Billingham 335 Review: A Full Featured Camera Bag

Billingham 335 Camera Bag Review:

If you’re carrying a lot of gear, and you need a larger bag, there are a lot to choose from in the Billingham line.  If you’re looking for something in the 7 Series, there are the 207 and 307 bags.  There’s also the 5 Series, and thanks to Billingham, I was able to receive the Billingham 335 to review.  Let’s take a closer look.

Billingham 335 Camera Bag Build Quality:

There are a lot of manufacturers that make great bags these days but I have to say, Billingham has had a very long history of making some of the best bags available for photographers.  I even remember my dad buying Billingham bags when I was a kid.  They definitely aren’t cheap; however, I don’t mind spending more money on a bag, if I know the quality is there because it’s what’s going to protect all my gear.  I don’t dispute that there are superb bags from other manufacturers as well but it’s difficult for me not to compare any other bag I encounter to a Billingham equivalent because I’ve depended on them for so many years.  I’ve accumulated a lot of Billingham bags, and not only do these offer some of the best protection out there for your gear, they last for what seems like forever.  Every bag I’ve bought including my 20+ year old Hadley are still in constant use today, and just so you know, I am not easy on my bags.  I expect a lot out of them.

↑ The Billingham 335 in Black Canvas/Tan Leather.

With all that said, you can expect the 335, which is one of the more expensive Billingham bags currently out, to be extremely well made.  It starts with some of the best raw materials around, such as, full grain leather, and solid brass fixings all of which can be found throughout the entire bag.  It’s worth noting that all the materials are put together neatly, and the stitch work is perfect.  You can tell that the fine people who make these bags have pride in their work, and know what they are doing because the quality of the 335 is second to none.

↑ Here’s the back of the 335.

Overall, the 335 is also a very attractive bag appearance-wise, and you can get the canvas in several different colors.  Some of these color combinations include Khaki Canvas/Tan Leather, Sage FibreNyte/Tan Leather, and Black Canvas/Tan Leather, which is what you see here.  Of course, like other Billingham bags, the 335 offers some of the best protection that you can get from a bag against harsh weather.  The 335’s fabric is bonded to butyl rubber, so whether it’s rain, sleet or snow, your gear will stay completely dry.  I’ve own Billingham bags for decades, and I’m still amazed at how well these bags hold up against water.  I’ve had puddles form on the top flap of my older bags, and all I do is simply brush the water off.  The water never soaks through.

↑ Here’s the side of the Billingham 335.

To top it off, the Billingham 335 doesn’t just guard against the elements, it also has some of the best padding I’ve seen in a camera bag.  All four sides of the bag are protected with fantastic padding, and there’s even a very thick pad with a wooden base that is on the bottom of the bag.  This is also fully removable. 

The dividers are equally as good as the padding in the 335.  The ones that are included are the Superflex 9-15, Superflex 10-18, and Superflex Flap.  The SuperFlex dividers have no base to them because they are designed to work with the padded base inside the 335.  All these dividers have velcro, so you can pretty much attached them wherever you want inside the bag to suit your needs.

↑ Here are the included dividers, and padded base.

↑ As you can see, the padded base is quite thick.

To test the 335 for this review, I basically used it the way that I would use my daily bag, which is the Billingham 307.  On a side note, I’ve owned the 307 for years, and I just love it.  I’ve reviewed it as well for those who are interested.  Getting back to the 335, I took it to all my model shoots, and I have to say, the padding and the dividers in this bag are exactly what I want.  What I basically had in the 335 was my Leica SL2 with multiple SL lenses, and accessories.  I had some miscellaneous lighting gear as well.  Getting to a shoot meant I had to carry the 335 around New York City packed completely full bumping into things or squeezing myself in and around city streets.  The padding in this bag definitely holds up, and fully protected my SL system.  The padding, and the dividers worked extremely well together, and had no issues handling my big and heavy SL lenses.  What I love about the 335 and Billingham bags in general is once I put my gear in them, I never have to worry.  So to me, whatever the price I have to pay for this bag, is completely worth it.  In other words, you really get what you pay for in this case.

Billingham 335 Carrying Capacity:

So, let’s get into what we can actually fit inside the Billingham 335.  We kind of did when I mentioned I use it with my SL system but officially, Billingham states that this is a mid-sized bag that will fit 2 DSLRs with small to medium lenses attached or 1 DSLR with a selection of lenses.  Of course, we all have different systems, so I will go into further details below with photos to give you a visual idea of what this bag can carry.

