Deconstructing the Hadleys

A few more thoughts on bags, before we leave that topic (not a usual one for us—normally I don't cover bags):

Most-used bags
Consider that my most important "camera bags" have been these:

• A clear plastic bag I keep folded up and tucked in my back pocket. The current type I use are sold in boxes at the grocery story labeled "Food & Bread Bags," and don't have any sort of closure. A box of them costs a dollar or two. Why these? Just in case I'm caught out in the rain carrying a valuable camera. Stick the bag over the camera, and it stays dry.

• A soiled and well-worn brown craft-paper grocery sack of the type you can still get at most any non-specialty grocery store. When I was photographing in D.C., half for freelance and half for art, I'd keep my camera in this old grocery bag sitting in plain view on the front seat of my ratty '87(?) Mazda 323. Thieves will seldom break into a car to see what's in a soiled old grocery sack with the top rolled closed. Some trash strewn about the interior of the car helped fortify the ambiance of total worthlessness*.

Padding
An important point, brought up by a commenter: cheaper cameras need better bags. Cheap cameras are frail and delicate. Top pro Nikons, by contrast, are made to stand up to wars, literally. You just don't need a lot of padding for a Leica—they are built to be very tough, and will be just fine in a lightly padded bag. That's part of why they make you pay the big bucks. People only baby Leicas because they paid a lot of money for them and they're being solicitous of their investment, not because the cameras demand or require babying. It's actually not even appropriate. Sling the thing over your shoulder and go.

(Note: The above opinion might be out of date, a holdover from the era of the F4 and M6. Caveat emptor.)

Deconstructing the Hadleys
As I get into the minutiae of Billinghams, it becomes evident that there is not one model called a Hadley, there are three: the Hadley Small, the Hadley Pro, and the Hadley Large. And also a much smaller bag called the Hadley Digital, which I'll leave aside.

Hadley Small

• The Hadley Small (i.e., the plain old Hadley—but not "the Original," which is no longer made) is 10 1/4 x 2 3/4 x 7 1/4 on the inside (all these measurements are WxDxH, in inches) and weighs 1.5 lbs. $232 at B&H.

Hadley Pro

• The Hadley Pro has interior dimensions of 13 x 3 x 9—that is, quite a bit wider, slightly deeper, and almost two inches taller than the Small. It has several added features including a zippered waterproof slot for papers on the body side, the ability to add pouches on the ends, and most especially a reinforced top handle. The weight is increased to two and a quarter pounds. All that will cost you $50 more.

Hadley Large

• The Hadley Large has interior dimensions of 14 x 2 3/4 x 10—that is, even a little bigger than the Hadley Pro, one inch wider and one inch taller, albeit just a smidge less deep. It omits the special features of the Pro but weighs the same. Costs just a touch less than the Pro.

Pace Jason in the comments yesterday, be careful which color you buy, because these things last and last.

Oh, and for that last reason, these are probably not good bags to buy if you like buying lots of bags on an ongoing basis. One of their main advantages is longevity, and long use is the only thing that will make the high initial outlay sensible. So if you like to buy bags like clothing, constantly switching and swapping and changing styles, a Billingham probably isn't the thing. It's really only for you if you're the type to keep something a long time.

I recommend the Hadley Pro, as I find myself using the top handle a lot with my old bag.

When the rain comes
I'll tell you why I'm not interested in the Think Tank Retrospective: it has a rain cover. That is, it has a bag that you're supposed to put the bag into when it rains. To me, this violates Occam's Razor. The bag should be the bag. It shouldn't need to go into yet another bag.

But then, Santa's flying reindeer always bugged me. Why not just have the sleigh fly? Then you don't need flying reindeer. When you're inventing imaginary motive power, why imagine more than is necessary? I dislike redundancy.

All I can envision as I watch this is myself becoming very frustrated and annoyed as I struggle with the rain cover following a sudden cloudburst, as I and my expensive bag get wetter and wetter. As Oren might say, "bah."

Contents
An important item to put into a camera bag: A checklist of everything that goes into the camera bag.

Principle
Oh, and by the way: unless you're a pro—if you're a hobbyist photographer photographing for fun or art or interest: I'd recommend as a guiding principle that you should never carry, and probably not even own, more gear than you can fit into a Billingham Hadley Pro or a Think Tank Retrospective 7.

