Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 vs. Hadley One vs. Billingham 207

Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 vs. Hadley One vs. Billingham 207:

I get a lot of questions in my DMs, and email about the Billingham Hadley (now the Hadley Pro 2020).  The most common ones are will all my gear fit, and how does it compare to the Hadley One?  So, I decided the best thing to do is write up a comparison between these two bags.  I thought as a bonus, I’d also add the Billingham 207 into this comparison as well, since I recently reviewed it.  Before we get started though, I just wanted to say that this article is only a comparison between these three bags; I’ve written big reviews with plenty of pictures in them for all three of these bags along with nearly the entire collection from Billingham.  So, if you’re interested in any of the reviews, you can find them here.  Okay, let’s get started.

I’ll be using my Leica SL2 system to demonstrate how these bags will fit a larger system, and I’ll use my Leica M system, to show how these bags fit smaller systems.  I’ve only concentrated on the main compartments of these bags.  For more info on the smaller pockets and features, please check out my reviews.

↑ The Billingham Hadley One on the left, the 207 on the right, and the Hadley Pro 2020 up front.

↑ From left to right: The Billingham Hadley Pro 2020, the Hadley One, and the 207.

All Three Bags With Larger Camera Systems:

Below are the bags with my Leica SL2 and its lenses.  The SL2 is a larger camera, and hopefully, this will demonstrate to you how these bags fit larger systems.

↑ One of the unique features of the Billingham Hadley One is that it comes with a half insert freeing up the other half of the bag for non-photographic gear.  The SL2 has the Summilux-SL 50mm f1.4 ASPH attached.

↑ You can also purchase a full insert for the Hadley One.  It’s worth noting that the full insert here was originally a prototype just in case it looks like it does not quite fit the bag to you.  From left to right: the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f2.8-4 ASPH, the SL2 with Summilux-SL 50mm f1.4 ASPH attached, and the APO-Summicron-SL 90mm f2 ASPH.

↑ Here’s the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 with my SL2 kit.  From left to right: the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f2.8-4 ASPH, the SL2 with Summilux-SL 50mm f1.4 ASPH attached, and the APO-Summicron-SL 90mm f2 ASPH.

↑ Here’s the Billingham 207 with my SL2 kit.  From left to right: the SL2 with Summilux-SL 50mm f1.4 ASPH attached, and the Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f2.8-4 ASPH.

So, I found the Billingham Hadley One to be a great fit for my SL2 system.  The bag is large enough where as you can see in the photo, the half insert is able to fit my SL2 with a large lens like my Summilux-SL 50mm f1.4 ASPH attached.  To give you an idea of how large that lens is, it has an 82mm filter thread.  In addition to being able to fit my SL2 with three lenses comfortably in the full insert, it has the messenger design and comfort.  In my opinion, if you have a larger system like mine, the Hadley One might be a better fit for you than say the Hadley Pro 2020 simply because your gear will have a bit more breathing room.

Speaking of the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020, this bag is a brand new, and basically an update to the super popular Hadley Pro.  This is a fantastic bag because it is extremely versatile.  The size makes it versatile enough where it can satisfy a lot of photographers whether they are DLSR users or mirrorless users.  As you can see in the photos, it will fit my SL2 kit but it’s a bit more snug than the Hadley One.

Next up is the Billingham 207, which is one of my favorite bags.  I’ve been using its larger sibling, the 307, for over a year now, and I absolutely love it.  The 207 has all the features of the 307 but it’s smaller.  In fact, I never saw a 207 until I got my hands on one to review, and at first it was smaller than I expected, which is a good thing.  I feel it has a lot of similarities to the two Hadley bags I have here, which is why I included it in my review.  One of its best features is that the bag opens up like an older doctor’s bag as you can see in the photo above.  The 207 has brass feet on the bottom, so you can pretty much lay it on the floor without it tipping over, and just work out of the bag, which is what I love doing with my 307.  Because of its carrying capacity, I feel like this is another great option for those who are looking into the two Hadley bags I have here.  It’s a more rectangular shape, so it won’t give you that messenger style feel like the other two bags but it’s still a very comfortable bag to carry.  Plus, it’s not as quick to open (you unhinge the flap, then unzip the main compartment) but I love how the gear can be laid out inside.  It’s much easier to access gear.

