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Gear review: Billingham Hadley Pro


ChrNil49

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Is the Hadley Pro available in FibreNyte?

 

Yes, I have one in FibreNyte. But I don't use mine as a camera bag (I personally think it's much too big for a Leica and its too narrow to fit a FX DSLR.) I bought it to use as an everyday work briefcase. You can take out the padded interior and it's very roomy yet comfortable to carry around all of the time. It's held up really well with lots of use and abuse.

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Coincidentally, I came home with a Hadley Pro two days ago. It comfortably absorbs my M8 and five lenses, along with the usual assortment of ancillary objects. For a leaner kit I've been using a ThinkTank Retrospective 5 for several months. It's not as pretty as the Hadley Pro, but in several ways it's a more efficient bag.

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Yesterday I had to walk 15 minutes under a very heavy rain, with the Hadley Pro hanging from the shoulder. The bag was completely wet on the outside after that (it took a long time 'till the handle was dry), but no drop entered it. What Billingham affirms is true: this bags are made for the british weather!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

very practical bag indeed - had it with me for all my world trip through many countries - just takes all you need: leica body plus 3 lenses, filters, bag with films, lonely planet, wallet, ipod, sunglasses - i even carried some negs that i had developed in Bangkok, though i'd not recommend that as the movements from walking can scratch the negatives.

 

also, I never experienced that it looks way to preppy and "please rob me now, please" - but that might also be because it got a rather used look after a few rough rides in india...

 

though too big for short trips i find, in fact the nice thing about the leica m (analogue) is that this is not very sensitive gear but rather robust and therefore i dont use a bag at all for short trips..

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  • 2 years later...
I love my Hadley Pro. My only complaint is that I bought a black one to be inconspicuous. It is a magnet for dirt and pet hair. I should have gone with a green or khaki bag.

 

So true...the black Billingham bags are most attractive to hair, fluff and lint of all varieties, one of the reasons I have acquired a leather ONA Berlin instead.

 

I often think there really is just too much choice available now, and not just regarding camera bags. I seem to remember back in the "good old days" there

were about three brands of camera bags available (in Australia anyway) they were Domke, Tamrac, Lowepro......all well made bags to last a lifetime. I had a

large Tamrac in a plain dark blue fabric and used it daily for about thirty years, it wore well and didn't attract hair!.

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I use the Hadley Pro insert in a Filson briefcase which is a good solution for a few lenses and my M9-P with lens on. Is this for storage, travel or out shooting ? The reason I ask is sometimes you need more than one bag I do change depending what I'm doing and what I need

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Another use for that mandatory little roll of gaffer tape: a strip wound around your hand sticky-side out makes a great lint-roller substitute :p

 

Good tip, and certainly there are many ways to remove the offending stuff, including some funny little brush-type things designed for the purpose, but the chore becomes very old after a while...or so I found.

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I love my Hadley Pro. My only complaint is that I bought a black one to be inconspicuous. It is a magnet for dirt and pet hair. I should have gone with a green or khaki bag.

You must always get your Billingham bags in the color that most closely matches your pets.

 

Fortunately for me, my golden furred male Great Dane/German Shepherd hybrid is a 100% match for my tan BillHadPro. :D

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  • 3 weeks later...
You must always get your Billingham bags in the color that most closely matches your pets.

 

Fortunately for me, my golden furred male Great Dane/German Shepherd hybrid is a 100% match for my tan BillHadPro. :D

When I bought my Hadley Pro in Khaki the cat matched(ish) but we now have a black cat so I suppose I ought to buy a black one - that said, mine is getting darker as its pretty filthy now and I still haven't figured a way to clean it without damaging the leather:eek:.

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