Amateur Photographer verdict

Like all Billingham bags, the Capsule 1 is really nicely designed and beautifully made. Its Gladstone opening is convenient compared to alternatives, too. But it’s very expensive for what it does.
Pros
  • Stylish design
  • Practical Gladstone opening
  • Top quality materials
  • Good range of really attractive colours
Cons
  • Less space-efficient than simple box-shaped designs
  • Very expensive compared to alternatives

The Billingham Capsule 1 is quite unlike any of the firm’s previous products. Rather than being a standalone camera bag, it’s a protective camera pouch that’s designed to be used inside another bag. Compared to other ‘bag in bag’ designs from the likes of Tenba and Vanguard, it stands out for its quality and style – but also for its price, which is several times higher.

Billingham Capsule 1 at a glance:

  • $143 / £125
  • Holds a small mirrorless or rangefinder camera and 2 or 3 small lenses
  • Zip-top closure
  • 29 x 16 x 9cm (external)
  • 20 x 10 x 8.5 (internal)
  • Comes in 5 colours
  • billingham.co.uk

Design-wise, the Capsule 1 is distinctly different to similar products. Rather than being box-shaped with a zip-open lid, instead it uses a Gladstone-type opening. I really like this, as it has the advantage that when you undo the zip, it springs open to give unencumbered access to your camera kit, without a rectangular flap constantly flopping down on top.

Billingham Capsule 1 key features:

  • Attractive colour options: Five colour options are available: black fabric and black leather, plus sage, burgundy, khaki or navy fabric, all with chocolate leather 
  • Fabrics: The burgundy model uses conventional cotton canvas, while the rest are all Billingham’s artificial FibreNyte
  • Adaptable design: The padded base and internal divider can be removed, allowing the case to be used for non-camera purposes
  • Inside Pockets: Internal mesh pockets either side will hold such things as spare batteries, memory cards and cables
Billingham Capsule 1 inside a backpack.
The Billingham Capsule 1 is designed to be used inside another bag, such as a messenger, tote or backpack. Image credit: Andy Westlake

Design

Inside the Capsule 1 you’ll find generous padding on either side, plus a removable base whose padding extends upwards at the ends. When the bag is closed, hinged panels at the sides fold down on top to give all-round protection. A single movable divider allows the inside space to be tailored to match what you’re carrying.

Billingham Capsule 1 interior, empty
The Gladstone opening provides unobstructed access, and a movable divider lets you tailor the space to your needs. Image credit: Andy Westlake

In a first for Billingham, there are mesh pockets on either side of the bag for small accessories, such as spare batteries and memory cards. Unusually, though, these are placed outside the padding, with only fabric between them and the outside world. This design also means that it can be a tight squeeze getting things in – in my experience, only slim items up to about 1cm deep are likely to fit comfortably beside your camera.

Billingham Capsule 1 interior pockets.

As for the size, this is a pretty small bag. It’s clearly designed for flat-bodied rangefinder-style cameras, but small SLR-shaped mirrorless models will also fit. For example, my Fujifilm X100VI slots in nicely with a weather-sealing filter attached, plus its wideangle and teleconverter lenses and spare batteries. Alternatively, I was able to squeeze in my trusty Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II with 12-45mm f/4 and 45mm f/1.7 lenses.

Billingham Capsule 1 with Fujifilm X100VI kit inside
The Capsule 1 is nicely sized for the Fujifilm X100VI plus converter lenses. Image credit: Andy Westlake
Billingham Capsule 1 with Olympus E-M5 II kit inside
The bag will also accept a small-SLR-shaped mirrorless camera with a couple of lenses. Image credit: Andy Westlake

Unusually, there’s a thick leather grab handle at one end, rather than on top. Billingham’s own product photos show the Capsule 1 being dropped vertically into the Hadley One bag, with the handle at the top. That explains the rationale, but I’m not wholly convinced it’s the most practical design. 

Billingham Capsule 1 showing leather handle
There’s a chunky leather grab handle at one end. Image credit: Andy Westlake

You simply can’t complain about the quality, though. Everything is beautifully constructed from top-quality materials. My review sample is in Billingham’s latest Navy FibreNyte and Chocolate leather colour, and it looks absolutely gorgeous. (Most of the firm’s other bags are also available in this colour, too.)

The cheaper alternative…

If you’d prefer a much less stylish, but arguably more practical alternative shoulder bag insert, take a look at Tenba’s BYOB, or “Bring Your Own Bag” range. These come in a range of sizes, with the smallest BYOB 7 being perhaps the closest in terms of capacity. Prices range from $36 to $66 / £30 to £44, and they come in a choice of black or blue.

Billingham Capsule 1: Our Verdict

Compared to similar products, the Billingham Capsule 1 certainly wins out on style, and it’s beautifully made too. I also really like the convenient Gladstone opening. However it’s expensive, and not as space-efficient as the alternatives.

Amateur Photographer Recommended 4 stars

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Billingham Capsule 1, Navy

Billingham Capsule 1, Sage

Billingham Capsule 1, Burgundy

Billingham Capsule 1, Khaki

Billingham Capsule 1, Black

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