Nikon F2A

 Having budgeted a certain amount of money for a camera, after buying my Rolleicord I had some left over. I couldn't help myself and went hunting for another camera I always wanted, but could never afford until now. It didn't take long, I knew exactly what I wanted having seen it when hunting for my Rolleicord Va.

There it was saying "buy me, go on, you know you want to." A black Nikon F2A with DP-11 Photomic Finder for a very reasonable price. I read the specs and condition notes, liked what I saw and I bought it. A few days later my Nikon F2A arrived, I unboxed it and held it in my hands for the first time. Soper Photographic are always pretty much bang on when they describe the cameras they have for sale, but this looked better in person than on the photos. 

They also sent 2 LR44 batteries so I could get straight into using it. Of course it would be rude not too. I fitted my Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 Ai-S longnose lens to my F2A, put the batteries in and checked everything worked, which it does. I had no doubt about it but you never know if something gets bumped in transit until you check. Satisfied with my camera I loaded a roll of Kentmere 400 and went for a wander to pop my Nikon F2A cherry.

It's occasionally said that your heroes sometimes disappoint when you get to meet them, but my Nikon F2A did not disappoint me and will never be in that category. You will have to pry this from my cold, dead hands. This does of course mean I have to amend my list of "cameras you will have to pry from my cold, dead hands". Either it just got longer, or I'm making a very tough decision in the not too distant future. 

Everything about the Nikon F2A oozes professional quality. The film advance is smooth like butter. The shutter is reassuringly precise when released. The viewfinder in the DP-11 Photomic is bright, gives you a great field of view and a light meter powered by those 2 LR44 batteries. The meter reading is displayed with a simple match needle with + / - at the bottom of your field of view. Next to that is a small window showing what you aperture is set to. The film speed is set on a wheel at the top of the finder and has a range of 6 - 6400 asa/iso. Features you would expect on a high end camera that pro photographers swore by and enthusiasts cherished. 

This one has been cared for by previous owners, yet has the tell tale brass showing through the black paint in places that instantly tells me it was used by someone who loved it. It's not a heavy camera either. Yes, it's got a bit of heft to it, but nothing I can't handle with a neck strap to carry it on my walks. It's a solid, dependable camera and I am deliriously happy with it. I have used my 50mm f/1.8 on my Nikon DSLR's and Nikon F801s for years and this was the first time I was using it on a camera it was meant for.

I decided to retrace my steps from the previous walk with my Rolleicord TLR and get some different angles and unique shots. As I have become enamoured with Kentmere 400 shot with a yellow filter, so I fitted one to my 50mm lens and a lens hood, to help reduce the the effects of the harsh sunlight. I took no time at all getting the hang of my first Pro grade Nikon 35mm film camera, just a few shots and I was off to the races. Well, the Horses actually, including a young colt named Frank. (yeah, it's a great name for a horse.)

I visited the old spoil heap again and my favourite tree on there before making my way along the woodland path. This was a welcome respite from the hot sunshine. At the time of writing, the UK and Europe are experiencing another heat wave in 2026. It used to be a once in thirty years kind of heat wave, but it seems we get more hot summers than average compared to when I was growing up in the 70's. I am grateful for the woodland shade and also the breeze that cooled the temperature down a bit. 

I took my time on this walk as the one the previous day had tired me out. I was also shooting another roll of 127 film in my Brownie 127 camera for #127Day. Yeah, a day late, but a necessary endeavour. By the time I had walked full circle and arrived back at the farm I was down to my final frame and could put my remaining energy into the walk home. I definitely needed a drink after my adventure. 

I enjoyed the experience so much that a week or so later I loaded another roll of Kentmere 400 and went for another wander in my local countryside. I ran out of 36 shot rolls and had to pinch a 24 shot roll from my Frugal Film Project stash. I tried to find compositions I had missed or hadn't seen on my previous walk with my Nikon F2A. I took my time again and really got to grips with the camera, which is always a good thing for me. Thankfully I remembered how to use the light meter etc. and made the most of a sunny afternoon. Again it didn't take long to shoot my roll of film and I headed home for another well earned cuppa.

