Billingham 307 vs. Billingham 335 Comparison

Both the Billingham 307 and the Billingham 335 are larger bags designed to carry a decent amount of gear.  In some ways, they are similar but there are some key differences that I didn’t even realize before I got my hands on both.  So, I thought I’d write up a comparison between the two bags.  I did write reviews for both, (if you want to read them, here’s the 307 review and the 335 review), so I’ll be concentrating mainly on comparing these two in this post rather than going into full detail about each bag.  You are more than welcomed to read my reviews, if you want more detail.  Ok, let’s get started.

Let’s first start out with the way that both these bags open.  To get into the main compartment of both bags, you have to lift the flaps by unlocking them.  The way that the Quick Release System has been adapted with the 335 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.  You’ll also have to unbutton the leather grab handle that hold the hand straps together to lift the flap.  With the 307, you just pull the The Quick Release System tabs (which also have wider ends) off the brass clog balls to lift the flap.  Both designs are very secure.  I’ve been using the 307 as my main bag for a few years now, and I spent quite a bit of time with the 335 while I was reviewing it.  I haven’t had an issue with either one but I do find the 307’s design to be a bit easier to use and quicker to open.

↑ Simply pull the 335’s leather strap out of the brass clog ball.

↑ You have to unbutton the leather grab handle to remove the flap of the 335.

↑ With the 307, you simple pull the leather straps out of the brass clog balls, and lift the main flap.

When you open up the main flaps of both bags, you’ll find that the set ups are a bit different.  With the Billingham 335, opening the flap gives you access to the main compartment, two pockets at the front under the flap, and a zipped front compartment, which also has two pockets inside.  By the way, this zipped front pocket will also fit a tablet or small laptop as well.  When you open the 307’s main flap, you only have two front pockets, which are larger than the 335’s but I have to say, I really like the zipped front compartment.  It’s a nice touch.

↑ Front pockets of the 335.

↑ The front pockets of the Billingham 335 seem a bit smaller than the 307’s.

↑ The 335 does come with a zippered front compartment though, which definitely comes in handy.

↑ There’s no zippered front compartment for the 307.

↑ The front pockets of the 307 are a bit larger though.

Since we’re on the topic of pockets, I might as well talk about the rest of them on each bag.  Both bags have a rear zippered pocket.  The one on the Billingham 307 is hidden by an extension of the main flap, which is a nice touch.  Inside the main compartment, both bags also have four internal slip pockets.

↑ The 335’s zippered back pocket.

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

↑ The 307’s rear pocket.

↑ Like the 335, the Billingham 307 has four pockets total in the same areas as the 335.

Let’s talk about the main compartment starting with the Billingham 335.  To open the 335, you unzip the main compartment zip, and thanks to what Billingham calls the TukTop feature, you can tuck the two sides of the zippered opening behind the 335’s internal front and rear dividers.  The result is having a bag that stays open giving you easy access to your gear.

↑ The 335 with its main compartment zipped.

↑ The Tuktop feature: notice how the two sides of the zippered opening are tucked behind the internal dividers.

The Billigham 307 is a bit different.  It uses the PressTop feature, so when you spread the bag open, it stays open.  The reason for this is because there are two specially shaped fiberglass, and aluminum wands that shape the opening into a wide rectangular shape for easy access.  If it helps, think of the old fashioned doctor’s bag as comparison.  I really love this feature, and it’s one of the reasons why the 307 has become my main camera bag these days.  Both the 335 and the 307 designs work great but the PressTop feature of the 307 is just quicker and easier to operate.

↑ The 307 with its main compartment zipped up.

↑ Notice how the 307’s main compartment stays open thanks to the PressTop feature.

Also, I found both bags hold a similar amount of gear in their main compartments.  I carry my Leica SL2 system in both bags, and in use, I can fit the same lenses and accessories.  As for inserts, the Billingham 335 comes with the Superflex 9-15, Superflex 10-18, and Superflex Flap.  the Billingham 307 comes with the SuperFlex 9-15, a SuperFlex 10-18 and a V-Bridge 15.

↑ Here’s how I packed the 335.

↑ Here’s how I packed the 307.

There are also slight ergonomic differences between the two bags.  I noticed that the 335’s shoulder strap is a bit narrower than the one on the 307.  The 307 also has a heavier duty shoulder pad.  In use, both straps worked great.  I will say that I prefer the 307’s shoulder pad, especially when I have the bag packed full.  Also, holes are incorporated into the main leather straps of the 307 to take tripod carry straps, while on the 335, there are loops.

↑ The Billingham 307 (left), and the Billingham 335 (right).  The 307’s strap is a bit wider.

↑ The 307 comes with a heavier duty shoulder pad.

↑ Here’s how the back of the shoulder pads look like.

↑ Metal ring.

↑ Cloth ring.

↑ Holes are incorporated into the main leather straps of the 307 to take tripod carry straps.

↑ 335 has loops.

I hope this comparison helped, and if you want further info, you can also check out my Billingham 307 review or/and my Billingham 335 review.  In those articles, I go into depth, and much more detail about each one of these bags.  If you’re wondering which bag I like best, I think I do favor the 307 slightly more.  I’ve been using the bag professionally for the last several years now, and it’s been nothing but dependable in every way.  However, there are a few features that I like better on the 335, which may convince others that that’s the bag for them.  In the end, know that both bags are excellent, and you really can’t go wrong.  Both are some of the best bags money can buy.  The materials and craftsmanship are top notch.  Both bags will last a very long time, and are built for no-nonsense professional use.

Thanks for taking the time to reading my comparison!  If you’re considering purchasing the either bag, and my comparison helped you decide, please help support this site by purchasing from the links below or any mentioned in this review.  It will not cost you anything extra. Thank you for your support!

Billingham 307 at Amazon

Billingham 335 at Amazon

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