If you have more gear than that, change your gear, not your bag.

Oh, well, okay, that advice won't suit everybody. And shouldn't. We are a larger community than can be fitted by one such general rule; we are all up to very different things. Not everyone is like me. And you are perfectly able to make your own decisions in this regard.

But anyway, think about it.

Mike
(Thanks to CarstenW, who found the video for me)

*For the same reason, photographer-themed vanity plates are a very bad idea. When there is expensive equipment in the car, never advertise that there might be expensive equipment in the car.

Original contents copyright 2013 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

TOP's links!

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

David: "Plastic bag. I do the same thing. Though, last week I was caught on a beach (Lake Michigan) in a sudden and lasting downpour during a long photo walk...didn't have my plastic bag, just my camera. I put it under my shirt and under my arm...soon getting soaked, so I walked up to the 'garbage line' on the beach...where stuff gets washed up by the wave line. Started scouring for plastic pags or old mylar balloons, of which there are plenty...found some plastic, shook it off, wrapped my camera in my shirt to keep sand from the bag off of it, and wrapped the shirt and camera in the plastic. Worked fine. Soon realized that the bag smelled like a fish had died and rotted in it. Who cares? My camera was dry and I enjoyed a long walk in the rain after I adjusted my brain set to 'you're walking in a downpour that won't stop, deal with it and enjoy yourself.' Name of bag...dunno...the Alewife?? WAHOOOOOOOOOO! I always try to pick one lens for what I'm working on and try to never carry a bag.

Øyvind Hansen (partial comment): "The main problem with Billingham products is that they really need to be broken in. When new they look a bit stiff. With age they only become nicer and more alive, much like many other quality items that lasts a lifetime, like fine leather shoes, mechanical cameras and wooden musical instruments."

psu: "Re your principle that you should never carry more gear than you can fit into a Hadley or a Retrospective 7: Indeed. Back in the day I had this rule for the Domke F6 (or 803).

"I considered buying a Hadley this year for my Oympus kit. But I decided that the bag just looked too fussy. Too many buckles and doodads and flaps and things. I bought the American hipster version of the bag instead. A tiny bit cheaper. A bit more straightforward. I still find it too heavy compared to the Domkes."

Mike replies: Your comment makes me wonder if everyone understands the reason for the "buckles and doodads." I might be wrongly assuming it's obvious just because it's obvious to me after using it for a quarter of a century.

They're purely functional and quite brilliant (I do think they come from much older tech, saddlery probably; and there must be a proper name for it, although I don't know what it is).

You set the desired degree of "tightness" or "looseness" of the top flap using the buckle. But you don't undo the buckle to get the top flap open or to securely close it. At the top end of the strap, there's a hole with a wide and a narrow end. That fits over a metal stud with a sort of knob or head on it. The stud goes through the wide end of the hole easily, but when tightened down to the narrow end—as shown above—the strap won't come off the stud. And of course any upward pressure on the top flap pulls the metal stud and the narrow end of the hole in the strap together.

It works very well—a sort of very early quick-release system. You don't use the buckles on an ongoing basis. On mine, it's been years since I've touched the buckles.

Mike Stone: "I assisted the rather eccentric Jane Bown on a shoot for the Observer in London back in the late '80s. She arrived at the studio with her entire kit in a supermarket plastic carrier bag, two OM-1 bodies, a 50mm and an 85mm all wrapped in old tea towels."

Mike replies: I love Jane Bown. One of my favorite photographers....

Slummingangel (partial comment): "Women and shoes, men and camera bags. This is a sweet and funny series on male Imeldas! Sadly, though, nobody's mentioned beauty as a criterion for bags, just as almost nobody mentions beauty in policy-making or beauty in health care. But it's an important standard, maybe as important as functionality. Jonny Ives, Apple's great designer, said at Steve Jobs's memorial service that Steve's life represented 'a victory for beauty.' Even the fine Billinghams are stolid looking and leagues away from beauty."

Robbie: "The Retrospective series fabrics are stil very water resistant. I've walked for hours in rain and sleet without rain over and the contents have stayed perfectly dry. It is laminated with an impermeable later and DWR coated I think, at least the green and blue colors are. The black is a natural canvas and may be less resistant. I leave my rain cover at home without worry."

