Billingham 307

NickTB

NickTB

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I’m in the market for another bag, and I’m taken by the Billingham range, particularly the 307. Has anyone got/had one that can give a real world experience?

It would need to fit my A7iii, and 24/35/85 Sigma art lenses

Cheers,
Nick
 
As no one else has replied yet and if it helps at all...

I recently bought a Hadley small pro which looks to be a somewhat similar design but smaller than the 307. I'm happy enough with mine but I wish I'd bought something a bit larger not so much for camera gear but for bottles of water and snacks and the like. I went for FibreNyte rather than canvas.

One thing I worried about was if I'd like the quick release strap system rather than a zip but I got used to it no problem and I now quite like the system.
 
Do you think the Ryker would be big enough for an A7x and those three primes Raymond?

I think they'd be a tight to not at all fit for my small pro.
 
woof woof said:
Do you think the Ryker would be big enough for an A7x and those three primes Raymond?

I think they'd be a tight to not at all fit for my small pro.
Click to expand...

I got the smaller one and can fit 2 primes in there, they do a bigger one, but there are also other bags that they make.

Although the Sigma primes are pushing it.
 
I like to have room for food and drink too so I like a bag with a bit more space.

I do like the look of that Ryker though but I'd probably wreck it at the beach, up the hill or in a bramble patch.
 
Thanks for the replies. I should have said the one I have seen is used. I wouldn't buy a brand new one, I have too many other bags to justify that kind of spend! @chris2jz thanks for that, interesting to note it seems smaller than I first thought
 
I have a Hadley Pro and a Hadley Small Pro.

I really like the bags and while they both are quite small they seem to be tardis like in terms of what you can fit in them due the way the bag expands.

The 307 is a bigger bag so would imagine it should fit an A7III and three lenses okay.

The strap on the Billingham bags when fully loaded isn't that comfortable, the usually optional shoulder pad really helps.
 
NickTB said:
I’m in the market for another bag, and I’m taken by the Billingham range, particularly the 307. Has anyone got/had one that can give a real world experience?
Click to expand...

I have the Billingham 445.

The guy who started the Billingham company making their bags, I believe he wanted a camera bag that does not scream "I'm a camera bag full of expensive gear!" because he wanted a bag that looked like it could be full of anything else. I think the story goes that he used a fishing kit bag as a photographic gear bag and that's where he got the idea.

I found my Billingham 445 to be better than my Tamrac photographic bag because whenever I used my Tamrac, a handful of people would ask me "You do photography?" but since switching to the 445, I barely get the odd one or two people asking if I do photography. I had mine for maybe 20 years by now (I lost track) and it is still like new, but of course, that's because I haven't really used it out in the field every day, only once every couple of weeks.

When not using your Billingham bag for photography, you could in theory, take out the cells, and use it as an overnight bag. The Billingham bag looks so great that it could be used for something else.
 
woof woof said:
Do you think the Ryker would be big enough for an A7x and those three primes Raymond?

I think they'd be a tight to not at all fit for my small pro.
Click to expand...

Actually I think I took the 24/35/85 to Taiwan in the Ryker. or the 50 instead of the 35. I have to check the photos but I recall taking photos with the 24mm at Victoria Peak and also 85mm for some portraits and another one for some food photo. It can fit 3 lenses but no hoods and very very snug.

The outer pocket for the passport. That is it.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Actually I think I took the 24/35/85 to Taiwan in the Ryker. or the 50 instead of the 35. I have to check the photos but I recall taking photos with the 24mm at Victoria Peak and also 85mm for some portraits and another one for some food photo. It can fit 3 lenses but no hoods and very very snug.

The outer pocket for the passport. That is it.
Click to expand...

I'd like to avoid bags bulging as if they bulge in my mind that's creating strain and could lead to wear or at least rub marks on the bag or even the kit but Billingham bags seem to be designed to be used stuffed and bulging.