↑ Here’s the Billingham 335 completely empty.

To get into the main compartment, you lift the rain flap, by unlocking it.  The design is a little bit different than the 307’s.  The way that the Quick Release System has been adapted here is that the leather straps pass through solid brass ‘D’ rings at the end of the webbing carry-handles, and the reason for this is to provide the user with a more secure closure, especially when the 335 is packed full.  After lifting the flap, you unzip the main compartment zip, and thanks to the TukTop feature, as Billingham calls it, you can tuck the two sides of the zippered opening behind the 335’s internal front and rear dividers.

↑ The Quick Release System.

↑ Here’s how I had the 335 set up for my needs.  Notice how the two sides of the zippered opening are tucked behind the internal dividers.

The Tuktop feature is different than the doctor’s style bag opening of the Billingham 307 but the results are very similar.  You end up have a large opening that also stays opened, which allows for easy access into the main compartment.  I love the large opening of the 335 because when I’m on location, I can just place the bag on the ground (it has solid brass feet), spread it open, and work right out of it in a no-nonsense fashion.  If my location is dirty or basically an area where I don’t want to put my gear down on, I use the 335 kind of like a table where I can change lenses, for example.  I don’t have to juggle my equipment around in my hands.  The Tuktop feature is just great to have, and makes my life a lot easier.

↑ Here’s how the 335 looks like with gear packed in the main compartment.  On the top left is my 75mm Summilux, bottom left is my APO-Summicron-SL 90mm ASPH, center is my Leica SL2 with Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm ASPH, bottom right is my Summilux-SL 50mm ASPH, and top right is my Summilux-M 50mm ASPH.

In addition to carrying the main gear like lenses and camera bodies, there are actually quite a lot of useful pockets.  In fact, I’m kind of jealous my Billingham 307 didn’t get some of these pockets :).  Basically, you’ll find a total of nine pockets.  There are two at the front under the flap where I put batteries, filters, Pocket Wizards, and chargers.  There are also four internal slip pockets in the main compartment, and one zippered rear pocket for model releases or just random papers.  My favorite, however, is the zipped front compartment (I think this is kind of considered a pocket, which I think means there are 10), which also has two pockets inside.  By the way, this zipped front pocket will also fit a tablet or small laptop as well.

↑ There are two pockets at the front of the bag.

↑ Here’s how those front pockets look like when opened.

↑ There’s also a zipped front compartment, which I like quite a bit.  There are also two additional pockets inside this compartment.

↑ It’s difficult to see but there are actually two pockets where the two sides tuck in, which means there’s a total of four.

↑ There’s also a zippered back pocket.

Lastly, if you need to fit even more gear, there are a couple of options.  For one, you can purchase a Delta Pocket or two.  They’re secured at the base of the sling.  I reviewed the Delta Pocket here, if you’re interested.  You can also attach small tripods with straps, which can be attached to the loops at the botton-front of the 335.

↑ This is a Delta Pocket attached to my Billingham 307.

Billingham 335 in Use:

Now that you have an idea of what will fit in the Billingham 335, let’s talk about how it feels, and operates in the field.  This is a mid-size bag, so don’t expect it to feel as nimble as your Hadley Small, for instance, especially when it’s packed full.  The 335 can carry quite a lot of gear, so it can get heavy.  With all that said, there are a few features that are designed to help ease the load.

  First off, the Billingham 335 does come with the SP15 shoulder pad, which offers a lot of extra support, especially for those days when I was walking around with the bag more often.  The neoprene is quite grippy, which is great but it’s less thick than the SP50 shoulder pad, which comes with my 307.

↑ Here’s the SP15 Shoulder Pad.

↑ The neoprene is quite grippy.

Second, there is a top handle on top of the main flap, which really comes in handy.  Plus, when you lift the flap, there’s another handle, so you don’t have to close the bag in order to use a top handle.  This is a great idea, and it makes using the bag that much easier.  I don’t have to waste time to zip up the 335, and secure the flap.  I can just grab it wherever it is, and quickly move it.  I found this particularly useful during my shoots when I was moving from one location to another quickly.

↑ The Billingham 335 comes with a top handle.

↑ You unclip it to open the flap.

↑ There’s also a top handle, once the flap is open for added convenience.

