Made in Spain, the Bronkey Tokyo is perfect for carrying a mirrorless camera with an attached lens and one or two additional lenses. In this review, I’ll look at the bag’s design, quality, materials and performance in everyday use. The Bronkey Tokyo costs a very reasonable €349, and I’ll explain why I think it’s worth every cent.
Rick’s Reviews verdict
Pros
- Compact, yet roomy
- Fantastic materials – genuine, naturally oiled leather and brass hardware
- Excellent craftsmanship and finish
- Beautiful, understated design – doesn’t look like a typical camera bag
- Not cheap, but excellent value for money
Cons
- Internal pockets don’t have zips
- The shoulder strap doesn’t have a shoulder pad
Best for
Discreetly carrying a camera with one or two extra lenses, or a second body and a few small accessories.
Not ideal for
Large, bulky professional lenses and bodies, such as the Nikon Z9 or Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S.
Would I buy again?
Yes. This bag offers high-quality materials and a beautiful design at a reasonable price. I can’t think of another brand that offers such a nice genuine-leather bag for €349.
About Bronkey
To understand this bag, it’s important to understand the company behind it. Bronkey is based in El Masnou, a town near Barcelona, Spain. The company was founded in 2016 to create bags and accessories that its founders would enjoy using themselves. This led them to make leather goods with great care and attention to detail, by photographers and for photographers. This isn’t just another company trying to sell as many bags as possible. Bronkey stands for quality while also taking corporate social responsibility seriously.
Its products are handmade in either Spain or India, using traditional tools and premium, naturally oiled leather. On the company’s website, you’ll find a short video showing part of the production process and more about the company.
The company sells shoulder straps (for one or two cameras), neck straps, wrist straps and bags. All its products are made from genuine leather or waxed canvas.
Bronkey Tokyo camera bag in the line-up
Bronkey sells four camera bag models. From smallest to largest, they are:
The Tokyo is a medium-sized shoulder bag, comparable in size to messenger bags such as the Tenba DNA Messenger 9. Its external dimensions are 35 × 24 × 14 cm. This makes it large enough for a full-frame mirrorless camera with a medium-to-large prime lens or midrange zoom attached, plus one or two extra lenses.
Bronkey Tokyo design
The Bronkey Tokyo has the classic look of a messenger bag, with a large flap protecting its contents. At first glance, it definitely doesn’t look like a typical camera bag. Adjustable straps hold the flap in place. To open the bag, you don’t need to undo the buckles: simply use the quick-release fasteners hidden beneath the straps. These fasteners hold the flap securely and close with a reassuring click. They’re quick and easy to operate, even without looking.
The attention to detail is evident in the sides of the front flap, which fold inwards to close the gaps between the flap and the sides of the bag. This small detail helps keep rain out and prevents people from seeing what’s inside.
On the back of the bag is a large pocket spanning its full width. It’s ideal for smaller items you need to access quickly. A magnet hidden in the leather keeps the pocket closed. It’s perfect for a city map or passport when travelling and can easily accommodate a compact tablet such as an iPad mini. However, this pocket isn’t weatherproof, so you’ll need to take care to prevent water from getting inside when it rains.
The bag has a length-adjustable shoulder strap with a generous adjustment range to suit different body types. It’s attached with two brass quick-release clips that swivel, helping prevent the strap from twisting when you put it over your shoulder.
The interior
Opening the bag reveals two separate front pockets, ideal for spare batteries, SD card wallets or lens caps. The interiors of these pockets and the main flap are lined with black fabric. On the flap, you’ll also find a small leather patch displaying the Bronkey name in gold. Incidentally, this is the only place you’ll find the brand name on the bag.
The main camera compartment is lined with soft, padded, fleece-like material to protect your camera from scratches and bumps. The bottom has extra-thick padding to protect your gear when you set the bag down. The outside leather also features additional stitching across the width of the bag for extra stability and cushioning.
