This review is now available at our new site at https://digitaljournalofphotography.com/billingham-307-camera-bag-review/
For US and Canadian visitors, buy Billingham product through our approved supplier, B&H Photo.
Update 09/10/10: B&H Photo now list the Billingham 307 in khaki and black.
Amazon US list the 307 in khaki and black.
Billingham product can be bought via Adorama.
UK readers can buy Billingham products through the following:
Jessops (not a stockist of the 307, but they do have the superb Hadley Pro and Hadley Small Pro) I still have a pre-production one of these from the mid-80s, in bottle green and tan, with no label or padding.
Warehouseexpress (WEX Photo and Video)
Billingham 307 black
Billingham 307 Kahki (as reviewed)
Billingham 307 Sage/Chocolate
More information can be found at the manufacturer's site, www.billingham.co.uk
Amazon US list the 307 in khaki and black.
Billingham product can be bought via Adorama.
UK readers can buy Billingham products through the following:
Jessops (not a stockist of the 307, but they do have the superb Hadley Pro and Hadley Small Pro) I still have a pre-production one of these from the mid-80s, in bottle green and tan, with no label or padding.
Warehouseexpress (WEX Photo and Video)
Billingham 307 black
Billingham 307 Kahki (as reviewed)
Billingham 307 Sage/Chocolate
More information can be found at the manufacturer's site, www.billingham.co.uk
Awesome camera bag. The chocolate looks just fabulous. I want to buy for my Canon camera.
ReplyDeleter4i software
I'm trying to find out who sells it to the US, seems only Robert White. Don't know how much do they charge for the customs duty and/or taxes.
ReplyDeleteElena
Hey Elena
ReplyDeleteAlthough I know Robert, and some of his staff (they're as highly regarded as B&H) let me have a word with Billingham here, and ask who they've supplied in the US. Will be tomorrow now (at the earliest), as it's late here in the UK.
Kevin
Re-reading your email, it's actually your government that charges customs duty and taxes. A retailer here should be able to sell you (as a US citizen) the product excluding VAT. Why don't you drop Robert White a line, they may be able to estimate the charges?
ReplyDeleteThanks, I will!
ReplyDeleteHey Kevin,
ReplyDeleteDoes the back pocket, or even main pocket, have enough height to fit a small laptop? Specifically a Lenovo X200, with the following dimensions:
(with large 9-cell battery in):
11.6" x 9.2" x 0.8 - 1.4"
(with small 4-cell battery in):
11.6" x 8.3" x 0.8 - 1.4"
I know the 335 will fit this in its front pocket, but really prefer the look of the 307. I will wait for your answer before ordering online. This will be my first Billingham. :-D
Thanks in advance!
Jeff
PS. I would go with the 307 even if it won't hold my laptop and camera gear at the same time.
I can see now I didn't really make it clear at the time of writing that this was a review, and the bag was returned to the distributor. However, I have a laptop that would be around the same size as the Lenovo, and I wouldn't want to put it in the back pocket (not shown).There's no padding. From memory, I think the 307 has a vertical seam in the center of what looks like a padded sleeve, inside, so it isn't what it appears to be. It's just additional padding. I personally don't think there's enough room for both.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your quick response Kevin. By both, I assume you mean camera gear AND a laptop? Do you think that the laptop, without camera gear, will fit?
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate you answering my questions, I understand now that this was just a review.
Thanks!
Jeff
Hey Jeff
ReplyDeleteA small laptop without gear would fit, for sure. And if my memory isn't serving me that well (about the seam) then it may fit behind the padding. But, I'm pretty sure I would of noticed, as carrying a small laptop in the field is a handy proposition. Can you get to see one to try before buy?
Kevin
Dear Kevin,
ReplyDeleteThe problem is there are no distributors where I live (in Canada), which means I will be ordering it online from Robert White, or another dealer in the UK. I have read a review that the back pocket of the Billingham 335 will fit a small laptop (http://www.rtsphoto.com/html/bill4.html), but I'll assume this is also unpadded, as you've mentioned is the case with the 307. the issue is height, as it looks like the internal dimensions listed on Billingham's website will make it a tight fit in the main compartment.
I think I'm going to take the risk and order the 307.
Thanks again for your help!
Jeff
Hi Jeff
ReplyDeleteThere's no real depth to the rear compartment, it's like a second skin with a zip. It's fine for the odd piece of US legal, tickets, passport, and the like but not really for anything else. Plus you then have the weight of the equipment pressing on the laptop, which wouldn't be good for it all. Some people get away with the Mac Book Pros in bags as they've an aluminium casing, but I don't know of any other laptop that would survive being 'crushed' on the hip like that.
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI've had a 307 in daily use for about 9 months and it is a superb bag - one other BIG problem with carrying even a small laptop or netbook in the unpadded rear pocket is that the bag will then be too rigid to 'bend' itself to your bodyshape - mine has definitely changed shape to 'fit' me - I think they all do. A small 10" netbook will, however, fit flat on top of the divided main compartment (depending on your gear carried) and will have a little more protection but will still 'stiffen' the bag somewhat.
Hi Anonymous
ReplyDeletePlease can you check if a camera and lens (7d+24-105 or similar only) would fit with a laptop in the main compartment?Much appreciated
Hi
ReplyDeleteApropos the comment directly above, the 307 is a great camera bag but it's not really suited for camera gear and a laptop. The bag was loaned to me for testing and it had to go back to the distributor. I can't honestly remember if there's a seam behind what looks like a padded compartment at the rear.
I'm sure I would of noticed if it could of been used like that. I have an tiny Sony notebook and would of thought about it fitting if there was a chance. I maybe wrong, but I really don't think a laptop would fit.
I have using these for 20 years, still going strong. I have rolled the bag off a long flight of stairs with all the gears inside and threw it off the platform, all that was broken was a UV filter on my Nikkor 200mm.
ReplyDeleteYes it's old school times before the digital age. Thus the need to put a laptop is still not quite there.