Billingham Hadley

Probably a stupid question but it's always best to ask! I want to buy a

traditional style shoulder camera bag with space for a D200 with 18-70 zoom, a

flash unit and a second telephoto lens. I was looking at the Billingham Haldey

ranges but it is difficult to see if they will carry a camera with the lens

fitted. All the photo's I can see show the camera body fitting very nicely

with lens detached but I want to carry the camera complete to save unecessary

lens changing.

 

Are there any satisfied Haldey owners out there that can advise?

 

Thanks,

David.

My Hadley is the original and partitions are sewn in place. It does not do well with the D220+18/70 with three spaces.

 

The new ones have moveable partitions. Call B&H or the US distribitor RTS and ask to be sure. RTS is 631 242 6801

 

The camera/lens and tele will fit fine. The flash will have to go into a front compartment which are limited in size.

I have a Hadley Large and it will do what you want it to. I routinely have my 5D fitted with a

24-70 2.8 in the bag along with 2 flashes, a 50 1.4, 28 1.8, 100 f2, pocket wizards, 200 2.8,

extra batteries and cards. As the dividers are moveable you have quite a bit of flexibility

depending on your needs. I love this bag.

This is a well-made, sexy camera bag. Very expensive.

I use mine for an RF outfit: 1 X Voight, 4 X smallish lenses,

10-12 X films, 1 X SB22s Flash, batts and cleaning stuff.

 

All of this fits nicely, taking up maybe 2/3 of the bag's volume.

A 2/3rds load capacity for a camera bag is my "rule of thumb".

 

You can probably put the DSLR into the bag and the lenses you mention

but I think the "geometry" of the gear and bag is wrong. And the "chemistry" too.

 

The karma is bad, the fengshue fails and the vibes are disonant.

You will get consistently crappy pictures from any large DSLR

you put into that bag. Also your lens mounts will soften.

 

Think this one over carefully.

I have both the small and the medium Hadleys -- the small holds my D200 with the 80-70 zoom mounted, either a Sigma 10-20mm and an AIS 50mm 1.4 or an AIS 180mm 2.8, plus an SB600 flash. It also fits as an insert into most book or computer packs.

Thanks for your inputs, this has been very helpful. I have invested in a couple of cheaper bags in the past and have never had full satisfaction hence the need for a bit more research this time.

 

I will need to look 'disonant' in the dictionary though!

I think my "disonent" needed another "s". It means "unharmonious". As in "something doesn't go well with something".

 

Take a look at some of the Domke bags: they're canvas (like the Hadley), rugged, utilitarian, and not extremely ugly.

They are not as elegant as the Billinghams and are far less costly.

 

Use the Hadley for your Leica, Expensivagon lenses and Swarovski

binos.

I tried Hadley in a shop and it does fit 20D with 17-85 on it, 70-200f4, 10-22 and 430ex.

Denis