How much blad stuff can one cram into a Billingham Hadley (large/original)?

[marbrog]

My Hasselblad kit has outgrown my Lowepro Nova 2 bag now and I need a new one, I really love the looks of the Hadley series and would relly like one of those if I can fit enough of my stuff in it before I need another upgrade..

The swedish distributor of Billingham don't sell to private persons any more so I'm counting on you to tell me or post pictures your Hadleys filled with stuff.

I have seen people pack a lot more in these bags than what Billingham say you can fit, but I don't know how realistic I am in trying to cram all this in, even in the large model.

What I have now:
500c body
80mm planar
Flash grip
Metz MZ54 flash
1 extra back
Seconic L558

Of course I just can't stop getting stuff for it and sooner rather than later I'll probably end up with:

150 or 250mm Sonnar
50mm Distagon
Prism
another back or two.
Plus all the assorted small things one need and film

This is of course quite a lot of stuff and I won't take it all out at once very often if not only due to weight. But it would be nice to get it all in for traveling between places, I could live with having some extra side pockets attached for carrying all of this kit.

Also do you prefer Canvas or Fibrenyte?

 

[Uhner]

Well, I don’t own a Hasselblad anymore. But I can give you an example of what I routinely carry around in my Hadley Original:

Apart from small stuff like film, filters, maps and a notebook; the bag holds one Rolleiflex 2.8, one Gossen LunaSix, one M Leica with a lens mounted and one or two extra lenses.

I like the canvas; it ages with grace.

 

[pgomena]

I can't speak to the Hadley, but I get the following into a Domke "little bit bigger" bag: Hasselblad 503cx w/prism & back mounted, 80mm, 50mm, 120mm, extra back, 55mm extension tube, 3 hard lens shades, Vivitar 283 flash, film, accessories, glass filters, Gossen LunaPro SBC meter. It holds an amazing amount of stuff, is canvas, and is now 15 years old. I recently washed it for the first time, waterproofed it, and put it right back to work. Great bag.

Peter Gomena

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

I use the Hadley Original and can fit my 500 C/M fitted with with 80mm lens and a back, 150mm lens, one or two spare backs and a Sekonic L508, plus quite a bit of film (probably ten rolls or so). It's canvas and I love it.

 

[Sirius Glass]

From an old post7 June 2007]

"If I carry a camera bag on my shoulder, my back gets screwed up by the end of the day. I recently brought a Tamrac pack that loads from the top not the side [back]. The ones that load from the back are excellent devices to dump all the equipment on the ground.

Search Tamrac for daypacks. I got the model 750 [or 752] and I can put a Hasselblad with 50mm, 80mm and 250mm lenses, a 120 folder, a Nikon slr with 28mm - 300mm zoom and 20mm to 35mm zoom, Nikon SB-800 strobe, flip strobe bracket, film, filters and other needless crap that I shlep in hope that maybe one day I will use it.

Steve"

Now I also carry two A-12 film back and a 150mm lens. I consider it part of my personal fitness program.

Steve

 

[Philippe-Georges]

My Hadly original holds a 500C/M + 80 mm T* + A12, SW/C T* + A12, Pantax spot meter, a few filters, cable release, some little stuff I think I might need and a dozen rolls. This will do...

Philippe

 

[marbrog]

Thanks a lot for the replys so far. I think I will go with the large model, in canvas.

 

[benjiboy]

I use two Billingham bags a 335 for my 35mm gear, and a 550 (the largest) for my Mamiya system, they are both made of Nytex. I would think that for the amount of Hasselblad equipment you will eventually own the 550 is the most suitable size, although it ain't cheap in the UK, and probably even more so in Sweden, the major difficulty will be picking it up with all that weight in it.
canvas Billingham bags are much heavier than Nylon ones of the same model because the the canvas is a sandwich that has a layer of rubber between it to make it waterproof, I compared them for weight when I bought mine I found the Nylon ones much lighter and after almost twenty years I am still very happy with them in every respect.

 

[Rob Skeoch]

Marcus,

If you get stuck finding one locally send me a PM.... I have one in stock.
-Rob

 

[Andrew Moxom]

I use a Lowepro Orion AW Hip pack for my Blad 500cm, WLF, 80mm, 50mm CFi, 150mm ALL lens hoods, 2 backs (one on camera, one spare), some filters, cable release, and Gossen Lunasix 3S. There is also room for 15 rolls of film. It's a little bit of a squeeze, but works swimmingly. The optional clip on back pack attachment is also handy for other stuff like food, water, maps, flashlights etc... Or more film.

Before I had two of these bags, believe it or not, I put my blad 150 and 50mm into lens cases and put these inside the clip on back pack, and a complete Mamiya 6 system in the lower hip bag with the blad body and 80mm. I used this configuration on the last fall APUG trip in Northern MN. It worked really well.

 

[benjiboy]

I'm just thinking that another thing to consider is, if you get all you're gear into a Billingham bag of a size that will accommodate it all, will you be able to pick it up ? because I find with my Billingham 550 if I fill it, and get it on my shoulder It's difficult not to walk in circles !

 

[arigram]

I have a Billingham 335, with custom ordered inserts (the ones it comes with are for 35mm) which fits:
- a 501CM body with a back and 80 lens, or a 503CW with the back and winder, or very tightly with back,winder and 80 lens
- Two lenses (fit any of mine, 40,80,120,180) in inserts in the main compartment
- In the secondary compartment I can fit a Metz 45 CL-4 with all cables and LumiQuest Promax system
- I can also fit any size of lightmeter, from my tiny Sekonic L-208 to the full featured L-558
- If I don't carry the flash, there is room for a couple A12 backs and the Polaroid back, otherwise there isn't really unless you move the meter to an external pocket
- There are two external pockets that can carry maybe 10 rolls of 120 film, unexposed and exposed, a light meter,filters and small accessories
- Lastly, a zipped packet in the back can fit papers, business cards, passport, money

 

[marbrog]

Ops, I have missed this thread for a while.

Thanks for all the responses! The reason I want the Hadley is becouse it looks like a normal bag, the 350/550 to me look too boxy and "camera baggy". I want to be able to carry just camera stuff on occasion and sometimes maybe just the body and maybe a laptop or some books.

I think the solution for me is to get the regular Hadley for carrying one body and some other stuff or a lens extra and then a bigger bag for when I need to take it all. Maybe a Lowepro magnum or if I find myself in the states a Domke, as they are very good value over there.