Another great feature of the Billingham 335 is the adjustable ‘Y’ shaped Delta sling.  As some of you know, there’s usually like a rolling motion or tipping as you walk with a large bag, especially one that is also fully packed.  The sling design is meant to help prevent this type of motion, and it really works.  I can weave in and out of city traffic quite easily because no matter how full I pack the 335, it hugs my body quite well.  In other words, it doesn’t feel like I’m just dragging along a huge bag.

↑ Here’s the ‘Y’ Shaped Delta Sling.

↑ Here’s a close up.

These features in general all add up to make a large bag that can carry a lot of gear much more manageable.  When I’m on vacation or shooting for fun, I can get away with a Hadley Small, and a compact setup but when I have to work, there’s just extra stuff I have to bring.  I don’t live in my studio place, and I don’t leave everything there, so often times, I’m even bringing some miscellaneous lighting gear along with my SL system.  New York City isn’t always the easiest place to travel sometimes.  If I’m not taking mass transit, I’m driving but then I might not park close.  Either way, there is often times, a lot of walking involved, and having a bag with certain features like this one, really help quite a bit at the end of the day.  It’s a lot of work sometimes to make these shoots happen, and I’m always looking for ways to eliminate stress or hardship, if that is even the right word to say.  I have to bring certain gear, so I have no choice but having a bag like this to support me makes my life a lot easier.

Lastly, for those who might worry about attracting unwanted attention, the Billingham 335 is a large bag, so it’s definitely not going to be as inconspicuous as a Hadley Pro.  However, it doesn’t look like a typical camera bag.  There aren’t any symbols or large name tags indicating who makes the bag.  If anything, it just looks like a travel bag, so people may look once only because they see me with a large bag but then that’s it.

Specifications:

External Dimensions
W370mm (14½) x D220mm (8⅝”) x H265mm (10½”)

 

Internal Dimensions (Main compartment)
W355mm (14″) x D150mm (6″) x H220mm (8⅝”)

 

Capacity
10 litres (0.35 feet³)

 

Weight
1.8 kgs (3.97 lbs)

 

Pockets
10

 

Front external ‘dump’ pockets (x2) W130mm (5⅛”) x D40mm (1½”) x H200mm (7⅞”)
Capacity (each) 0.75 litres (0.03 feet³)

 

Front full length zipped pocket W350mm (13¾”) x D40mm (1½”) x H250mm (9⅞”)

 

Front internal ‘dump’ pockets (x2) inside front full length zipped pocket W170mm (6¾”) x D30mm (1¼”) x H170mm (6¾”)
Capacity 4 litres (0.14 feet³) (Front zippered and two internal ‘dump’ pockets combined)

 

Front & rear internal pockets (2 + 2) inside main compartment W160mm (6¼”) x D Nominal x H240mm (9½”)
Capacity (each) Nominal

 

Rear zipped pocket W330mm (13″) x D Nominal x H220mm (8⅝”)
Capacity Nominal

 

Shoulder Sling Measurements
Length: can be adjusted between 1050mm (41⅜”) to 1500mm (59″) approx.
Width: 38mm (1½”).

Verdict:

If you’re looking for a mid-size camera bag, the Billingham 335 is definitely an option you should consider.  In my opinion, this is one of the best bags that you can buy in its class, and one that has set a standard in the industry.  The raw materials used are some of the best, and the craftsmanship is second to none.  The features are also well thought out and useful.  Plus, like all Billingham bags, it offers some of the best protection that you can buy for your gear not just from bumps and scrapes but also against the harsh elements.

↑ If you need to carry more gear, the Billingham 335 is a great choice.

The price isn’t cheap but then again, it’s not really outrageous either when you compare the 335 to its competitors.  Plus, I know from experience that Billingham bags last forever, so in the end, it comes out quite a bit cheaper than replacing bag after bag.  First off, they always have the same distinct and classic look, so your bag won’t feel dated after years of use.  More importantly, they are made so well, and designed so good that they can take a lot of punishment.  I still have bags in my collection that see constant use but are several decades old.  These bags look great appearance wise but seriously speaking, they were made for roughing it.

I know a camera bag can be a very personal choice, and there are a ton of great ones out there these days.  The Billingham 335 is definitely one of these great ones, and it’s definitely something that should be on your short list, if you’re looking for a mid-size camera bag for your system.  I highly recommended it.

If you want more info or even to purchase the 335, you can check out Billingham’s website page on it.

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