The Bronkey Tokyo comes with two removable padded dividers made from the same soft material as the rest of the interior. They’re held in place with Velcro and can be positioned anywhere inside the bag to create the ideal layout for your gear. I like that the padding stops about 2 cm short of the top and bottom of each divider. This makes them more flexible and easier to adjust around your equipment.
In case you are wondering; the lovely leather camera strap in the image above is the Bronkey #101 Black & Red leather camera strap. I’ll cover this in a future post. This is a great strap for a compact camera or my Nikon Z f with a small lens attached.
Leather
Bronkey uses naturally oiled leather for its products. For this review, I have the black leather Bronkey Tokyo. The bag is also available in cognac leather, a rich brown colour, or green waxed canvas with leather piping and straps.
The leather used for the Bronkey Tokyo is beautifully supple, with a very fine grain and a smooth finish. It’s treated with natural oils for protection, which also makes it water-resistant. When the bag gets wet, water beads up and runs off, helping keep the interior dry. Over time, genuine leather only gets better as it develops its own patina and character.
The craftsmanship is impressive: this bag looks and feels much more expensive than it is. The stitching and leather detailing are exceptionally well executed. Every line of stitching is straight and precise, and every exposed leather edge is painted. The main flap also has leather edge binding: a narrow strip stitched over its edge for added protection. These small details not only look great but also make the bag more durable.
Brass
Besides its high-quality leather, the bag features plenty of metal hardware. Unlike the hardware on many other bags, these parts are made from solid, heavy and durable brass. You can feel their weight when you pick them up. The brass has a natural, matte, bronze-coloured finish that pairs beautifully with the black leather. Two straps with metal buckles secure the front flap. You can adjust them to create a little more room inside the bag when carrying a longer lens.
What fits inside the Bronkey Tokyo
Despite its relatively compact external dimensions of 35 × 24 × 14 cm, the Bronkey Tokyo holds a surprising amount of gear. I can easily fit my Nikon Z f with a Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S attached, along with one or two extra lenses. There’s enough room for two medium-to-large primes, such as my Nikon Z 50mm f/1.4 and a large, professional 35mm f/1.4 lens.
Alternatively, I can carry my Nikon Z f with a lens attached alongside my Leica Q2. With a little creativity, I can even squeeze in a small to medium sized prime such as the Viltrox AF 26mm f/2.8 Evo.
The bag isn’t tall enough for a Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S, but a shorter lens such as the Nikon Z 28-400mm fits easily.
The front pockets offer plenty of space for batteries and small accessories. However, because they don’t have zips, there’s a risk of small items falling out if the bag tips over.
Things that can be improved
My list is short. I love the design, the thoughtful details that enhance everyday use and the premium, durable materials. All of this makes the bag a pleasure to carry. Still, a few small improvements would make it even better:
- Add a small flap over the rear pocket to prevent rainwater from getting inside.
- Add a closure to each of the two front pockets to stop small accessories from falling out. The same hidden magnetic closure used on the rear pocket would work well.
- Add a shoulder pad to the shoulder strap. It’s already quite wide and comfortable, but a pad would make carrying heavier loads even more pleasant. It could even be sold separately, as you’d mainly need it when carrying a lot of heavy gear. If you only carry small, lightweight equipment (for example, a Nikon Z f with 28mm and 40mm lenses, or a Fujifilm prime-lens kit), you probably wouldn’t miss it.
Conclusion
I think Bronkey has hit a home run with the Tokyo. This bag combines beautiful design, premium materials and excellent fit and finish at a reasonable price. At €349, it isn’t cheap, but it can easily compete with premium offerings from brands such as Oberwerth and Compagnon that cost well over €500. That’s impressive.
When you use this bag, you can tell it was made with care by people who are photographers themselves. Small details, such as the design of the dividers, add comfort and make the bag easier to use in the real world. These things don’t show up on a specification sheet, but they make the difference between a good bag and a magnificent one. In my opinion, the Bronkey Tokyo is certainly magnificent. If you’re looking for a premium leather camera bag, it deserves a place at the top of your list.
Oh, and it smells nice too!