Comments

[Doug Kaye]

I've been enjoying your bag-review posts, Mike. Here's a brief look at my Hadley Pro and what I managed to squeeze into it for a trip to Turkey: http://goo.gl/SEJZV

[Nice post, Doug, and very interesting to see what a Hadley Pro holds. Thanks. --Mike]

[Alex]

For those wishing to explore non-camera bags, I'd suggest taking a look at the Op/Tech website. All their products are available direct, not just through dealers, and they've got steep discounts on factory seconds. I can highly recommend their Soft Wraps: a square of padded material with velcro patches on the corners to hold it closed. It doesn't offer the speed of a traditional camera bag, but my D80 lived in one for six years while it rattled around in backpacks, waistpacks, and messenger bags...and I was able to sell it as EXC+. Op/Tech also makes a huge variety of neoprene slipcases, which is what I use for my Panasonic G3. Prices are quite reasonable, and much of the stuff is US made.

Crumpler makes some nice inserts; my wife bought one of the Havens for stuffing into whichever backpack she's hiking with.

For the real cheapskate, head over to your local fabric store and track down what's called "headliner fabric", which is a centimeter of open-cell foam with fuzzy polyester bonded to it. Sew together a box and you've got a bag insert to match whatever your favorite bag might be.

[Dennis]

Now yesterday, I was intrigued by all that you wrote about Billinghams. Now I see that only one of three Hadley models has a carry handle ? This does not strike me as thoughtful design. A carry handle is something I appreciate on even the tiniest bag I own (a little Lowepro used for NEX) as well as the slightly large Kata Access.

Anyway, take a look here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24560/24560-h/24560-h.htm#Page_45

- Dennis

[Marc Gibeault]

Well... as I read this series and the comments, the more I think I found the perfect bag; all the pros and a low price...
http://shop.lomography.com/ca/accessories/fashion/bags/sidekick-tpe-bag-lite
It maybe not as theft-deterrent as the paper bag though.

[David Bostedo]

Walking around Rio de Janeiro a few years ago, and a little worried about the street crime in certain areas, I carried my camera in a plain blue plastic bag I got at a local convenience store. That gave me a lot more piece of mind than any padded camera bag would have.

[Øyvind Hansen]

We think alike, Mike. Great point about the rainproofness.The Bilingham Hadley is a very comfortable, beautifully made, probably everlasting bag. I have two, Hadley Small and Pro in black-on-black. The small is great for carrying a mirrorless system around town, while the pro is great for travelling - it can also hold a small laptop between the insert and the shell (though the bag won't mould as nicely to the body in that case). And it looks stylish in an understated, gentlemanly manner, the way a nylon bag never will..

The main problem with Billinghams product is that they really need to be broken in. When new they look a bit stiff. With age they only become nicer and more alive, much like many other quality items that lasts a lifetime, like fine leather shoes, mechanical cameras and wooden musical instruments.

[Chris]

I used to know a photographer that used a baby diaper bag for his gear. His theorey was that very few would be thieves would have much interest in a diaper bag.

[Ken James]

I am never, ever, without a "Food and Bread" bag in my back pocket, usually several. People think I am nuts because I keep expounding on their virtues. I hate the stiff zippy lock things. I was totally thrilled to see you mention them.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

Instead of a plastic bag, I carry a shower cap (from a hotel somewhere or other a decade or two ago). The elastic around the base makes it fairly secure when placed over the camera from the top for extreme rain, and can instead be placed around the lens (leaving the lens sticking out but the rest of the camera covered) for moderate rain if something interesting enough to wet my equipment is going on out there. (Real photojournalists would of course have to deal with that a lot more than me!)

