My first Billingham!

[Cyriljay]

Couldn't resist

Well, after seeing one Billingham Hadley Pro in the rff classifieds and seeing this post, I searched through ebay and found an almost new Hadley Pro for $165.

Being leery of ebay fakes, I asked the seller (100% positive, 1465 feedback) if he was the original owner and where he had bought it, etc... His answers were good enough for me (original owner, bought it from B&H, etc...)

So, I pulled the trigger on it. While I would have preferred black or olive, I guess this will have to do. Here's a picture of the bag, which I hope to have in my hands in a few days. 😀

I have a Hadley and it is without the top hand hold as this bag. It is in Black colour. It is the same bag in size and inner compartments etc. I bought it on 1998 and it is still intact and great shape. it is amazing . I also have a larger shoulder bag for my Hussie. Same age and it is like more brand new as it was not my to go camera and the bag.

 

[Dogman]

I bought my first Billingham when I started using a pair of M6's years ago--a Hadley Pro in olive green. I still use it although the Leicas are long gone. Over the years I've added three more--an L2, F-stop 1.4 and one of the big ones...I forget the number now. Great bags all around and they last virtually forever while being rain-proof. The only one I really carry is the L2. It's small and handles extra lenses or a body with lens (or two, if small). The others are for storage/transport.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

There's no real reason to own a Billingham, when there are so many nice alternatives that are cheaper. That being said, I own three, and will never part with them! Some stuff you just want, 'cuz. Sorta like Leicas.

 

[Yokosuka Mike]

Yamashita Park
This might be this guy's first Billingham. Hell, this guy might be one of us!

Sony A7III camera
Sigma 90mm f2.8 lens
April 2025 - Yokohama, Japan​

 

[lxmike]

Bought my first Billingham in 1981, its still going strong, (unlike me), since then have added Billingham Hadley large and small, one tan , one black and a handy Billingham Stowaway. Billingham's are great bags, can take a hammering and will last a lifetime. Enjoy, its a cracking bag!

 

[WoodallP]

I’d never been tempted by them till yesterday, when I found that they are made about 2 miles from where I grew up. I feel a bond now. However they seem to be a bit of an overkill for a barnack and a spare roll of film.

 

[35photo]

I got my first Bellingham the Hadley Pro Small in all Black had it for about 2 years now. Hell of a bag! Have 2 Leicas with Lenses attached with plenty of room for another lens on the inside and all my accessories that go in the front 2 pockets. Extremely impressed by the build quality definitely made to last a very long time!

 

[Archiver]

The Hadley Pro is excellent for transporting a medium size kit, and is extremely well made. The funny thing is that they are so distinctive that one might mistake another for theirs. This nearly happened at a local camera shop: this shop is notoriously cluttered, with bags and lenses all over the place. It's not uncommon for stock that has just come in to sit on a sofa. One time, there were a couple of Billinghams on the sofa, which I presumed were stock, but they belonged to two customers who had put them down to browse! I immediately thought that if I had put mine there, it could have been mistaken for theirs. I feel like a Billingham should have some kind of coloured ribbon/string/cord or a charm hanging from it to help distinguish it from others.

 

[Saganich]

An entire large coffee spilled inside my first Billingham. Luckily no equipment was present. The interesting part was that moisture caused a rigor to overtake the fabric and after a few days it was stiff as a board. It never recovered. My favorite and most used travel bag is the M combination bag followed by the old Leitz 70's canvas bag.