Billingham Hadley Questions

[david.elliott]

I have a couple questions for all you billingham hadley range owners.

I'm considering getting one as, currently, I do not have a camera bag. Usually right now that means I carry one camera and a roll of film or two in my pocket. I'd like to be able to carry a couple cameras at a time (but not six like Juan ).

Question #1

Would the following fit in a hadley bag?
-M3 with 90mm hexanon, Bessa R with 35/2.5, and a rolleiflex, each with domke gripper straps?
-small sekonic meter
-couple rolls of film

Question #2

Hadley Pro or Hadley Large? Not sure which to get, but I am leaning toward the hadley pro because I can see the handle on the top being 'handy.'

Question #3

Anybody have any experience with the fibrenyte material? It sounds quite nice judging from the little blurb they have about it here http://www.billingham.co.uk/acatalog/Materials.html
I'd probably purchase a black bag. Hoping that it looks less like a camera bag and more like a boring old messenger bag.

Question #4

It looks like the hadley pro comes with a sewn in adjustable sling strap. Is the sling 1.5" or 2"? I'd like to get one of the new shoulder pads for it, but cannot find the sling width dimensions on billingham's website.

Question #5

Anybody have any experience with their tripod straps? Worth buying?


If I forgot to take something into account, please let me know. Thank you for your help!

-David

 

[fixbones]

Question 1:
I am not sure about the dimensions of a rolleiflex but i am pretty sure it can fit the rest with plenty of space to spare.

Question 2:
My Hadley Pro was an impulse buy. If you think they look good in pictures..... you don't know until you've seen and handled one in real life.

I can't justify buying it if it was solely for my photography. Wish i can carry the bag around everyday and shoot but unfortunately, gotta work.

Turns out, my Hadley Pro makes and excellent work bag. Using it everyday allows me to break into it too. Thus the handle comes in very useful for me. My suggestion - get the Pro.

Question 3:
Not sure about the material. I have the Tan version.

Question 4:
The strap is 1.5 inch. Just measured a second ago......

Question 5:
Can't help.

All in all, great great bag. Expensive but worth the money (for me anyways). Would buy this bag solely for work and the fact that it doubles as a camera bag, well........ =D

 

[david.elliott]

Thanks buddy.

I will probably get the black fibernyte hadley pro bag. The sage is very, very tempting though.

By the way, I really like your photojournal. "They Walk" is great!

 

[fixbones]

Thanks mate.

The sage is really really tempting i have to admit. Would have bought a sage one if they have it there that day.

Apparently it has been discontinued........not sure

 

[biakalt]

Question 1:

I carried my FM2, M2 and M6 all mounted with lens in the Hadley Pro. still plenty room for ~ 10 rolls in the front pockets as well as a light meter.

Question 2:

personally i think Hadley Pro is big enough for me. when i dont carry camera, i take the padding off and carry my macbook pro, along with notebook and other accessories for a day.

Sorry I cant help with question 3,4,5.

 

[35mmdelux]

I prefer the Hadley Pro in black. The sage was nice too--personal preference of course. I got mine last year after years with Domkes. The Hadley has really good padding, which is one of the reasons I switched.

 

[hkrz]

Hi,
I have a sage Hadley Pro with matching shoulder pad (not every pad fits this bag, ask before ordering) in fibernyte.

There was a glitch on their website, when you ordered a bag and a strap, the strap appeared with price of 0. This had to be corrected by ordering strap seperatly. Not sure if they fixed it.

Question #1

I can put into my bag:

E-510 + 12-60 lens

Bessa R3A + Nokton + LH4 hood

Macbook Pro 15

6 rolls of film (if without box, maybe more)

Ipod

Cables

and 1 liter Segg bottle

It's heavy and tight, but still comfortable to carry. I think that your gear would fit perfectly

Question #2

IMO the handle is a must, it makes getting in and out of a car, plane, train more comfortable and give more "control" over the bag.

Question #3

I have it in fibernyte anb have no complaints, it still looks like new. I went for sage as I wear mostly "earth" colours, so it blends well with my clothing. It looks more like a hunter's bag rather than a photo bag. However this may be country specific as in Poland black Lowepro is carried by 95% of people with cameras. I've never seen anyone with Billingham here.


