Graflex

Graflex was an American photographic-equipment manufacturer whose name became associated with large-format press cameras, professional studio equipment, military cameras, and early single-lens reflex designs. Its corporate origins lay in the Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company, founded in New York City in 1887 by William F. Folmer and William E. Schwing. The company initially worked in metal manufacturing, producing gas-light fixtures and chandeliers. As the gas-lighting business declined, it diversified into bicycles and photographic equipment. This transition eventually made photography its central business and created the Graflex identity. The first Graflex camera appeared around the turn of the twentieth century. The early Graflex Reflex used a swinging mirror and through-the-lens viewing system, combined with a focal-plane shutter. Although the mechanism predated the mass-market dominance of modern SLR cameras by many decades, it gave photographers a practical way to compose and focus subjects through the taking lens. The camera became particularly useful for sports, news, and fine-art photography, where a relatively fast shutter and interchangeable lenses were valuable. George Eastman acquired the company during the first decade of the twentieth century. Under Eastman Kodak, it became part of Kodak's professional-equipment operations and was moved from New York City to Rochester, New York. The business operated under several names, including the Folmer and Schwing Division and the Folmer Graflex Division of Eastman Kodak. In the 1920s, antitrust action against Kodak led to the separation of its professional-equipment division. The independent business that emerged became the Folmer Graflex Corporation and later adopted the name Graflex, Inc. Graflex's most influential product was the Speed Graphic, a folding press camera manufactured in numerous forms from 1912 until 1973. Its rugged body, interchangeable lens boards, ground-glass focusing, external viewfinder, and focal-plane shutter made it a standard tool for generations of American press photographers. The camera accommodated large film formats and could be adapted to lenses with either focal-plane or between-the-lens shutters. The Speed Graphic's visual presence became part of the imagery of twentieth-century journalism, and a stylized version of the camera appears in the masthead associated with the New York Daily News. The related Crown Graphic retained the folding press-camera format but omitted the focal-plane shutter. This made it lighter and allowed lenses to sit closer to the film plane, supporting wider-angle applications. Graflex also produced the Century Graphic, Super Graphic, Super Speed Graphic, Graphic View cameras, studio portrait cameras, medium-format systems, 35mm rangefinders, stereo cameras, aerial cameras, and military equipment. Its products served civilian photographers as well as government, military, aviation, and industrial users. Corporate ownership changed again after independence. In the late 1950s Graflex became part of the General Instrument Precision Company, and in 1968 it was sold to Singer Corporation. Singer continued to operate Graflex as a division, but the business was wound down in the early 1970s. Production and corporate operations ended around 1973, with tooling sold to Toyo Corporation. The former Rochester-area plant remained standing after the company closed. Graflex cameras continue to have a strong collector and specialist following. Photographers use surviving Speed Graphics and Graflex SLRs for large-format, fine-art, archival, and experimental work. The brand also has an enduring place in popular culture because a modified Graflex flashgun formed the basis of the lightsaber prop used in the original 1977 Star Wars film. Graflex is therefore remembered both as a major historic camera maker and as a symbol of the transition from early professional press photography to later photographic technologies.

