Billingham Hadley Pro

[68lbs]

Anyone got one? Got any pics of it loaded with equipment?

Am trying to get a grip on how much one might hold.

The idea is it's a nice day bag for work and would hold my 13" MacBook Pro with either the GF1 or 5D + 50mm f/1.4, or I could use it for the occassional times when I prefer a shoulder bag to a backpack - when I'd want it to hold the 5D with a smallish lens, and probably my 70-200 f/2.8 + a few accessories (no computer).

 

[Arkady]

Mine's gathering dust and mould in the attic...I think there's some old video kit inside it, but i'm not too sure...

Go with a backpack - your lower-back, shoulders and spine will thank you in the long-run...

 

[cowasaki]

I bought a computrekker it has a slot for a laptop (upto 15") plus plenty of space for a D700, 80-200 (minus case), SB800, Sigma 20mm, 50mm, 105mm, various other bits and pieces and a zip up compartment for hats, gloves, butties, flask etc.

It's a good bag and I still use it now minus the laptop (I use the laptop slot for a reflector)

Shame I sold the iBook 12" straight after buying it and replaced it with a 17" macbook pro that will not let you zip up the computer compartment!!!

 

[smooth]

Shame I sold the iBook 12" straight after buying it and replaced it with a 17" macbook pro that will not let you zip up the computer compartment!!!

Size matters Darren. And 17" macs are pant twitchingly nice!

As for the Billingham - They are nice but I agree with Rob above. I had one for a year or so and carried around so much kit that eventually I switched to a crumpler backpack and found out that carrying gear didnt have to hurt!

 

[cowasaki]

Size matters Darren. And 17" macs are pant twitchingly nice!

As for the Billingham - They are nice but I agree with Rob above. I had one for a year or so and carried around so much kit that eventually I switched to a crumpler backpack and found out that carrying gear didnt have to hurt!

I need to get a new bag, I have a Lowepro Orion Trekker which was fine with the D200, 18-200 etc but when I got more serious last year and bought the D700, 24-70, 80-200 etc I can't get what I want into it ! The Computrekker will fit what I want but it is too big ! Oh well will find something....

 

[smooth]

Me too. I have two Domke's at the mo - one for each body. But TBH it's a pain in the ass to have to carry two bags everywhere. Need to do some research and shopping - need to be able to carry 2 gripped bodies in one bag - not easy or cheap!

 

[cowasaki]

Me too. I have two Domke's at the mo - one for each body. But TBH it's a pain in the ass to have to carry two bags everywhere. Need to do some research and shopping - need to be able to carry 2 gripped bodies in one bag - not easy or cheap!

I am considering taking the Peli 1550 case with me to parties/family weddings etc. It is also reasonably secure if you stick things in to it and padlock it then lock it to something with a bike lock.

 

[PeteStewardson]

I have the Packington rather than the Hadley Pro, but I think they're similar in size. Mine goes everywhere with me and if I need to take just some of my kit I always go for that. I think I had the D3, 24-70, 80-200, and SB800 in it the last time I carried loads of kit in it. It was heavy but all fitted in.

Pete

 

[py6km]

I have a Hadley Pro - I'd say you might struggle to get a Macbook and camera kit comfortably in it to be honest (especially the 5D+50mm). The Macbook and GF1 would probably be ok, but the bag is actually quite small despite appearances. I use mine for GF1, 20mm, 45mm, LVF + bits and bobs and it's a good fit for that, with some space to spare. There are a couple of front pockets, so I guess you might be able to get a body in one of those to leave room for the Macbook in the main compartment.

I can try some permutations later tonight actually, as my wife still has her 13" Macbook knocking around while we try to sell it, so I'll see how well it fits in and how much other stuff you could reasonably get in if you like, as I might be wrong about what you could get in.

The bag isn't designed to carry a load of stuff however, so weight and therefore back/neck etc pain should never be an issue. I actually find the Billingham's very comfy (more so than backpacks I've had - although the Kata R-103 was pretty darned good), especially if you augment them with one of the larger shoulder pads SP40/50 for example.

For just the GF1 and a couple of lenses, bits etc I use the Hadley Digital, which is actually larger than you might think. I also have a Billingham 335, which will fit lots of camera stuff, plus laptop (only just mind you) and plenty of other effects in - used as hand luggage on numerous occasions.

It's a very painful realisation that there appears (for me at least) to never be one bag which will be everything you want it to be - it'll either be too big for times when you want to carry less, or too small when you want to carry more etc etc. I've been through lots of bags - Lowepro, Kata and so on. I like the Billinghams best, but then they appeal to my old fashioned sense of quality and aesthetics.

 

[68lbs]

I can try some permutations later tonight actually, as my wife still has her 13" Macbook knocking around

I'd really appreciate that if you have time.

With regards to alternatives and backpacks... I have a Lowepro backpack, and a couple of Crumpler shoulder bags (Daily + Barnie which I would sell to partially fund the Billingham). I am specifically after a bag for work that looks traditional and classy. If Mulberry made camera bags, that's the sort of style and quality I am after. I don't really need it to hold a lot of stuff other than the MBP on a daily basis, but it would be nice if I could use it on a weekend out with the family if I wanted to take the 5D, but not cart around a whole backpack full of gear.

 

[HoppyUK]

Hadley Pro is really a pretty small bag - camera + lens and another lens is about it apart from bits and bobs. It's very narrow. You can always get loads of stuff in a bag if you pack one thing on top of another, but if you want fast access it's much less.

I went to buy one, and ended up with a Crumpler Muffin Top 7500 instead which I use for walkabout, and a big Billingham 445 for the whole shooting match.

 

[py6km]

Sorry, but I didn't get around to taking some snaps as someone wanted the Macbook smartish over the weekend. I did stick in the H.Pro though, and it's not a great fit to be honest - width wise it's fine, but it protrudes out of the top by an inch or two. You can still do the bag up, but it's a little bit of a stretch. I certainly don't think you'd be able to comfortably get much else in. You could squeeze a GF1 in one of the pockets, and a lens etc in the other, but the 5D wouldn't fit imo. Either of the camera setups would be ok, but the Macbook limits things.