I don't think I've had a small enough collection of equipment to put in one of those specified bags since probably about 1982, personally, and I'm pretty amateur (back in the 1980s I did some batches of semi-pro work, and just a bit now and then more recently; back in college is was kind of a "pro" photojournalist for the alumni publications office). What's in my big bag now: D700+grip, 24-70/2.8, 70-200/2.8, Sigma 12-24, SB800 flash, 1.4x extender, Pelang 8mm fisheye. Plus spare batteries, memory cards, lens cleaners, remote radio release, polarizer, flashlight, pens, notebook, the usual cruft. That's about full, certainly for working configuration. What's not in the bag off the top of my head: Sigma 120-400, Nikon 135/2 DC, Nikon 85/1.8, Nikon 50/1.8 AIS, Nikon 35/2 AIS, Nikon 24/2 AIS, Soligor 500/8. I could certainly live without the manual focus lenses and the 500 mirror, though it's nice to have the small fast lenses for a few situations. And of course what this *doesn't* have is a spare body. Just the lenses that aren't currently in the bag will fill another pretty good-sized bag. I may have had more equipment at some points, when I had multiple bodies and more prime lenses. And I've used all of those lenses (that I didn't already agree were not required) for things I'd miss in the last six months. Also I have things for my Micro 4:3 system that I don't have for the Nikon, a macro lens and a full-frame fisheye, that I've used even more recently.

So I think your gear recommendations are unreasonably limiting, at least for my photography.

[ginsbu]

Those interested in the Hadleys might also want to look at Billingham's fStop series. The 1.4 is similar in size to the Hadley Pro, but slightly deeper and less tall, possible making it a better fit for those finding the Hadley too slim for their gear. The 2.8 is the same except a few inches narrower. Both take AVEA pouches and are available in the extremely handsome Khaki FibreNyte / chocolate leather combination. They lack the Hadleys' fully removable insert, however.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

Carry handles: Yeah, my Crumpler 4 million dollar home (my full-time carry kit where the Micro Four Thirds gear lives) doesn't have a carry handle, and even on a tiny light bag like that I miss it. I end up grabbing it by the bag ends of the straps pretty often.

Personal peeve: Top zipper. Hate zippers on bags. It might be acceptable as a security measure that you aren't expected to touch when actually working, but the bag has to be reasonably rain-resistant without the zipper closed; you use the bag in the rain sometimes! And there must be a flap that goes over the top of the bag and down the front, wide enough to really protect the top. Ideally it should velcro in place, and then have actual fasteners for more secure carry (even the velcro is often enough to avoid dumping the contents). The velcro noise can very occasionally be a down-side, so a silencer scheme is useful. You can improvise your own if the bag doesn't have one, though. My current big bag, which I can't afford to replace, fails two of these, and it's been even more of a problem than I had expected (I've been having trouble finding a bag that works for modern pro-size bodies and lenses, everything is too small!).

[RobinP]

All this talk of "expensive when new" and "start off being too stiff but nice when worn in" has put me in mind of something completely off topic that will be dear to the hearts of a few folks here......bicycle saddle bags by Carradice of Nelson.
Years ago I crossed Spain north to south with my Pentax Super A and two lenses safely carried in a Carradice handlebar bag (so not quite off topic).

[Hugh Smith]

"A soiled and well-worn brown craft-paper grocery sack of the type you can still get at most any non-specialty grocery store. When I was photographing in D.C."
I first got this idea after seeing David Hemmings in "Blowup." In the bathroom scene he is putting his Nikon in a paper bag...
Works really well.

[slummingangel]

Women and shoes, men and camera bags. This is a sweet and funny series on male Imeldas! Sadly, though, nobody's mentioned beauty as a criterion for bags, just as almost nobody mentions beauty in policy-making or beauty in health care. But it's an important standard, maybe as important as functionality. Jonny Ives, Apple's great designer, said at Steve Jobs's memorial service that Steve's life represented "a victory for beauty." Even the fine Billinghams are stolid looking and leagues away from beauty. Fogg bags come closest to being beautiful. I have an old Fogg butterflied backpack. Not sure they are made anymore. It's a lightweight bag, lean on padding, rain repellent, and discreet. The only thing wrong with it is that it costs an arm and a leg. And yes, it's beautiful in its utter simplicity--wonderful to look at and terrific tactility. It has all the materials of a Billingham, but put together in a balanced and pleasing way. I can't help but wonder, what if you'd asked a woman to write about camera bags? She'd likely have a completely different vocabulary for what is passable vs superb, useful vs pleasurable.

[Stephen Scharf]

Just a coupla points:

Pro Canon 1D-series bodies are also built to literally stand up to wars, not just Nikons. In fact, I've never seen a Canon 1D body cracked through the frame. Nikon D2/D3's, yes, Canon 1-D's, no. (Doesn't mean they couldn't be, though.)