All Three Bags With Smaller Camera Systems:

Below are the bags with my Leica M system.  The M system is similar in size to other mirrorless cameras systems like Sony or even Fuji.  I would’ve included my Fuji X Series system but my X-T3 is what I used to photograph these bags.

↑ Here’s the Hadley One with the half insert.  I have my Leica M3 with Summicron-M 50mm f2 in it.

↑ Here’s my M system in the Hadley One’s full insert.  From left to right: 75mm Summilux f1.4, Leica M3 with Summicron-M 50mm f2 attached, and Summilux-M 50mm f1.4 ASPH.

↑ Here’s the Hadley Pro 2020 with my M system.  From left to right: 75mm Summilux f1.4, Leica M3 with Summicron-M 50mm f2 attached, and Summilux-M 50mm f1.4 ASPH.

↑ Here’s the M system in the Billingham 207.  From left to right: Leica M3 with Summicron-M 50mm f2 attached, 75mm Summilux f1.4, Summilux-M 50mm f1.4 ASPH, and Leica M6 TTL Millennium with Summicron-M 35mm f2 ASPH Black Paint.

As you can see in the two photos above, there’s plenty of room in the Billingham Hadley One for smaller camera gear.  It’s worth noting that both Hadley bags here do come with stacking dividers, so you are able to stack lenses on top of each other as well to increase your carrying capacity.  Even the half insert of the Hadley One has a stacking divider.  This wouldn’t work with my large SL lenses, since they are so tall but as you can see in the photos, the M lenses (and a lot of smaller mirrorless systems) are much shorter, allowing me to stack more on top.

Out of both Hadley bags here, Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 is probably the one that I would choose for smaller mirrorless or rangefinder systems.  Obviously, we all have different needs and gear but for me, this is the one that would fit better.

The Billingham 207 (B&H Photo/Amazon) can be used for smaller mirrorless or rangefinder systems too, and as you can see here, it can fit two cameras more comfortably.  Still, I think the Hadley Pro 2020 would be my choice for smaller gear but if I had to carry say two bodies and a bunch of lenses, the 207 is a great option.

Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 vs. Hadley One vs. Billingham 207 Specifications:

Billingham Hadley One:

External dimensions: W410mm (16⅛”) x D190mm (7½”) x H275mm (11″) (excluding top handle)

Internal dimensions: W350mm (13¾”) x D120mm (4¾”) x H250mm (9⅞”)

Internal dimensions of half insert: W150mm (6″) x D120mm (4¾”) x H230mm (9″)

Internal dimensions of full insert: W340mm (13⅜”) x D90mm (3½”) x H230mm (9″)

Billingham Hadley Pro 2020:

External dimensions: W430mm (17″) x D160mm (6⅜”) x H240mm (9⅜”) (excluding top handle)

Internal dimensions main compartment: W340mm (13⅜) x D80mm (3⅛”) x H210mm (8¼”)

Billingham 207:

External dimensions: W350mm (13¾”) x D210mm (8¼”) x H300mm (11⅞”)

Internal dimensions main compartment: W320mm (12⅝”) x D150mm (5⅞”) x H220mm (8⅝”)

Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 vs. Hadley One vs. Billingham 207 Conclusion:

So, I hope this little comparison helped.  If you want more detail about any of these bags, you can view my reviews along with other Billingham bag reviews here.  Like I said earlier, I reviewed nearly the entire Billingham collection, so if you’re looking for something else from Billingham, you can see those reviews as well.  If you have any questions, you are more than welcomed to ask below or even message me.  Thanks for stopping by!