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Billingham Hadley Professional 2020: two-minute assessment
Billingham started making luggage in 1973. The world’s modified quite a bit since then, however its satchels have stood the check of time. Recognized for his or her premium supplies and basic model, Billingham luggage are the sort you need to use for years, then reward to the subsequent technology.
So it’s with the Hadley Professional 2020. A gently up to date model of the established Hadley Professional, it’s a digicam bag constructed within the British custom of leather-based and canvas craftsmanship. It’s additionally one which’s completely sized for many photographers on the go. Combining field-ready performance with rugged beauty, it’s simple to see why the Hadley Professional is a best-seller.
Granted, it calls for a reasonably important up-front funding. In our record of the best camera bags, you’ll discover choices that price half the value of the Hadley Professional which may carry the identical quantity of drugs (or extra). However what you’re paying for right here is enduring high quality. Learn round on-line and also you’ll discover reward from customers who’ve carried a Hadley for many years.
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Unboxing the bag, it’s instantly clear why. From the straps to the bolstered deal with, each inch of the Hadley Professional 2020 provides a way of sturdiness. You’ll be able to spec the bag with a cotton canvas or artificial FibreNyte shell. Both approach, you get three-layer waterproofing. That’s complemented by stable brass fittings and full-grain leather-based edging. It’s all acquired a hard-wearing, workhorse high quality.
A lot so, that I initially discovered the leather-based quick-release straps not so fast to launch. I’m assured that these will ease up with use over time. In truth, the entire bag looks like one that may put on nicely. It’s actually one which’s designed to adapt to your gear. These buckles on the entrance enable you modify how tightly the lid straps shut. You even have the choice of looping additional accent pockets onto every finish.
Most customers received’t want to do this. What seems at first look to be a modest messenger bag truly seems to be one thing of a Tardis. With the padded insert slotted into place, the capability of the Hadley Professional 2020 is surprisingly cavernous. Due to its versatile sides, the satchel can swallow lots of equipment. You additionally get two vertical and two horizontal dividers which may be organized utilizing velcro tabs that can assist you handle the area.
It might probably comfortably accommodate an APS-C system with a trio of mid-sized lenses. Equally, I had no hassle becoming an fanatic DSLR physique with a nifty fifty hooked up, plus wide-angle and telephoto zooms. These velcro dividers provide the flexibility not simply to separate lenses, but additionally to create cabinets which droop smaller equipment nearer to the highest of the bag. The insert additionally has a padded lid piece as nicely, which may be folded again out of the best way for simpler entry.
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Longer lenses are the place you’ll discover the bounds of the Hadley Professional. The bag isn’t precisely shallow, however greater physique and glass combos will should be laid sideways to slot in. If you’d like your whole equipment stacked vertically, you’ll have to divide digicam and barrel within the identify of neatness. That is actually the one compromise to talk of: the Billingham is larger than you suppose.
The padded insert is complemented by entrance pockets which might be equally roomy. These are ideally positioned for fast entry to equipment. The 2020 model of the Hadley Professional additionally advantages from a weatherproof zip pocket for storing paperwork on the rear. What you don’t get is a devoted laptop computer slot, though you possibly can unofficially match a 13-inch MacBook Air between the padded insert and the again wall of the bag.
In brief, the storage capability of the Hadley Professional is proscribed extra by the burden you possibly can bear than by area within the satchel itself. The benefit of a messenger bag is which you can maintain your gear inside arm’s attain, however the single-strap setup means the burden falls on one shoulder. You too can haul the Hadley Professional utilizing its bolstered carry strap or sling it over a suitcase deal with utilizing the built-in retainer. However most customers are going to depend on its detachable shoulder sling.
And when you do, you’ll need to shell out for the optionally available SP40 shoulder pad. This clip-on leather-based strip is as superbly made as the remainder of the bag and ships in 4 colorways to match. For the value of the pack, it ought to actually be included as normal. With out it, the cotton webbing can reduce into your shoulder when the bag is closely laden.
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Nonetheless, in for a dime, in for a greenback. Including the shoulder pad makes an already costly digicam bag that bit extra pricey. However it’s onerous to really feel onerous completed by. If you happen to’re severe about images, both as a pastime or a occupation, it is a digicam bag that may see you thru. Depend up the price per use over the numerous years you’ll be toting it and the equation quickly turns into a extra cheap one.
The Hadley Professional is actually at house on the job. Its conventional aesthetic may not be to each style, however the basic strategy is each skilled and versatile. It might probably go from wilderness to marriage ceremony and never look misplaced. Plus it’s sturdy sufficient to outlive each, 100 instances over.