I'll stick to my Think Tank Retrospectives, thank you very much (I plan to buy a Retro 7 or 10 in the near future). I dunno, Billinghams camera bags and Belstaff motorcycle jackets; I'll pass. Just too old school British design for this kid.

As you point out, though, everyone has different needs, and therefore, different requirements.

And that's okay....

[Roger Overall]

I remember buying a Billingham 225 just before heading to Fiji on a six month research trip many years ago. I had long wanted. Craved even. To me, a Billingham made me more of a photographer than any camera ever could. I was young - what can I say?

In Fiji, I stayed with a family in a remote village while I did my research. They approved of the bag. They asked how much it cost.

"A lot," I mumbled uncomfortably.

In fact, it was more than many of these wonderfully generous people could earn in a month from a 9 to 5 job in the capital.

And, of course, it didn't make me any better a photographer.

[Jeff]

I laughed when I read your Think Tank rain bag comments, as I watched the same video and had exactly the same reaction. Especially in the digital world, protection from the elements IS often the reason to have a bag in the first place. Our cameras are computers now, and rain isn't a friend unless weather sealing is adequate, for camera and lens.

By the way, here's the video:

http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/retrospective-10-black-shoulder-bag.aspx

With respect to your last principle, I find your comments mostly relevant in the digital realm. In my film days, it was different bags for 35mm, medium and large format. Now it's almost silly to carry huge bags, as quality increasingly comes in small packages.

I do, however, make an exception for extended travel, when a big bag stores everything (on the plane or other transport), and a smaller bag is packed for smaller distances after arrival. For taking pics, unless it's bad weather, I prefer just slinging the camera over my shoulder and maybe having an extra lens in a pocket or belt pouch.

[CarstenW]

Here is a video showing how to attach the rain cover. I found by searching for "kind:video think tank rain":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2_FkqpWvv0

That Hadley Pro does look sweet... Definitely black on black.

[JW]

Good advice on the vanity plates. Same goes for stickers on a car, although it's not something you see much in the photo community. It is very prevalent in my other hobby, flyfishing, and the guys who cover their back window in stickers advertising expensive brands are just asking for trouble.

[Jonathan]

An effective waterproof expedient is two ziplocs, one sealed within the other. (Caveats: use fresh, freezer-thickness ziplocs and don't rely on this setup for snorkeling with your M9.)

[Carsten Bockermann]

>>...why I'm not interested in the Think Tank Retrospective: it has a rain cover. That is, it has a bag that you're supposed to put the bag into when it rains

Truer words were never spoken. I never understood that principle. It reminds me of bananas at the grocery store that are sold in sealed plastic bags. Hey, the yellow stuff around the banana IS the package!

[[email protected]]

My Lowepro Bag carries cameras.
My Billingham Bag carries a patina.

[Dogman]

Speaking of Leicas and non-padded bags, anyone here ever used the old Leica bag? I've had a couple of them, owned them both before I ever owned a Leica. I used them with Nikon F and F2 cameras and lenses. I think they might still be in the attic somewhere, all moldy and beat to hell.

Talk about minimalist, they had no padding and no internal compartments just a couple of pieces of cloth material inside that you could use to separate equipment. If memory serves, they were somewhere in the size range of the Hadleys. The two I owned were distinctly different in material--the first one was made of a tightly woven fabric and it was tan in color whereas the second was of a looser weave fabric and was a gawdawful burgundy color. They were fairly inexpensive at the time but I think the Domkes were more practical and cost a little less.

[Manuel]

Re. the Think Tank Retrospective video: by the time you've stopped fiddling with the rain cover you'll be soaked to your bones. And so will be the gear.
Is the photographic community alien to the concept of 'umbrella'? I know it's a recent invention that remains largely unknown, and it's not very practical to hold one while photographing, but...

[Robert Harshman]

Tinted windows, a old black sheet to cover the gear/bags and as already stated, not keeping the front seats too clean has so far kept my gear safe when left in a car. And of course waiting for no one around you when pulling gear out.

