couple of days went by and I received an email from Analogue Wonderland telling me they had received my film and would get back to me when they had developed and scanned them. Several days later I received an email telling me my scans were ready and I downloaded them from the Analogue Wonderland website.

It's an easy process to navigate and the lab team do a great job of getting through the large number of films they are sent each day. Some folk complain it takes up to 10 days to get colour film developed and scanned, but I say that's pretty decent when you consider back in the golden age of film it took two weeks and that was for an express service.

My film was well exposed, apart from the few I missed with my OM-10, but even with those there was only two or three I couldn't do anything with. I'm not going to beat myself up about it, no doubt I will do it again in the future. C'est la vie. The photos are nothing special, just snap shots of a particular moment in time which, to be honest, is what happy snapping is all about.

Here's a selection of my favourites from my three rolls of Kodak Pro Image 100 shot with my Minolta X-700 and Olympus OM-10. Analogue Wonderland did a great job of developing and scanning my film and I will be using their excellent mail in developing services again in the not too distant future, probably Kodak ColorPlus 200. All I need is to choose what camera to use and subject to photograph. Decisions, decisions...

I had a lot of fun using the last of my Kodak Pro Image 100 colour film and got some decent photos from it. The first three and last three are from my X-700 and the middle three from my OM10, all with 50mm lenses. As always I have placed these photos and more in albums on my Flickr account you can visit using the links below. I hope you enjoy them.

Kodak Pro Image 100 - Minolta X-700 pt 1
Kodak Pro Image 100 - Olympus OM-10
Kodak Pro Image 100 - Minolta X-700 pt 2

Olympus OM-1 - An Ebay Bargain

 I was having a look through ebay in September, mostly checking up on prices for popular cameras, when I came across an Olympus OM-1n with a 50mm f/1.8 lens for not a lot of cash. I did my usual due diligence to check the vendors rating and feedback history and decided to bid for it. You never know when you might get lucky, so I placed my bid, sat back and let it run. 

Yes, I already have an OM-1, but it's had a hammering and really needs a Clean, Lubricate and Adjust. Could I land another in reasonable condition for less than the price of a CLA? I am also saving up to buy a Nikon F2 or an FM2 and this could eat into my savings if I am not careful. I needed to stay below my max bid even if it meant missing out.

A few days later I got an email, I was the highest bidder and now had to pay £49 plus £3.99 postage and packing. This was well below my maximum bid and I duly completed the purchase. The camera looked ok in the pictures, but you never know for sure until you get the item in your hands to really see if those pictures are a good indicator of the condition. I didn't have long to wait to find out, a few days later the OM-1n arrived.

On first look I could see the vendor had accurately described the camera. It was in really good condition, much better in my hands than in the photos and the lens was free from fungus and scratches on the glass. Olympus OM cameras do have a history with the prisms losing some of their silvering thanks to the foam around them decaying over time. This one was not bad at all, a little dirt was evident through the viewfinder, but no de-silvering at all.

The vendor had declared the shutter worked at all speeds and the meter was indicating a reading, but they couldn't be sure of the accuracy of either. A little honesty is always appreciated and there was really only one way to find out if the camera worked properly. I fitted a new SR44 battery in an adapter and installed it into the camera. I loaded a roll of Ilford HP5+ 400 into my "new to me" OM-1 with 50mm f/1.8 lens and went for a wander in my local countryside.

I was pulling double duty on this walk as I had Baldy the Baldax with me so I could get my Frugal Film Project roll of HP5 for September sorted out. I was also cross referencing my meter reading with my Gossen Trisix against my OM-1n to see how accurate that meter was. My first few photos were just checking the shutter was firing at a few speeds, the aperture on the lens opened and closed properly and would the built in meter correlate with my Gossen Trisix.

It didn't take long to find out the built in meter in my OM-1n was in agreement with my Gossen Trisix light meter. They weren't absolutely identical, but close enough to make me happy. Anything within half a stop isn't going to make much of a difference, this was definitely my lucky day. I took photos of the trees on The Wash, a few of the derelict car that was dumped there several years ago and also photographed the horses as I made my way towards home, happy with my newly purchased OM-1n.

I developed my roll of Ilford HP5+400 a few days later using Kodak HC110 1+31 dilution B for 5 minutes at 20 celcius, stopped the developer with Ilfostop, fixed my film with Fotospeed FX30 and hung it to dry. I digitised it with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, K&F Tripod, Valoi 35mm film holder, Pixl-Latr and A5 size LED light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Photo 2.

How did I fare with the new addition to my collection? Rather well indeed. Once I had gained confidence the camera was working as it should I was able to work quickly. The film was nicely exposed and, after digitising it, I didn't have to do much editing on my photos. Just a few basic tweaks and removing dust spots and scratches were needed.