I guess only Pro has zipped extra pocket on the back, which is great for all sort of "paper stuff"


Hope this helps

 

[John Lawrence]

Not much to add to what's already been said, other than to back up the comment about getting one with a handle on the top. When I got my hadleys I thought I wouldn't need it, but if I were buying again (which, even after ten years of almost daily use, I still don't need to do!) I would definitely go for one with a handle.

John

 

[nksyoon]

I have a Large:

- Rolleiflex 2.8F would fit but the insert would be bulging out, unless you have one without the meter readout on the left side
- tripod straps not available on the Hadley range, I'd asked Billingham before

 

[Lflex]

I have the Hadley Pro, and I like it a lot. I have the tan cotton version with brown leather trimmings.

Question #1

Would the following fit in a hadley bag?
-M3 with 90mm hexanon, Bessa R with 35/2.5, and a rolleiflex, each with domke gripper straps?
-small sekonic meter
-couple rolls of film

You can probably stuff it in somehow, but I do not know if it would be practical. When I fully utilize the main compartment, it holds a M2 with Summicron 35 and hood, a Bessa L with CV 21/4 and finder and a Rolleiflex T.
I have to place film and a Gossen Sixtomat Digital in the front pockets. I don't like a completely stuffed bag, and i prefer only to fill it this much for transport, not for working out of the bag.

Question #2

Hadley Pro or Hadley Large? Not sure which to get, but I am leaning toward the hadley pro because I can see the handle on the top being 'handy.'

I thought like you, but I don't find the handle particularly practical. It is not well balanced. The bag is constructed as a shoulder bag and the handle is an afterthought.
The pro has a zippered pocket on the outside towards the body which you might find useful. However, I don't find it useful. It is easier to open the top and use the space between the padding and the bag than to access and unzip the pocket. In other words: If I need to replace this bag, it would probably be with the standard Hadley.

Question #3
...
I'd probably purchase a black bag. Hoping that it looks less like a camera bag and more like a boring old messenger bag.

I have heard this many times. IMO It is only RFF members who think that a beige Billingham looks like a camera bag. The rest of the world thinks it looks like an English fishing or hunting bag (after which it is modelled).
Re. the material: I bought the bag because it was made of natural materials and ages gracefully - and because it didn't have velcro (I hate the sound) - thus I wouldn't personally go for synthetics.

 

[david.elliott]

fixbones: I dont think it has been discontinued. It is still listed on billingham's site.


biakalt: Thanks. Sounds like it has a lot of room. Kind of like the Tardis.


35mmdelux: I looked at the domke bags too. I think that I will just go for the billingham from the outset and stick with that. I am not sure a domke would be with me 10 years from now, but reports seem to indicate that billingham bags hold up very, very well.


hkrz: Thank you for the very helpful responses. I am going to order the bag from b&h or adorama probably. I cannot order it from the manufacturer directly. Here in the city I have only seen one billingham bag for sure. Most other camera bags look very much like camera bags. Backpacks also seem fairly popular around here.


John: Cheers. Very pleased to see that your hadley has held up for such a long time!


Nick: My rolleiflex is a 2.8D model, so no meter means I should be okay. Thanks for the heads up on the straps. Much appreciated.


Niels: Thank you. My guess is that I will only take two out of the three cameras with me at a time, unless I am going somewhere particularly special.
I'm pretty sure I will go with the pro so it has the handle. My current work bag has a handle and I find it very useful, particularly on the trains here. In crowded areas I like to keep a tight grip on my gear.
Here, in the DC area, a black bag is synonymous with a work bag. Any other color bag and it is cameras or diapers. A black bag, in this city, would help me blend in (at least when I dont have a camera out).




Thank you for all of the help everyone.

 

[Jasper Street]

i have the hadley pro in black fibernyte. the material looks and feels, in my opinion, much nicer than canvas. it's a great camera bag, and of course you can pop the insert out and use it however you like. i recommend this bag.

 

[RFluhver]

I gotta admit, them Billinghams are absolutely gorgeous, too. But, geez, won't they attract unwanted attention? Plus they're just another pricey gear that you have to worry about.

I suggest sticking to or considering Domkes. I'm pretty sure that the Domke J-810 should fit all that gear.