[Richard P]

I've used a Hadley Pro for years. It is the best bag I've ever owned and probably will ever own. Short of using a brown paper bag, it's the least camera bag-like thing you can get, certainly more discrete than any one of the thousands of Lowepro iterations.
I love my Hadley so much I wrote a review for my photography group because I wouldn't shutup about it!
http://silvermine.org.au/2013/01/anatomy-of-a-camera-bag/

[Edd Fuller]

When I bought my first (used) SLR in 1970, I used a plastic diaper bag to carry my camera and small assortment of gear. It worked well--light, waterproof and capacious. It was all I could afford, and besides, in the entire history of crime, no one has ever stolen a diaper bag.

[Bill Pierce]

“Thieves will seldom break into a car to see what's in a soiled old grocery sack with the top rolled closed.”

I like a dog food (kibble) bag, a little heavier duty...

[psu]

I do understand why they make the buckles the way they do. I just feel like they'd get in my way. Same for the extra "flap" of padding at the top of the insert.

FWIW, the buckles on the Ona are actually little magnetic latches. As with the Billingham, the belt buckle itself is only used to adjust the tightness.

I actually never close them, the flap stays closed pretty well on its own. I hardly ever used to buckle my Domkes shut either.

[Patrick Perez]

Mike said "I dislike redundancy."

You can say that again!

Patrick

[Gato]

A pet gripe of mine - carry handles attached to the top of the bag, so you have to latch the top to use the handle. And if you get careless with some of these bags you can even dump your gear on the ground. The carry handle on my Domke clips to the strap rings and can be picked up with the top loose.

Since it keeps coming up, I know the Billingham leather is functional, but it just looks so much like the phoney fasteners on many non-functional bags.

[Blake]

>Speaking of Leicas and non-padded bags, anyone here ever used the old Leica bag? I've had a couple of them, owned them both before I ever owned a Leica. I used them with Nikon F and F2 cameras and lenses. I think they might still be in the attic somewhere, all moldy and beat to hell.>

I bought one of those back in about 1978. It was NOT a very good camera bag, but...my 15 year old daughter uses it for a purse now. It's still going strong,even though a little ratty looking. It's her "vintage hipster bag".
I liked the TYPE of bag that it was though, so now I use a Hadley Pro and really like it.

[Gordon Brown]

Dogman asked: "Speaking of Leicas and non-padded bags, anyone here ever used the old Leica bag?"

I still use my tan Leica bag that dates to the mid 1970s. My wife at the time used another Leica bag to carry her oboe and reed-making tools.

About a year ago, I saw two of the tan Leica bags on eBay. Both were listed as buy it now; one for $200 and one for $400. I don't know if they found buyers.

[John Camp]

There are reasons for not having a waterproof bag. Have you ever tried to dry one out, after the water gets inside, as it will? (You put a wet camera in the bag, and you've now got water inside -- and it will quickly be thoroughly dispersed inside.) The bag needs to breath. And quite frankly, if you can't pull the waterproof cover over a Retrospective, you can't operate a camera, either. My top estimate in learning how to do this is four seconds. If it takes longer than that, my friend, you have more serious problems to deal with than how to keep your camera dry...Pulling this cover over the bag is just another way to do what you were talking about when you said you carry a plastic bag in your pocket. Instead of using the plastic bag to cover the camera, you cover the whole camera bag.

Waterproofing a bag is also more complicated than a cover, which is basically just a plastic sack; trying to waterproof a large bag means additional weight and additional complication, and usually doesn't work all that well anyway...which you will find out only when all of your gear gets wet.

This principle of a rain cover, by the way, is used in most modern tents. The tent itself isn't waterproof -- there's an additional fly, which is rigged over the tent, to keep the rain out, with a two or three-inch space between the fly and the roof of the tent. The only part of the tent that's waterproofed is the floor and a few inches along the bottom of the sides. That way, the moisture inside (caused by your breathing) won't wind up condensing inside the tent and getting everything wet.

[Melissa]

I like the Hadleys, they are nice, but I'm sticking with my paper bag it works. Great to hear all these reviews of the bags though.

[Stan B.]

The whole thing with a Billingham is that it is such a major fashion statement unto itself that you then must make way for the entire wardrobe, incl: a tweed jacket, an English driving cap, Oxfords, and a proper brolly.

Otherwise, there's really no sense being seen with one...

[Ed]

http://www.moonsphoto.com/blog/2012/09/17/canon-1dx-cracked-open/

Look at this Steven.......nothing that men has made is indistructable given the right amount of Murphy Magic.