If you actually need room for extra gear, the Hadley One is a good bigger model with a correct laptop computer sleeve. However for my cash, the Billingham Hadley Professional 2020 will get it good. It’s a unbelievable day by day satchel for photographers. Sensible to the core and well-crafted in each respect, it’s onerous to search out fault. If you happen to just like the look, it is a digicam bag that’s very a lot well worth the funding.
Billingham Hadley Professional 2020 assessment: worth
Billingham launched the Hadley Professional 2020 digicam bag in August 2019. It’s a barely up to date model of the corporate’s best-selling Hadley Professional. New options for the 2020 version embody a bolstered carry deal with, built-in suitcase retaining strap, detachable shoulder strap and weatherproof doc pocket.
The Hadley Professional 2020 is formally priced at $383 / £308 (round AU$625). It may be discovered for much less from some on-line digicam gear shops. There’s no escaping that it is a premium digicam bag, however you get what you pay for. Use it for many years and the actual price per use turns into very cheap.
Each Hadley Professional 2020 has leather-based detailing and may be ordered with a canvas or FibreNyte exterior. The bag is available in eight normal shade and materials combos:
- Navy canvas / chocolate leather-based (chocolate lining)
- Black canvas / tan leather-based (olive lining)
- Black FibreNyte / black leather-based (olive lining)
- Khaki canvas / tan leather-based (olive lining)
- Khaki FibreNyte / chocolate leather-based (olive lining)
- Burgundy canvas / chocolate leather-based (chocolate lining)
- Sage FibreNyte / chocolate leather-based (olive lining)
- Sage FibreNyte / black leather-based (olive lining)
Billingham Hadley Professional 2020 assessment: specs
|
Exterior dimensions |
41 x 16 x 28cm |
|
Inside dimensions |
34 x 80 x 21cm |
|
Weight |
1230g |
|
Complete quantity |
8.5L |
|
Carry-on pleasant |
Sure |
|
Laptop computer sleeve |
No |
|
Waterproofing |
3-layer waterproof material |
Ought to I purchase the Billingham Hadley Professional 2020?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Billingham Hadley Professional 2020 assessment: Additionally think about
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Billingham Hadley Professional 2020 |
Peak Design On a regular basis Messenger 13 V2 |
Gomatic McKinnon Digicam Pack 35L |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Exterior dimensions |
41 x 16 x 28cm |
39.5 x 36 x 19cm |
56 x 34 x 23cm |
|
Inside dimensions |
34 x 80 x 21cm |
35.3 x 31 x 9.5cm |
53 x 32 x 13cm |
|
Weight |
1230g |
1210g |
2600g |
|
Complete quantity |
8.5L |
16L |
35L |
|
Carry-on pleasant |
Sure |
Sure |
Sure |
|
Laptop computer sleeve |
No |
Sure |
Sure |
|
Waterproofing |
3-layer waterproof material |
Water-repellent coating, waterproof backside liner |
Elective rain cowl |
How I examined the Billingham Hadley Professional 2020
- Carried round daily for 2 weeks
- Filled with a DSLR plus three lenses
- Utilized in totally different settings and situations
If you happen to’re shopping for a digicam bag that guarantees to final for years, you’ll need it to carry out in every kind of capturing eventualities. In order that’s precisely how I examined the Billingham Hadley Professional 2020. My intention was to get a first-hand impression of its sturdiness and utility, working in a spread of environments.
To check its carrying capability, I loaded it up with all of the gear I’d need to keep it up a normal shoot. That included a DSLR physique, a 50mm prime, a 70-300mm telephoto and a 10-24mm wide-angle zoom. I additionally packed out its pockets with equipment, together with battery chargers, lens hoods and a compact flashgun.
I then took the Hadley Professional out and about, strolling extensively by means of streets and fields alike. I attempted carrying the bag each with and with out the optionally available shoulder pad fitted, to see how a lot of a distinction it made when it comes to consolation. I additionally switched lenses from bag to physique, to get an thought of how simple the Billingham can be to work with on the fly.
Whereas the comparatively temporary period of my check means I can’t give long-term suggestions, a fortnight was sufficient time to kind an in depth impression of the construct high quality and usefulness of the Billingham Hadley Professional 2020. It helps that I’ve been working with cameras – and carrying them round – for greater than a decade, so I do know what to search for in digicam bag.
First reviewed June 2025