I developed my 2 rolls of Kentmere 400 shot with my Nikon F2A using Bellini Euro HC 1+31 dilution B for 6 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had them hanging to dry. I digitised them with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi 35mm film holder mounted on my Pixl-Latr and A5 sized led light pad. I processed my RAW files with Affinity Studio.

This camera has been on my bucket list for a while and it didn't let me down. I really enjoyed using this fabled beast that was a favourite of professional photographers back in the 1970's and I can see why. It's a solid performer and definitely forgave me for a couple of mistakes I made during these first two rolls of Kentmere 400 that I have shot with a manual Nikon camera, never mind a pro grade one. Kentmere 400 and a yellow filter has been my go to combo with Donkey for the Frugal Film Project and I knew what to expect. 

I also made the right choice fitting my Nikkor Ai-S 50mm f/1.8 longnose lens to my F2A. I have used it on my DSLR's and my F801s in the past, but never on a manual Nikon camera. I wont be taking it off my F2A anytime soon as it is a formidable combination that gave me precise metering and decent photographs that I am happy with. It's not going to be a shelf queen, I am going to be using my Nikon F2A a lot in the years ahead. 

Here's a few favourites from my first two rolls of Kentmere 400 shot with my Nikon F2A and as always I have placed them and more in an album on Flickr that you can visit using the link below. I had an absolute blast taking these photos and I hope you enjoy them.

Nikon F2A - Kentmere 400 

Frugal Film Project 2026 - SLR - September

 The very next weekend after Bullstock saw another popular event take place in Wigan, the Wigan Digger's festival and it was special for one very good reason. Last week I said Bullstock was the final event on Believe Square. During the funeral service of Sir Billy Boston KBE, it was announced that Believe Square was to be renamed Sir Billy Boston Square in his honour. It was fitting that the first event on the newly named square was the Wigan Diggers Festival. I loaded Donkey, my Minolta Dynax 4 with my September roll of Kentmere 400 for the SLR part of the Frugal Film Project 2026 and headed into town.  

The Wigan Diggers festival celebrates another of Wigan's favourite sons, Gerrard Winstanley. He was instrumental in the 17th century campaign to use common land to cultivate crops and graze livestock to feed the people who toiled the land working for the wealthy landowners who controlled the farming. I will put a link below where you can discover more about Gerald Winstanley and The Diggers (True Levellers) movement in the mid 17th century. 

The Festival was already in full swing when I arrived and I caught the end of a fine performance from Captain Of The Lost Waves on the acoustic stage. I snapped a couple of photos before making my way around the event, trying to capture happy faces and cool T-Shirts. My favourite was the Barry Chuckle/Che Guevara mash up and the chap graciously posed for a photo. 

Next band on the main stage up was Mora and The Fabulous Wonderfuls who played their own music to a very appreciative audience. There were several familiar faces in that audience, including Busi who was dancing away and really enjoying herself. How she manages to keep it up I have no idea. I was still feeling the effects of Bullstock the previous week and was beginning to think I might not make it to the end of the afternoon. 

One chap put a smile on my face and gave me the impetus to carry on, my old mate Stu who was also at Bullstock the previous week. I haven't seen him for ages and then we bump into each other twice in the space of a few days. I also bumped into a fellow photographer who recognised me and follows me on social media. Yep, I've got a fan! We met a couple of winters back on a snowy day in Mesnes Park, Wigan. It was good to see him again.

An hour into the Wigan Digger's Festival my body started to raise the white flag and I knew it was time to head for home after finishing my roll of Kentmere 400. It's not too long ago that I could do two weekends on the run, but not anymore. Age and my illnesses and injuries are catching up with me, so I shot my final frame during the performance from the Wigan Samba Band and bid farewell to a marvellous event. It's a great day out, as are all the events that take place in Wigan town centre through the year and I would love to see them continue and grow more popular in the years ahead. 

I developed my film after spending a few days recovering from an epic fortnight of photography in Wigan town centre. I used Bellini Euro HC, 1+31 dilution B, for 6 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had it hanging to dry. I digitised it with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi 35mm film holder, Pixl-latr and A5 sized led light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Studio.