Greets, Ed.

[n r von staden]

I come from using a long line of bags....Swiss army gas mask bags were the first in the early 70's to a couple of custom made bags from a UPI photographer Alex Parsons to Domke's F1's,Crumpers, and Think Tank's...One thing they all had in them was a Large plastic garbage bag....It fit on the bottom with hardly a notice, until the heavens opened up and in about 20 second it was a raincoat over all of me and the cameras..quickly punching the three holes needed. Also it was good if you needed to get down in the dirt for a low angle or a changing bag when a film jammed or broke off the spool.

[Len Salem]

Quite a few years ago I had my perfect camera bag. At the time I was a salesman in a shop in London when a women came in carrying an almost exact copy of one of the smaller Billingham bags. The main difference was that it was somewhat smaller than a 225 and was made of a black rubberised material. It had real leather piping, brass work, similar straps etc. I knew it would be a perfect bag for my Nikon FM2n, 3 lenses, exposure meter, small flash, paper back novel, tickets etc which I afterwards found all fitted in. It was perfect because it was lighter than the Billingham and less bulky to carry because the fabric molded itself to the contents more easily. The second time this customer came into the shop I asked her where she got the bag from. Brazil, she said, which was in fact where she mostly lived although she came to London every now and again. If you would really like one, she said, I will buy you one and bring it in for you when I come back to London next year and you can pay me for it. I asked how much she paid for her bag? £30 she said. I'll tell you what , I said, there's a bag shop over the road. Here's £30, go and buy yourself any bag you like and give me the bag your wearing now. Much to my surprise she said ok and that's how I got my perfect bag. I used it for about 20 years until the strap had frayed so much that it was no longer safe . Not Billingham quality but better for me because of its lightness and lack of bulk. I wish I could buy another but I've never found one like it.

[Richard Tugwell]

I'll second the Hadley Pro's inclusion of a hand grip. This didn't feature in my criteria when I bought the bag, but now I wonder how I could manage without it. And when using other bags without one, I constantly find myself frustrated when grasping for it. Messenger type bags are the main culprits. Why is it so useful? I've no idea. Maybe it has something to do with using the bag as an urban shooting bag, where the day is a constant succession of cafe's, bars, benches, public transport etc. Somehow it isn't quite so easy to pick it up with the shoulder strap. Sounds crazy I know.

These days the Hadley Pro is the largest bag that I feel comfortable stressing my shoulder with when filled to capacity.

[Steve Jacob]

Personally I have never found a Billingham that actually seems to fit what I want to carry (too big, small, deep, narrow....) and I don't care if they last forever if I have to match my gear to the bag or buy multiple £250+ bags.

I even shied away from the ThinkTank Retrospectives as well. I really can't see the value in wasting money on a dedicated camera shoulder bag when the average urban man-bag is a fraction of the price, has similar utility and looks totally un-remarkable these days. They don't scream "expensive camera" when you wear one either.

My favourite is the Troop Classic Messenger

Check out the price, weight, storage, expanding width and waterproof liner as well as all the external pockets. I should add I have three of these (one this colour, one darker and one grey all in different sizes) and I never paid more than £25 for one (on Camden market) though the ones I got had no laptop sleeve (don't need one).

Two Domke inserts (perfect fit) are great for one or two Fuji X bodies with lenses, or one body plus 2-3 lenses, or a body plus Gorillapod (and by association the same combinations of PENs, OMDs, NEX etc.). Leaves plenty of room in the outer pockets for accessories, a tablet, phone, brolly and even a water bottle.

For the D800 I just use a light jacket as a "floor". The bags provide plenty of protection, but you can also slide some bubble wrap or foam liner into the outside flap and rear pocket.

The oldest is going strong after 10 years and has nicely softened up and looks well used, but it completely intact and still gets daily use. So for the price of one Billingham I'm set for at least 100 years of bag ownership, but with bags to fit all occasions.

They will survive an hour of drizzle but since I take a poncho or small umbrella if heavy rain is expected (that covers me and the bag) I don't worry that much about waterproofing.

They also don't take up much room if you want to shove one in your luggage and use a roller bag for travelling.

However my one concession to Billingham was to purchase one of their excellent shoulder pads. The tan one is a perfect match for this bag.

