Anyone have any experience with Billingham?

I'm looking for a good shoulder bag to carry my outfit (1 M6, 35 mm Summicron, 75 mm Summilux, 21 mm Elmarit, L-508 Sekonic Zoom meter, about 30-50 rolls of film, universal polarizer) in and I heard good things about Billingham. Particularily the 206 which I am currently interested in but I can't see one up close. Does anyone have any experience with the Billingham line of bags (particularily the 206, 225, 335, or Hadley???) and if not.... can you recommend some bags that are not so photo-obvious and are easy to use (not a chore with fasteners, layout, etc...)

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Thanks.

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John

I use a small Photo-Hadley and am very happy with its design and

construction. The strap and post fasteners for the main flap are easy

to use and, best of all, quiet. However, one person's dream camera

bag is another person's camera bag nightmare. The only thing I have

found to be true is that big bags carry more stuff that I seldom, if

ever, use.

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Cheers

I've got a big-ish Billingham bag, either a 355 or a 455. It

certainly takes two EOS bodies, 3 zooms, a big flashgun, various

attachments, filters, manuals, etc, etc. I lugged it around a tour of

the USA this summer, using it as my carry-on plane luggage, generally

kicking it around on the aircraft floor, and there's not a scratch on

it or the cameras. There are many pockets, flaps, carrying handles,

buckles, etc, etc. It's very traditional in appearance - leather &

brass. Some people think that it doesn't look much like a camera bag

and therefore is possibly safer, but in my view a Billingham bag is

very obviously what it is, and therefore marks out the owner as

someone who's quite likely to have a lot of expensive camera kit, ie

in my view it's possibly riskier.

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Finally, be warned that it's a big, heavy beast on its own, let alone

with cameras in it. I'm actively planning (see thread below) to

switch from EOS to something smaller & lighter - the bag will go when

that happens.

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Oh, there are no tripod straps on it.

I have a 225 bag. It holds my M system well, and the bag is

magnificently padded and waterproofed. It is heavy *empty*, quite

stiff (does not conform to the hip)and there is no provision (short

of using a scissors!) to remove the shoulder strap and replace it

with an Op-Tech SOS strap which really makes a heavy bag feel

lighter. The Billinghams are, IMO, beautiful camera luggage, but

neither the most convenient nor well-executed bags around. There are

bags costing a fraction of the price that are much nicer in use.

To answer a couple of points raised above: Most of the Billinghams do

look like camera bags. The Hadley is an exception. It looks like a

fishing bag. Billinghams are expensive (more so in the US, I

believe), but they will last a lifetime. They are very well made.

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Any camera bag is a compromise between security and ease of use. For

most of the 225 etc series, they have gone for security, so getting

lenses in and out is not as easy as other bags. I don't often carry

much equipment nowadays, and use a backpack when I do, and I love my

Hadley. I bought it years ago, it still looks like new and does

everything I want of it. It will handle most of what you mention

above, with the probable exception of the film.

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Alan