I am happy with my photos of the Diggers Festival. I wasn't there long, but I captured the spirit of the event and happy folk enjoying their day. I am not a portrait photographer by any means, it was a challenge to get out of my comfort zone not once but twice and ask people for photo opportunities that came my way. I might even get the hang of it one day.

Here's a few favourites from my swift visit to the Wigan Diggers Festival in Wigan. If you fancy attending in 2027, there's a link to their website below. As always I have placed these photos and a few more in my Frugal Film Project 2026 - SLR album you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Frugal Film Project 2026 - SLR
Wigan Diggers Festival 

Frugal Film Project 2026 - Compact - September

 I got back into the swing of things early with my September roll of Kentmere 400 shot with my Hanimex 35RAS, and I really enjoyed myself too. There's nothing like a good fundraiser to help lift a person out of the doldrums and on Sunday 6th September patrons of The John Bull Chophouse gathered in numbers to enjoy a day of music and celebration of our beloved Pub. Naturally I took my Frugal Film Project 2026 camera with me and shot possibly the fastest roll of Kentmere 400 I have ever had the pleasure of using.

My main duty on the day was capturing digital photos, which you have seen in my previous blog of Bullstock, but there's something special about capturing the event on film. I had already picked my subjects for the roll and got to work, making my way through the crowd and photographing the shiny happy people. 

Five minutes it took me to shoot my September roll of Kentmere 400 with my Hanimex 35RAS and friends there were genuinely happy to see me shoot some film on the day. I appear to have gained a reputation for enjoying black and white film photography and it would have been silly not to do so at Bullstock. With the deed done and the film rewound, I put my camera away and continued enjoying the event.

I developed my September roll of Kentmere 400 a week or so later as I was well and truly done in after Bullstock. I couldn't move very much for a few days, but it was worth it to see so many friends I haven't seen for a while since giving up the booze some 15+ years previously. I developed my roll of Kentmere 400 with Bellini Euro HC, 1+31 dilution B for 6 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had it hanging to dry. I digitised it with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi 35mm film holder, Pixl-latr and A5 sized led light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Studio.

This roll of film made me appreciate why the manufacturers introduced 250 shot film holders for 35mm cameras back in the day. It's incredibly easy to rattle through a 24 shot roll when you're having fun, but I can imagine how easy it must have been to capture sporting events without having to change cameras and have an apprentice to reload for you. Now we have digital with enough computing power and storage space available that we can shoot 1,000 frames with ease, but the lure of film will always be strong with me.

Here's a few favourites from my September roll of Kentmere 400 shot with my Hanimex 35RAS at Bullstock, the last event to take place on Believe Square in Wigan Town Centre. It was good to capture the event on film and I have placed these photos and more in my Fugal Film Project 2026 - Compact album on Flickr you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Frugal Film Project 2026 - Compact

Rolleicord Va TLR - Ilford HP5+ 400

July started with a happy event and it is something I shall treasure. When my Mum passed away she left a few quid to me and my siblings so we could treat ourselves and have something to remember her with. I had a good think about what to buy. As I have mentioned in recent blogs, it was my Mum who gave me my love for photography and a camera was the perfect thing to get, but which one? I have a few 35mm SLR’s, one or two rangefinders and several vintage folding cameras, both 35mm and Medium Format. One camera has eluded me over the years and that’s a Twin Lens Reflex camera.

I have used a Twin Lens Reflex camera precisely once and it was my mate Keith’s Mamiya C2, a beast of a camera that weighs the same as a small child. Keith is a big lad and has his mobility scooter to help carry the camera about. I am not so fortunate. I’m not the tallest bloke and have about the same strength as a wet paper bag. Carrying a big TLR around all day just isn’t happening.

I decided to have a look around and compare prices to see what I could afford. I spent quite some time doing my research and I decided to buy a Rolleicord from Soper Photographic in Plymouth, Devon here in the UK. Devon has had a big effect upon my life, my Father in Law was a Devon lad and it seemed right that I bought a TLR from there. I had a good look on their website and settled on a Rolleicord Va Type 1 for a very reasonable price.