So my solution is a combination of Troop, Domke and Billingham, but I am more than happy with the quality and utility of the end result, and although the inserts and pad are not cheap, they can be used with multiple bags.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

I echo Robbie's and JC's remarks re: the Think Tank rain covers. They're only needed for protection from serious sustained drenching. The Reospectives will keep your jewels very dry during rainy strolls or wet snow. JCs comment about the trouble with truly waterproof bags is a good one; they never dry out once wetted.

But, really, how many amateur snappers go out in inclement weather? Really.

[Steve Jacob]

When someone defines a repeatable standard for waterproofness, then we will know if it's worth spending the money....

[Chris Lucianu]

Spoilsport visiting again.

1. The "tough-as-nails-you-could-even-use-them-for-a-hammer" legend about film M Leicas is mainly that — a legend. Sure, they were more robust and durable than most other cameras. But I've witnessed at close quarters how banging them around in an unpadded bag could ruin them. Back in the molten lead Linotype era, the honcho fotografico at one of the newspapers I worked for had a habit of dumping his Leica M4-P and assorted lenses, with nothing more than thin chamois wraps around them, in an unpadded leather bag. A couple of years later I was offered to buy the lot. Finder and focusing were badly misaligned, the body and the lenses were dented, some lenses were badly decentered. A patient Leica technician cautioned me against the frequent confusion between heavy duty and abuse: Leicas were built for the former; foregoing sensible padding in transport was clearly the latter.

2. One aspect of Hadleys has not been discussed here: oh, heresy, they are also available in a synthetic fibre version (tradename "FibreNyte") as well as the traditional canvas. I have not been able to ascertain the chemical composition of "FibreNyte", although Billingham is forthright in describing its waterproofing: the fabric is bonded with butyl rubber to a polyester lining. FibreNyte is described as combining a soft touch with high abrasion resistance. Softness was less of selling point for the synthetic material used by Billingham before 2006, which was nytex (a ballistic nylon fabric lined with polyurethane); and before that, until 1986, classic cordura.
So why does Billingham sidetrack its conventional "natural" materials with synthetics? Without inside knowledge, and based on my very limited experience with loaned Hadleys (I've never owned one), I see four potential advantages: superior waterproofing, superior abrasion resistance, superior fabric dye stability, weight reduction; in that order.

3. Waterproofing is an applied science as well as an art. Unless I'm assured that the waterproofing lining of synthetic fabric does not exude plasticizers, or that natural fibre canvas is free of solvents from impermeabilising oils or waxes, I'll take a removable rain cover à la Think Tank any day. It is far more sensible and less obnoxious.

[psu]

"But, really, how many amateur snappers go out in inclement weather? Really."

Truth.

Whenever the Internet fora go overboard worrying about things like this, or "weather sealing" in cameras, or how plasticky cameras have become, I think of this classic thread in photo.net.

http://photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00LE7S

Start reading at around "Some where around 15-20 times per weekend, "...

[Patrick S]

I just figured out a bargain $20 camera bag: I bought a Husky big-mouth tool bag (http://www.amazon.com/Husky-18-in-Tool-BAG/dp/B008XMIEFA) at Home Depot, stuck in the removable insert from my Kata backpack, and swapped the included strap for a heavier-duty strap from a computer bag. I had easy access to my lenses in the field this morning - swapping back and forth between macro and telephoto - and didn't mind setting it down in the mud. If I'd done that with my backpack, I'd have muddy straps, and my Crumpler $5 Million Bag would have tipped over. With the top zipper, I wouldn't trust it in the rain, but then I wouldn't be swapping lenses in a downpour, either.

Contents: camera with lens, two extra lenses, flash plus cord, filters, Giotto blower, LensPen, remote trigger, reflector/diffuser, collapsible softbox for my flash, and water bottle.

[Henry Richardson]

Did you see these cool abuse videos (part 1 & 2) that really go after Nikon and Canon DSLRs (plastic ones with plastic lenses)?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1tTBncIsm8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWzsXeXCwuc

:-)

[robin]

You guys are either way too fussy or way too rich. I use a generic canvas bag I bought on the internets and provide additional structure with a bit of folded cardboard. I've taped bubble wrap on this, so three sides of the interior are padded. Works super fine.