I have got used to doing quick edits with Affinity Photo 2, the invert, auto level and contrast features are often all I need along with a couple of other tweaks, and that was the case with this first roll of film in my OM-1n. I am very happy with my decision to bid for it. The vendor is a decent chap who accurately described the camera as best he could and yes, I got a bargain.

Here's a few photos from my first roll of Ilford HP5 shot with my OM-1n and Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 lens. As always I have placed them and more in an album on Flickr that you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Olympus OM1n - Ilford HP5+ 400

Frugal Film Project 2024 - September - 120 medium format

 September came along and the weather has definitely turned to a distinctly autumnal feel. I didn't get out often, but I did manage to shoot my Frugal Film Project roll of Ilford HP5 medium format film with Baldy the Baldax whilst out and about in my local countryside. Autumn has definitely arrived and the trees have started to change the colour of their leaves and shed them in readiness for their annual slumber. This makes it a tad treacherous underfoot, so take care when you're riding your bicycle, motorcycle or just out for a walk.

I shot my 35mm film at the power lines and chose this time to walk towards the old spoil heap in the hope of having a couple of frames left for my favourite tree. I have been continually tweaking dear old Baldy the Baldax over the last couple of months and I am determined to reduce the light leaks. Baldy is being sent for a much deserved CLA and possibly new bellows in 2025 and to be fair it has more than earned it.

I wandered towards the fields where the Horses graze and took a few photos along the way of the scenery. The weather was kind to me on the day and I was also testing an Olympus OM-1 I recently purchased for the bay of evil. I was using my Gossen Trisix to get my light reading and applying them to Baldy as usual, but I was also using the same settings to test the light meter on my "new to me" OM-1. I will speak about that camera more in a future blog.

The Horses were keeping their distance from the fences and humans as they grazed. They were content to munch on the grass and enjoy the beautiful autumn sunshine. I can't fault them for that as it was a glorious afternoon and I was having fun finding compositions.

I eventually made my way onto the old spoil heap, locally known as The Wash. The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky as the afternoon wore on, the shadows were getting longer as I walked to my favourite tree on there. I had two frames left and used both on the tree to finish my film.

The next time I visit I will probably have my Digital camera with me as well as a film camera. I just hope the weather is as kind to me as it was on this day. With my September roll finished I put Baldy the Baldax away and continued on my way for some fun with my OM-1 as I made my way home.

I developed my roll of Ilford HP5+ 400 a few days later in Kodak HC110 1+31 dilution B for 5 minutes at 20 celcius and hung it to dry in my bathroom. I digitised it with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi medium format film holder, Pixl-Latr and A5 size LED light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Photo 2.

Here are a few of my favourites from my September roll of Ilford HP5+ 400 shot with Baldy the Baldax for the Frugal Film Project 2024. I had a a very enjoyable afternoon taking some exercise and fresh air whilst taking photos and I'm pleased to say Baldy performed better than I did this month. I had a brain fart and must have moved the lens when I gave it a wipe with my lens cloth and forgot to check it afterwards. The last few shots are all out of focus.

I also ran out of time and weather to dash out to shoot another roll of HP5 and I'm not going to be late again. Half a roll is better than nothing so I'm owning this one. I'm just glad I got some nice exposures to share with you. As always I have placed them in my Frugal Film Project 2024 120 medium format album on Flickr you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Frugal Film Project 2024 - 120 medium format

                                                                            Blurry one!

Frugal Film Project 2024 - September - 35mm

 For my September roll of Kentmere 400 35mm film shot with my Olympus OM101 and 50mm f/2 power focus lens, I decided to be daring and shoot the roll using a filter on the lens. Coloured filters affect black and white film in several ways. Yellow, Orange and Red filters can darken a bright sky and alter the tonal range of grey to brighten foliage and lighten reds depending on the filter you choose.

A yellow filter is the classic choice and is quite subtle in the changes it makes to your photos. A red filter makes more dramatic changes, it can darken a blue sky to black and makes the clouds pop! An orange filter is in between the two and is a favourite of mine when I fancy using filters, but this time I wanted to experiment and went for the red one. There's more info about filters, courtesy of IlfordPhoto, that you can read by visiting their website using the link below.

I chose it because we had a mix of cumulus clouds and hazy contrails on the day and I felt a red filter would cut through that haze and add some drama to compositions I have shot a thousand times before. I would normally use the park as my classroom, but on this day I felt the power lines and poles would make for an interesting study with the clouds and blue sky backing them up.

I have used orange and yellow filters with Kentmere 400 in the past and got some decent results, but this was the first time I went for the red filter. It was also a great test of the metering ability of my OM101. I like the built in light meter and program mode on the OM101 as it produces nicely balanced exposures, but I had no idea how it would cope with a red filter, so this was going to be a steep learning curve.