The Rolleicord was the "consumer" range of TLR that accompanied the more advanced "professional" Rolleiflex TLR cameras made by Franke & Heidecke in Brauschweig, Germany, which later became known as Rollei. The Rolleicord Va was in production between 1957 and 1961, which was another reason to like this camera. My Mum and Dad began courting in 1957 and were married in 1961. Were the Photography Gods smiling upon me? The camera looked in good condition on the photos, so I took a leap of faith and bought it. 

A few days later it it was delivered and I took my first look at my very first TLR. If I wanted one of these back in the day, I could never have afforded one. In hindsight, I could probably have got one when the film market collapsed in the noughties, but with a growing family and a motorcycle habit, I still couldn't have justified it. Today was the day that changed. I unboxed it and held it in my hands.

What are my first impressions of my Rolleicord Va? 

All I can say is Soper were bang on with their description. My Rolleicord Va is in great condition for a camera pushing towards 70 years of age. I thanked my Mum and got some dust got in my eye and I had to send a few moments wiping it away. The case has seen better days, but hey, so have I. I'm not complaining. Leather is quite robust, but stitching does come apart. It's the weak link on any leather goods you care to mention. Saddles, camera cases, jackets. The stitching wears and comes apart in places. I will take it to my local cobbler for a repair and it'll be reet.

How does my Rolleicord Va perform? 

I spent a little time familiarising myself with the camera as I have never held or even owned a Rolleicord before. Made a dozen years after the end of WW2, it's a very well engineered camera. I own a few German cameras made either side of WW2 and this is by far the highest quality German camera I own. At the end of WW2, Braunschweig found itself in West Germany and the Francke & Heidecke company didn't waste time rebuilding. 

Such was the quality of their pre-WW2 TLR cameras, demand was high. The company could have gone for quantity over quality to get going again, but retained their reputation by opting for the quality that made Rolleiflex and Rolleicord TLR's much loved cameras by professionals and amateurs the world over. The Synchro Compur shutter is precise and the Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 75mm f/3.5 lens is reputed to be sharp as a pin. The viewing lens, a Heidosmat 75mm f/3.2, gives a nice bright image on the focusing screen too. I loaded a roll of Ilford's finest HP5 and went for a walk.

Everything about the Rolleicord Va TLR oozes quality. The smoothness of the focus mechanism, the clarity of the viewing lens and the precision of the shutter gave me great confidence that I would have decent photos. The one thing missing from the Rolleicord Va is a light meter and I'm fine with that. 

I really enjoyed using my Rolleicord Va, despite it being unfamiliar to me. It took me a little time to get used to, but that familiarity will come once I have shot a few more rolls of film with it. It was the same with my Goodman Zone and I soon got used to that, even though the dark slide still likes to trip me up now and then.

Sadly on my first attempt, the light I had when I left my house had simply vanished, leaving overcast sky and half a film was used just getting used to using a waist level viewfinder. A couple of days later, the sun had returned and I headed back out to finish my first roll. having plenty of sunlight to play with made the difference and I was able to use the time to build knowledge and skills on the old spoil heap and my favourite tree there. All too soon I had shot 12 photos and I put my Rolleicord back in my bag and made my way home. The brew I had after that walk was the best tasting brew ever.

I enjoyed my first taste of my Rolleicord TLR and headed out a few days later with another roll of HP5 loaded and ready to see what I could find in my favourite classroom, Mesnes Park in Wigan. The usual compositions all got a visit and also one or two that I captured on the spur of the moment. I'm trying to break my habit of using the same angles and I must admit it was a challenge to get used to the viewfinder being all topsy-turvy when composing my shots. I also managed to forget if the double exposure protection was on or off and It was a good exercise, despite the absent mindedness. I soon took 12 shots and headed on my way home for another well earned brew.

I developed my film using Bellini Euro HC, 1+31 dilution B for 5 minutes at 20 celcius in my new larger tank. I can now develop two rolls of 120 in the same tank rather than having to use two separate tanks and I don't know why I didn't get one years ago. I soon had them hanging to dry in my bathroom overnight. I digitised my film with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi medium format film holder mounted on my Pixl-Latr and A5 size led light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Studio.

