will_staples2 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 I would like to get a new Billingham bag for my M6 and 35mm lens. At the moment, I just have one body and one lens but I would like the bag to fit two lenses. Would the Billingham Small Hadley or Billingham L2 be a better choice? Thanks,Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben z Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 I've got an Alice which was the old name of the L2. It is more than enough room for an M6 and 2 lenses. I last used mine at the LHSA event in Williamsburg, I had in it 2 M bodies with bottom halves of ERC cases on them, 35 and 50 Summicrons, 90 Tele-Elmarit (the fatter one), 15mm Voitlander plus finder, and a small Vivitar flash. What I like about the Alice/A2 is it has a leather reinforced bottom and sides, like the Photo Eventer I use for my R8 outfit. I got the Alice for less than $100 and the Eventer for not much over that, both in 10 condition from B&H (I guess they were floor samples). Otherwise pretty as they are I'd never pay what they normally go for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolfe_tessem Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 I've learned from experience not to get a bag that doesn't have a top handle. With Billingham, that means the Hadley Pro, which is a very nice bag but may be larger than what you are looking for. On the other hand, bag contents have an unfortunate way of expanding to fit space available :-). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_woo3 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Will, Billingham has made a bag specially for Leica. It fits a M body with lens attached and also 2 others lenses. Size is not big and it's pleasure to carry around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olivier_reichenbach Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 I'll second John Woo for the Leica Billingham. Quality everywhere, and just the perfect size. But... no top handle. Yes, it IS irritating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wai_leong_lee Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 The small is adequate for your setup. Frankly, even a fanny pack would be sufficient if you carried your film in your pockets. However, if you want some room to grow, you can consider a Hadley or Hadley Pro, which are just marginally bigger on the outside, but give you the ability to carry two bodies + 3 lenses or one body + 5 lenses or accessories like filters, flash, film, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
back_alley_. Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 take a look at their s3 bag, very nice, small, will hold one body w/ lens attached and another lens. also a bit of film and a meter. joe<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godfrey Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 I was interested in a Billingham after recommendation from another photographer friend and looked at the Leica M System Combination vs the L2 "Alice". They're fairly similar in size, but the L2 has more room, better rain gusseting, and does not have the separate zipper on the front pocket. I found its wider top opening and larger front pocket, along with a nice thin back pocket, much more to my liking. It will easily fit a Leica M camera and two/three lenses as well as a goodly assortment of other small gear and film. The Small Hadley is a completely different shape and a larger bag, probably larger than you need. It's quite similar to the Domke F803 Camera Satchel which has been a favorite amongst Leica M users for a long while. The Hadley Small or F803 will easily handle two M bodies with attached lens and two additional lenses as well as a ton of accessories. For those who must have a top handle on the L2, it's easy to make one. Just take a strip of 3/8" cloth webbing, like the shoulder strap only narrower, and thread it through the slip- on accessory pouch slots in the leather patches on the sides, diagonally. Cut it to a convenient length for a nice handle that doesn't get in the way of the shoulder strap or top cover, then secure the ends by either fitting them with a snap (to fold up over the leather and snap onto itself) or a sliding buckle. Easy, very convenient, and easily removable too. Godfrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron_so Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 2 bodies, 4 lenses, 4 rolls of films + gadgets = hadley pro 1 body, 1-2 lens + gadgets = crumpler sporty guy 2.8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jati_lindsay Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 theres also that bag that i guess is supposed to be for a leica, that pretty much will only hold one camera, and maybe a lens. they have them at tamarkin in new york. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david j.lee Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 will, if money is not an issue,check the fogg b-sharp first. i have it, as well as a small hadley,a regular hadley and an alice. if i had to choose one, the fogg would stay. and it has a top handle! http://www.foggspecialistbags.com/b-sharp.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_neuthaler Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Rolfe is right-on. I've had them all, I'm sorry to say, & the Lowepros with their top handles et. al. are the best in every way. Billinghams, IMHO, are pretty, English looking but too fat & too small! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprouty Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 <I>."...pretty, English looking but too fat & too small!"</I> <P> For a minute there I thought you were talking about my last girlfriend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben z Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Down toward the bottom of this thread I posted a couple comparison shots of the Billingham Alice/A2 to my small Lowepro 100AW and a Domke F5Xb: <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=007u6C">link</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob haight Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Nice, I have a few, but really scream, "look at me" and "steal me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_perlis Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 http://www.billingham.co.uk/prodbuy.asp?id=101 Also take a look at the "Pola". Holds M6 w/lens + Motor + 1 lens + a few rolls of film + other small stuff. Scrap the OEM strap and put a Domke Gripper or the Tamrac equivalent on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_staples2 Posted February 8, 2005 Author Share Posted February 8, 2005 I have decided to purchase the black leather Billingham L2 since I think that it will work best for me. Thanks for your help. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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