I wandered up the farm road and began taking photos as soon as I reached the first pylon. I photographed the farm house across the valley from my location, my favourite power lines and pylons also got a few photos too. The big trees at the side of the farm road always have me looking for a composition or two and of course the gnarly trees that form a field boundary were also photographed.

By the time I reached the stile that allows access to the footpath across the wheat field I had finished the roll. I thought it was a 36 shot roll, but I had loaded a 24 shot roll of Kentmere 400 and to be honest I was glad of that. I often struggle to finish a 36 shot roll and the shorter roll was a welcome change. I rewound the film and put my camera away until I arrived back home.

I developed my roll of Kentmere 400 in HC110 for 8 minutes in 1+47 dilution E at 20 celcius and soon had my film hanging to dry in my bathroom. When it was dry I digitised it with my trusty Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi 35mm film holder, Pixl-Latr and led light pad. I processed the Raw files with Affinity Photo 2.

Here's a few of my favourite photos from my September roll of Kentmere 400 shot with my OM101 through a red filter. I was expecting something different from this experiment, but not the results I got. The red filter saw through the haze and gave me some nice photos, but I was hoping for darker skies to make the clouds pop more than they have.

Maybe it's because I cheaped out on the filter or maybe Kentmere 400 just doesn't have a great sensitivity on the infrared end of the spectrum. It's still a great film, cheap enough to experiment with and I had fun doing it. As always I have placed them and more in an album on Flickr you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Using Colour Filters for B&W film photography 
Frugal Film Project 2024 September - 35mm 

Shitty Camera Challenge

 Papa Shitty Cams issued a challenge to all photographers who enjoy using crappy cameras to come together from July 1st to August 31st 2024 and use a Shitty Camera for some photography shenanigans. Some folks explored the recent trend for early compact digital cameras to pursue some low resolution digital whilst others, myself included, found a P.O.S.* and shot some film. 

Of course I had to dig out my Praktica Sport Royale, which is still looking really awful with cheesy go faster stripes. I loaded it with my last roll of Wonderpan B&W film and I went for a wander on a late summer afternoon in September. Yes I was late to the party, but I had committed to it before I struggled with my health in the summer and better late than never comes to mind.

I enjoy the #ShittyCameraChallenge as it gives some often overlooked cameras a little love and can be a catalyst for the spark of creativity to pay us a visit. This year it definitely found me eventually. I took a couple of photos at the start of my walk and then concentrated on shooting my roll of Kentmere 400 for the Frugal Film Project. Once that was done I got stuck into my roll of Wonderpan for the #ShittyCameraChallenge.

I walked along the footpath across the wheat field, which had been lined with windrows of straw the last time I walked that pathway. The farmer had been busy getting it all raked up, baled and put away over the preceding days. I noticed the birds were enjoying feasting upon the kernels of wheat that had fallen to the ground during harvesting as they took full advantage of the last food supply before winter comes along and the farmer ploughs the chaff into the ground.

I was expecting the footpath to be closed as there is drainage works scheduled, but it remained open on this day and I got to say hello to the horses in the top field. I thought I might not have been able to see them again, so I made the most of our encounter and took plenty of photos.

My last stop was my favourite tree on The Wash. I wanted to see if its leaves had started to change colour to mark the arrival of Autumn and it is just on the edge of that change, as are many of the trees on there. I will have to come back with some colour film or my DSLR to document the final display of colour for 2024, but for now, having finished my roll of Wonderpan shot with my Praktica Sport Royale 35mm P.O.S, I headed home.

I developed my roll of Wonderpan in 510 pyro 1+100 for 17 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had it hanging to dry in my bathroom. Once dry I digitised it with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi 35mm film holder, Pixl-Latr and led light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Photo 2.

My Praktica may be a P.O.S, but fitted with fresh batteries and film, it works. Most people wouldn't give it a second glance and you can find them on ebay for not a lot of cash. They are just so easy to use. The lens cap slides to one side and doubles as the lock for the shutter release. It has a built in flash which you can switch on when you need it or set it to automatically fire if the light is too dim for a regular photo. 

The DX code reader chooses your iso, if your film is not DX Coded it automatically sets itself to 100 iso, so I have to be careful with that. The film advance is a motor wind and a switch on the bottom of the camera puts the motor in reverse to rewind your film back into the cassette. Simples!

Here's a few favourites from my roll of Wonderpan shot with my Praktica Sport Royale for this year's #ShittyCameraChallenge and I rather like the results. I know they are crap and I'm not putting them on Flickr, but the whole point of the Shitty Camera Challenge is to give shitty cameras some love. It's supposed to be fun and I had a lot of fun doing it, which is all that matters. I would normally hope you enjoy them, but as they are crap I hope you bask in all their shitty glory!

P.O.S. = Pile Of Shit.