How did I do on my first serious use of my Rolleicord Va TLR?

See for yourself. I'm happy with my first proper use of a twin lens reflex camera. It takes a little getting used to, but once I got my eye in, I managed to get some nice shots. I also got a double exposure on a camera that is supposed to have a shutter lock on it to stop that sort of thing. I still don't know if the switch is set right. I guess I will have to RTFM and find out.
 
Here's a few favourites from my first 2 rolls of Ilford HP5 shot with my Rolleicord Va Type 1. I am really getting to love my first TLR and can see it getting a lot of use in the years to come. 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.

Ilford HP5 - Rolleicord Va
A Brief History of Rollei 
Soper Photographic 

The John Bull Chophouse - My Favourite Pub Devastated By Fire

 A devastating incident has occurred in Wigan that has affected me on a deeply personal level. The John Bull Chophouse, a much loved town centre Pub was severely damaged in a Burglary and Arson attack during the early hours of 4th August 2026. I gave up drinking almost 20 years ago, but The John Bull is still my favourite pub ever. It isn't just a pub, it's a much loved and respected institution. It's family.

I first started drinking there in the 1980's. It had a reputation back then of being a "Bikers Pub", but it was a place where "inclusivity"was a thing well before its current definition. It was the place where we could all hang out and socialise with friends. I got to know a lot of decent people there over the years and even worked there, glass collecting for a while in the 90's. The Landlord and Landlady at that time were Harold and Margaret, whom we all loved as surrogate parents, favourite aunt and uncle, and above all dear friends. When Harold passed away, such was the respect we had for him, he got a Biker's Funeral. 

Harold and Margaret's daughter, Victoria took the Pub on and put her own mark on the place whilst keeping the majority of the fabric and memories intact. The Pool Table was removed and a Craft Beer Bar took it's place, but it was still The John Bull. It just gained more choice of beer. It also has the best Juke Box in town. Period. Rock, Blues, Punk, Indy and more, all represented and played a lot! 

Fixtures and fittings often make or break a pub. The John Bull has proper cast iron tables with mahogany tops. Bench seats were the kind found in chapels with comfy cushions to sit on. The floor is stone paving and the building itself was reputedly built in the 17th century.  Casting Dies hung on the wall above the stairs to commemorate Wigan's industrial heritage and "Handbag the Antelope" kept watch over us all, wearing his customary Fez and a hand rolled "cigarette" in his mouth.

Yep, there's a real stuffed Antelope's head on the wall and, by some quirk of fate, it survived the fire. He still wears his Fez and his "cigarette" remained unlit. One of his ears got frazzled, but Handbag has become a symbol of the future of the Pub. The John Bull Will Rise Again! 

I took a few days to take the news in about the fire before heading over there with my Nikon D610. Access is restricted and that's fine by me.  I will share a link to the "What's Happening In Wigan" report by local reporter Claire Hannah who was given access to document the aftermath of the fire that almost destroyed the Pub. 

What is important in the aftermath is the way the community has rallied behind Victoria, Peter and the staff as they come to terms with the events of that morning. Thwaites Brewery, owners of the Pub, have promised to restore the pub back to it's former glory and local businesses have stepped up to offer help where possible. John Bull regular Joe Astley organised a go fund me campaign to raise funds to help out that, at the time I write this, raised over £15,000. It makes me proud to call Wigan my home.

There are no words to describe how I felt taking the photos, but I did get a fair bit of dust in my eyes. I have a lot of good memories of The John Bull and I know it will rise again, time will heal the wounds and there's nothing that can't be cleaned and repaired. It makes me despair that someone deliberately torched a much loved and unique town centre pub, famed for it's welcoming atmosphere, great jukebox and the best Guinness in town. 

What made my heart fill with pride is how the people who have called The John Bull Chophouse their "local" came together to support the staff, the Landlady and Landlord who lost jobs and their livelihood. Events around the town have all raised money to help them out and somehow, we got an all dayer, forever known as "Bullstock", on Believe Square, right next to The John Bull Chophouse. Wigan Borough Council were kind enough to allow us to use the space and several bands and solo artists came together to entertain everyone with songs that we all love from the world famous John Bull Jukebox. I charged the batteries and formatted a couple of SD Cards for my Nikon D610, fitted my 24-120mm lens and headed into town on September 6th for a day of digital photography. It's been a while.