Graflex began in New York City in 1887 as the Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company, a metalworking business founded by William F. Folmer and William E. Schwing. Its early products included gas-light fixtures and chandeliers. The decline of gas lighting encouraged diversification, first into bicycles and then into photographic equipment. The company's move toward cameras ultimately produced the Graflex camera around 1898 or 1899 and established photography as its principal field. George Eastman acquired the business during the first decade of the twentieth century. It became part of Eastman Kodak's professional-equipment organization, eventually operating as the Folmer Graflex Division. Kodak manufactured the equipment at its professional plant in Rochester, New York. The business later moved to premises on Caledonia Avenue, subsequently renamed Clarissa Street, and became closely associated with Rochester's camera-manufacturing history. In 1926, legal action under United States antitrust law required Kodak to divest its professional photographic-equipment division. The separated business became the Folmer Graflex Corporation. After further corporate naming changes, it adopted the Graflex, Inc. name in the mid-1940s. The independent company concentrated on professional cameras and accessories, particularly large-format equipment for press, studio, technical, and military use. Graflex's defining product family was the Speed Graphic. Introduced in 1912 and produced in successive versions through 1973, the folding camera combined a rugged portable body with large-format film, ground-glass focusing, an external finder, and a focal-plane shutter. It could also use lenses fitted with between-the-lens shutters. These characteristics made it valuable to newspaper photographers covering news, sports, and public events. The focal-plane shutter could produce distinctive distortions in rapidly moving subjects, including the characteristic forward-leaning wheels seen in some automobile-racing photographs. The Crown Graphic was a related press camera without the focal-plane shutter. Its reduced size and weight, together with the ability to position lenses closer to the film plane, made it attractive for wide-angle work. Other major products included the Graflex Reflex and later Super D Graflex SLRs, Graphic View view cameras, Century studio cameras, medium-format Graflex 22 and XL systems, 35mm rangefinders, stereo cameras, aerial cameras, and military models. Graflex equipment covered formats from small and medium film sizes to 5-by-7-inch and other large-format standards. Corporate ownership changed in the postwar period. Graflex became a division of General Instrument Precision Company in the 1950s and relocated its offices to Pittsford, New York. Singer Corporation acquired the business in 1968. Singer continued to operate Graflex as a division, but the company was wound down around 1973 and its tooling was sold to Toyo Corporation. The former Pittsford facility survived as a building after manufacturing ended. The Graflex name has persisted through collectors, restoration specialists, and photographers who continue to use classic large-format cameras for fine-art and experimental work. The brand also received an unusual cultural afterlife when a Graflex flashgun was adapted into the lightsaber prop used in the 1977 Star Wars film. Graflex is consequently remembered for both practical contributions to press photography and its influence on the visual language of twentieth-century cameras.

1. 1973Manufacturing era ends

   Graflex is dissolved and its tooling is sold to Toyo Corporation.

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2. 1968Singer acquires Graflex

   Singer Corporation purchases Graflex and operates it as a division.

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3. 1956Graflex joins General Instrument Precision Company

   Graflex becomes a division of General Instrument Precision Company and moves its offices to Pittsford, New York.

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4. 1946Name changes to Graflex, Inc.

   The company adopts the Graflex, Inc. name after operating under the Folmer Graflex identity.

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5. 1926Independent Folmer Graflex Corporation is formed

   Kodak divests the professional-equipment division following antitrust proceedings, creating an independent Graflex business.

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6. 1912Speed Graphic production begins

   Graflex begins the long production history of the Speed Graphic folding press camera.

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7. 1909Acquisition by George Eastman

   The company is acquired by George Eastman and becomes part of the Kodak organization.

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8. 1899Early Graflex camera enters the market

   The company releases an early Graflex camera using a swinging-mirror reflex viewing system and focal-plane shutter.

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9. 1887Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company is founded

   William F. Folmer and William E. Schwing establish a New York City metalworking company that later diversifies into bicycles and photographic equipment.

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Professional, durable photographic equipment for press, sports, studio, fine-art, military, and technical photography.

• Speed GraphicLarge-format press camera1912

  Graflex's signature folding press camera, produced from 1912 to 1973 in multiple generations. It combined a rugged portable body, large-format film, a focal-plane shutter, external viewing arrangements, and ground-glass focusing. Its ability to accept lens-board-mounted shutters made it adaptable to both press and technical photography. The camera became closely identified with American newspaper and sports photography.

• Crown GraphicLarge-format press camera1947

  A lighter member of the Graphic family that omitted the Speed Graphic's focal-plane shutter. The smaller body and reduced weight improved portability, while the absence of the focal-plane mechanism allowed lenses to sit nearer the film plane. This made the Crown Graphic particularly suitable for wider-angle lenses and portable large-format work.

