Photography - it's a start

[An old bloke]

Fair point, but I think at this exploratory stage I should stick with digital, as that's what I've got. Interesting though is that I have a Yashika FX-3 on my ebay watchlist, though I haven't plunged in as I am not sure I can bear the cost of film processing right now.

DIY film processing is simple and easy. It doesn't really require any expensive equipment either. You do need a complelely light free space to work in -- an unlighted windowless bathroom will do -- and a red light. The red light allows you to see what you are doing without over exposing the film. Making prints does require a bit of an outlay for an enlarger, but it isn't beyond most people's budgets (cheaper than a new camera).