I had a great day with my camera, trying to capture the spirit of the event and spent a lot of time catching up with my old friends whom I met at The John Bull Chophouse in the late 1980's early 1990's. Handbag surviving the fire brought us all together again to celebrate the good times we had over the years. Grant from Grant's Bulldog Forge took Handbag to his Antique shop where he gave him a good clean and from one side you wouldn't know he had been in a fire. From the other side, he has an ear missing which will never be repaired. Handbag wears his scars well and he took his place hanging on one side of the stage where there was a steady stream of people taking selfies throughout the day.

Mark Christopher and his band, Marauder organised the event together with Victoria and Peter in the space of three weeks and all the bands gave their time freely for the occasion. They have all performed at The John Bull over the years and didn't need to think twice about taking part. Kol Traynor, a Bass player in various bands over the years filled in for Bass players from other bands who couldn't make it on the day. Fakesnake, a Whitesnake tribute band brought in a drummer on very short notice and no time to rehearse. The chap played a blinder! Thanks go to Chalice, Eleventh Hour, Shell City, Recoil, Fakesnake, A Band Of Gypsies and Marauder for their performances on The Main Stage.

The Acoustic Stage filled the gaps between bands with finely crafted music from Singer-Songwriters Sarah Hardman, Calvin Snape, Adam McCann and the legend, Joe Astley. Joe has been tireless in his fundraising efforts over the weeks immediately following the fire. Joe started the Go Fund Me campaign, organised a three night series of gigs at The Monaco in Hindley near Wigan and carries a donation box to every gig he has played since to fire. He also organised Save The Chophouse T-Shirts with all profits going to the fund.

You can measure a community by how it faces adversity. The John Bull Chophouse has a great community who have grown up around it. Many of us have taken our kids there for their first legal beer and in a few cases, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Looking at the families who turned up to Bullstock, The John Bull Chophouse is going to continue being a family for many more years to come.

Here's a few photos of The John Bull Chophouse after the fire and Bullstock 2026. I have to admit I had to leave early and missed the finale as I was well and truly done in. It was a long day and I had been running on reserve for a couple of hours before heading for home and some much needed meds and rest. I spent the week recovering, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. It gave me a chance to go through hundreds of images and I ended up with 100 that I am happy with. 

 I have placed my photos of Bullstock 2026 in two albums on Flickr that you can visit using the links below. There's also facebook groups where folk have shared their photos and remembered happy times, just look for The John Bull Chophouse and Bullstock 2026 pages. It may take a little while, but The John Bull Chophouse will rise again! As we say here in Wigan, "It'll be reet!"

Wigan Unites Behind Towns Iconic Pub 
Bullstock - Part The First 
Bullstock - Part The Second 

Victoria, landlady of The John Bull Chophouse

Frugal Film Project 2026 - Donkey - August

 The day after my walk around Wigan with my Hanimex 35RAS, I once again headed out with Donkey, my Minolta Dynax 4, to shoot my August SLR roll of Kentmere 400. I needed to get some DIY supplies and headed to a discount store at Robin Retail Park and took Donkey with me. I took a few shots around the The Brick Stadium as there were more tributes to Sir Billy Boston and his beloved wife Lady Joan placed by the ticket office at the Sir Billy Boston Stand. One thing is for sure, Wigan will never forget them.

I headed on to the canal that runs by the stadium and took a few photos along the way as I made my way slowly back to the town centre. I had no particular plan for the day, I was just snapping things that caught my eye on route. The sign for Savoy Timber, Wigan Pier and Trencherfield Mill all caught my attention as I wandered into town. Wigan has some unique architecture and it wasn't long before I arrived in the town centre and took my last photo on my roll of Kentmere 400 and headed home for another well earned brew.

