Thanks for the video. I have several Billingham bags, but I never would have considered the 307 seriously without seeing it presented like this. They absolutely need videos like this for all their bags!
I knew I wanted to review the 7 series since there was so few videos on the series, and so few close up looks at it. I really do enjoy using it, as I do often work off a chair or table, or if I’m setting up a mobile office somewhere, to just put my bag down and start to organize. Of course, I have other bags for other purposes too, but this fits a very unique niche.
This has got to be my favourite Billingham. Like you said, the quality is right up there with bags costing more than 10x as much. Brilliant protection with the padding and waterproof material and some of the best leather I have come across. This is the ideal work bag when you need a couple of bodies with 3 or so lenses and flash equipment. It’s a shame that it hasn’t gotten as much attention online.
Hopefully this video will help :-) Thanks for your input. It’s definitely a great bag for transportation and using it off the floor or table top. Very organized.
Billingham bags are renowned for their legendary quality. I have the 307L & it excellent. My 307 L has 2 “belt bucket” type leather straps for opening the bag & a “dedicated” (padded) interior lap top sleeve compartment. It is not necessary a quick access bag, as you pointed out. I love the fact that it stays open, quite widely, when reaching in to access your gear. It is capable of carrying a very large volume of camera gear,but will be heavy, if fully loaded. By far one of my favourite bags, along with a Wotancraft Ryker camera bag. Nice review!😊
Nice to see you review a Billingham Take, I don't mind admitting I'm a fan of Billingham's manufacturing and product quality. Their small to medium sized bags are ideal for my Fuji sized gear, the largest I have are the Hadley Pro & 225 which when you attach their Avea and Delta end pouches are more than adequate for the max gear & accessory load I'd want to carry on a longer travel trip in a pretty compact form factor. Needn't break the bank either, my lovely collection of 10, +5 end pouches & various inserts to customise my 225 cost me just over 1/3rd of retail by jumping on bargains when I saw them.
I was actually initially wanting to review the 225, then moved to 207, and finally settled on the 307. My next review will also be a less known bag. Perhaps the backpack or duffle. I’ll eventually review one of the Hadley’s though. Thanks for your thoughts!
Good insights. Thanks for making this video. I’ve had this bag for 5+ years and it’s useful for many occasions but is heavy. You feel it. Not great for walking the streets, but super for moving between A and B. Also, you missed two discreet pockets in the main compartment- inside front.
I have two of the 107 bags as they are just the right size for me. One is smart all black, the other the same colour as yours. I have no idea why Billingham discontinued that model but kept the larger sizes. Cameras are getting smaller not bigger. I quite like the 207 but going by the weight of my 107 I should imagine that it's quite heavy.
Perfect I’ve been seeing all your vdo and wanted the 307 to compare to the Lightning rider for ever and finally you are the only person with all the bags wotangcraft my favorite bag to compare with the 307
This is a great video and a lovely bag. Just a note, the canvas is not made of wax - the canvas and fibrenyte both have the layer of butyl rubber, but no wax. A great review and a lovely bag.
Billingham bags are so good that I once used my olive canvas (yes, they used to offer this, now olive is only nylon) Hadley Pro, with a some manual focus nikon lenses in it, to sled down a mountain when I bit off more than I could chew and was able to climb up by not down. After 15 years of use I finally had to replace it, only because my cat had a...stomach event...all over it, which was ok because I used the opportunity to buy the khaki canvas I had gotten the first time.
Thanks for your crazy story!! Did you get a chance to compare the khaki canvas vs the khaki FibreNyte? Was it the feel of the canvas you preferred over the Fibrenyte?
@@bigheadtaco It's in part the feel, but really the FibreNyte feels pretty good, and primarily that the FibreNyte will always look new. I'm sure to many it's a plus that the FibreNyte always looks good as new, but I like that the canvas' color eventually fades in the areas you always overpack.
@@bigheadtaco One benefit of the Fibrenyte is it doesn't attract pet hair and lint. The light color canvas is ok, but the black canvas needs to be constantly cleaned with a lint remover roller thing to stay looking nice.
To each his own I guess . I had a Hadley Pro that I acquired in a gear trade , never could get used to the way the straps closed at the top. Seemed backwards to me . A lot of money for what they are so I sold it and out the money towards a lens .
I took the bag to someone who makes custom bags and costume design, and he guessed the bag price above $2000. He was blown away when I told him $500, and made in England.
According to the literature, it only includes up to 13” MBP, but since I don’t have a 14” MBP, I don’t know how much bigger it is. This info could have been written pre 14” MBP, so it might fit. Perhaps reach out to a retailer and ask, or I’ll see if any of my friends have one and I can give it a try.
I have the Hadley Small, Hadley Pro and Hadley One and love the quality. I use them for different use-cases. The Hadley One is my professional bag I use on assignments - especially when shooting high profile events it is a great fit (in my opinion an event-photographer should always dress for the occasion and why not carry a good looking bag as well).
hi Take, thanks for the in-depth video. well analysed! how does the bag feel if you're not a tall person, like myself? how's the balance when you're walking about w gear and taking photos?
I’m not tall either, but I find the balance pretty good, depending on how you want to carry it (side or more towards the back) and how much gear you put inside). I still recommend this bag for carrying gear point to point, not so much for daily walk around.