I do fancy a Ryker but as I said in the Sony thread a while back what I'd really like is to have a similar bag made of old leather jackets I have but so far I haven't found anyone interested in doing it for me. Bag makers point me at cobblers and cobblers aren't interested as they say that the issue is that making a bag takes too long and they can make many times the cost of the bag doing other things. It's not as if I've been mean with the money, I've offered them whatever they want but no one seems interested.
 
woof woof said:
I'd like to avoid bags bulging as if they bulge in my mind that's creating strain and could lead to wear or at least rub marks on the bag or even the kit but Billingham bags seem to be designed to be used stuffed and bulging.

I do fancy a Ryker but as I said in the Sony thread a while back what I'd really like is to have a similar bag made of old leather jackets I have but so far I haven't found anyone interested in doing it for me. Bag makers point me at cobblers and cobblers aren't interested as they say that the issue is that making a bag takes too long and they can make many times the cost of the bag doing other things. It's not as if I've been mean with the money, I've offered them whatever they want but no one seems interested.
Click to expand...

It's not bulging, it's snug and require some lenses tetris. o_O
 
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woof woof said:
I do fancy a Ryker but as I said in the Sony thread a while back what I'd really like is to have a similar bag made of old leather jackets I have but so far I haven't found anyone interested in doing it for me. Bag makers point me at cobblers and cobblers aren't interested as they say that the issue is that making a bag takes too long and they can make many times the cost of the bag doing other things. It's not as if I've been mean with the money, I've offered them whatever they want but no one seems interested.
Click to expand...
Have you tried asking a saddler?
 
Ed Sutton said:
Have you tried asking a saddler?
Click to expand...

I haven't... I'd need to find one on line as I can't imagine there are any where I live unless you can recommend someone?

There's an agricultural show here once a year which attracts all sorts of arty types making stuff and selling it but there was no one I could even think about asking last year and I couldn't make it this year. I hope to make it next year and hopefully I may see someone who can and will do it.

Making a bag out of old leather jackets may seem daft when you can get the excellent looking Ryker for a reasonable price but a couple of the jackets are of sentimental value as they were presents and as no one I know is interested in wearing them I just thought that having a bag made from them would be nice, rather than them going in the bin as I don't know if a charity shop would be interested in them as I just don't see people wearing them these days. I got my first when I got my first open car about 36 years ago.

OP.
Soz for hijacking the thread :D
 
I’ve got a brand new 307 which I had forgotten about until this thread!

I mainly use my Hadley Pro small and Hadley One as I prefer a backpack when carrying more kit.

Just had a quick try and I can easily fit my A7Riii with 24GM attached, 135GM and 50 Zeiss. Plenty of room for accessories too.

IMG_5774.JPG
 
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woof woof said:
I haven't... I'd need to find one on line as I can't imagine there are any where I live unless you can recommend someone?

There's an agricultural show here once a year which attracts all sorts of arty types making stuff and selling it but there was no one I could even think about asking last year and I couldn't make it this year. I hope to make it next year and hopefully I may see someone who can and will do it.

Making a bag out of old leather jackets may seem daft when you can get the excellent looking Ryker for a reasonable price but a couple of the jackets are of sentimental value as they were presents and as no one I know is interested in wearing them I just thought that having a bag made from them would be nice, rather than them going in the bin as I don't know if a charity shop would be interested in them as I just don't see people wearing them these days. I got my first when I got my first open car about 36 years ago.

OP.
Soz for hijacking the thread :D
Click to expand...

https://www.facebook.com/john.bailey.77582
Contact John. He is one of the best saddlers in the country.
Tell him Tony Cook recommended him.
 
Shoot Em Up said:
I’ve got a brand new 307 which I had forgotten about until this thread!

I mainly use my Hadley Pro small and Hadley One as I prefer a backpack when carrying more kit.

Just had a quick try and I can easily fit my A7Riii with 24GM attached, 135GM and 50 Zeiss. Plenty of room for accessories too.

View attachment 255577
Click to expand...

That looks exactly what I need. I’m liking the look of that
 
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Done. Don’t know what happened there
 
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