I developed my August roll of Kentmere 400 shot with Donkey using Bellini Euro HC, 1+31 dilution B, for 6 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had it hanging to dry with my Compact roll. Again, Tigger didn't get his claws on them, thankfully. I digitised my film with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi 35mm film holder, Pixl-Latr and A5 sized led light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Studio.

I am pleased with my photos this month. The overcast sky was always going to make my photos a little flat, but that's not a problem for Donkey. My Minolta Dynax 4 handled it well and gave me decent exposures. Now we head into Autumn and the final third of the year I am confident that Donkey can handle anything the weather can send our way. It's £10 very well spent.

Here's a few favourites from my August roll of Kentmere 400 shot with Donkey, my Minolta Dynax 4 for the Frugal Film Project 2026. I have placed them and more in my Fugal Film Project - SLR album on Flickr that you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

Frugal Film Project 2026 - SLR 

Frugal Film Project 2026 - Compact - August

 August was hot, dang hot and to be honest I just wasn't feeling up to going out much. Not that I didn't get out and about with a camera, but I wasn't feeling good for a number of reasons. I left my Frugal Film Project August roll of Kentmere 400 shot with my Hanimex 35RAS until the final weekend of the month when I headed into town on an overcast, rainy Saturday afternoon to get the job done.

First port of call was The John Bull Chophouse, my favourite Pub that was severely damaged by a Burglary and Arson attack on August 4th 2026. The John Bull has been one of the busiest pubs in Wigan town centre for many years and the fire devastated the community that has grown around the pub and the family whom have run it for almost half a century. 

The pub will re-open again after repairs are made, but not until 2027. Victoria and Peter are not going to have any income over the next few months and there are fundraising efforts organised to help them through this very troubling chapter in the history of The John Bull Chophouse. Local singer/songwriter Joe Astley, a regular in The John Bull Chophouse, has been at the forefront of the fundraising effort along with several bands and solo artists whom have come together to ensure The John Bull Chophouse will rise again.

My next port of call was a pilgrimage to the statue of Sir Billy Boston who sadly passed away recently aged 92. Sir Billy was a superstar player at Wigan Warriors in the 1950's and 60's after being persuaded to head north from his home in Cardiff to play Rugby League for Wigan and give up his dream of playing for Cardiff and Wales in Rugby Union. Sir Billy became a legend in Wigan and won every trophy available at that time during the course of his career. He is also the holder of the record for most tries scored in his career than any other British player in either code of Rugby. Only the much loved Australian player Brian Bevan, scored more tries than Sir Billy.

Sir Billy never left Wigan. He met his wife, Lady Joan Boston here and they raised their family together, never being apart for long until Lady Joan passed away a few short weeks before Sir Billy. When Sir Billy was knighted by King Charles, his wife and family accompanied him to Buckingham Palace for the occasion. I took a photo of the few tributes left for him, there were more, but the council moved the flowers indoors as the August Bank Holiday weekend was going to be a wet one.

I spent the rest of my walk happy snapping statues, buildings and whatever else caught my eye as I made my way around town. I dived into the back streets and alleyways that tell their own story of the growth of the town over the years. It wasn't long before my film was finished and I headed home, glad to have got out for an hour or two, but in need of a brew and a chance to dry off.

I developed my August roll of Kentmere 400 B&W film using Bellini Euro HC, 1+31 dilution B, for 6 minutes at 20 celcius and soon had it hanging to dry. I digitised my film with my Nikon D700, Tamron Adaptall 2 90mm f/2.5 macro lens, Valoi 35mm film holder, Pixl-Latr and A5 size led light pad. I processed the RAW files with Affinity Studio.

I am happy with my photos this month. After having bright sunshine for a couple of months it was strangely comforting to get back to an overcast sky and cooler temperatures. I'm not built for temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit, This day was more comfortable for me and the depression I had been feeling all month had begun to lift as the temperature dropped. 

Here's a few favourites from my August roll of Kentmere 400 shot with my Hanimex 35RAS for the Frugal Film Project 2026. I have placed them and more in my Frugal Film Project 2026 - Compact album that you can visit using the link below. I hope you enjoy them.

 Frugal Film Project 2026 - Compact