• Graflex ReflexSingle-lens reflex camera1899

  An early Graflex SLR using a swinging mirror and through-the-lens viewing. Its focal-plane shutter supported relatively fast exposures for sports and press work, while interchangeable lenses also attracted fine-art photographers. The design is historically important because it offered SLR-style operation long before the modern 35mm SLR became dominant.

• Super GraphicLarge-format press and technical camera1958

  A later professional Graphic-series camera designed for large-format photography. It retained the portable press-camera concept while adding refinements intended for technical and professional users. The Super Graphic was produced during the final decades of Graflex's camera-manufacturing history.

• Graphic ViewView camera1941

  Graflex's view-camera line for studio, architectural, technical, and other large-format applications. The Graphic View and Graphic View II provided a more deliberate alternative to portable press cameras, supporting the controlled composition and adjustment requirements of professional view-camera work.

• Super D GraflexLarge-format single-lens reflex camera1941

  A professional Graflex reflex camera produced from 1941 through 1963. It extended the company's large-format SLR tradition and was used for press, sports, studio, and fine-art photography. Its focal-plane shutter and large negative formats gave photographers a combination of control, image detail, and motion-stopping capability.

• Graflex XLMedium-format camera system1965

  A medium-format interchangeable-lens camera system produced during Graflex's final manufacturing period. It represented the company's effort to offer a more compact professional format alongside its traditional large-format press and view cameras.

• Graflex Stereo GraphicStereo camera1955

  A camera designed for stereoscopic photography and produced in the postwar period. It extended Graflex's product range beyond conventional press and single-image cameras into specialized image capture.

• Graflex military and aerial camerasMilitary and aerial imaging equipment1941

  Graflex produced a range of specialized cameras for military and aerial applications, including the K-20 aircraft camera and several C-series, PH-series, KE-series, and XLRF models. These products served government and defense imaging requirements rather than ordinary consumer photography.

• 1973Wind down Graflex manufacturingStrategy

  The business had operated under Singer ownership after several earlier corporate reorganizations.

  What changed. Graflex was dissolved and its manufacturing tooling was sold to Toyo Corporation.

  Aftermath. Graflex ceased to operate as an active camera manufacturer, while its cameras remained in collector and specialist use.

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• 1968Sell Graflex to Singer CorporationM&A

  After operating as a division of General Instrument Precision Company, Graflex entered another ownership transition.

  What changed. Singer Corporation acquired Graflex and retained it as a divisional business.

  Aftermath. Singer operated Graflex until the business was wound down in the early 1970s.

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• 1926Separate the professional-equipment business from KodakStrategy

  Antitrust proceedings against Eastman Kodak required the company to divest its professional photographic-equipment division.

  What changed. The division was spun out as the Folmer Graflex Corporation, creating an independent Graflex business.

  Aftermath. Graflex continued as an independent camera manufacturer and later adopted the Graflex, Inc. name.

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• 1977Graflex flashgun becomes a Star Wars lightsaber prop

  A modified 1940s Graflex three-cell flashgun was used as the basis for the lightsaber prop in the first Star Wars film, bringing the photographic accessory into popular culture.

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• 1973Graflex operations are wound down

  The Graflex business was dissolved and its tooling was sold to Toyo Corporation, ending the company's principal manufacturing era.

  BankruptcyOther
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• 1968Singer Corporation acquires Graflex

  Singer Corporation purchased Graflex and operated it as a division until the business was closed in the early 1970s.

  M&A
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• 1956Graflex becomes part of General Instrument Precision Company

  Graflex entered a new corporate phase as a division of General Instrument Precision Company and moved its offices to Pittsford outside Rochester.

  M&A
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• 1926Kodak divests its professional photographic-equipment division

  Antitrust proceedings resulted in the separation of Kodak's professional-equipment operations, creating the independent Folmer Graflex Corporation.

  Regulation
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1. Graflex
2. Graflex.org historical and preservation resources