Difference between revisions of "Graflex"

From Camera-wiki.org
Jump to: navigation, search
(→‎Sheet Film Cameras)
Line 15: Line 15:
 
==Company==
 
==Company==
 
{{Rochester}}
 
{{Rochester}}
−
When a court had ordered that [[Kodak]] had to sell its [[Folmer & Schwing]] division, no buyers appeared. A new company was founded which was named '''Folmer Graflex Corporation''' in 1928. In 1945 it was renamed to '''Graflex Inc.''' . From the days of depression of the 1930s to 1957 the company grew from 100 to 760 employees. It made successfully sophisticated [[SLR]]s and [[press camera]]s as well as TLRs and several 35mm cameras, and some special-purpose cameras, e.g. for air reconnaissance. In 1976 [[Cambo]] purchased the complete tooling, know-how and production of the [[Graflex XL]] camera from Singer Educational Systems, and marketed a slightly updated version as the [[Cambo XL]] for a time.<ref>British journal of photography - Volume 123 (1976), p. 575</ref> Rights to the 4x5 Speed Graphic and Crown Graphic were bought by the Japanese manufacturer of [[Toyo]] view cameras around the same time.<ref>Journal of the Biological Photographic Association, Volume 45 (1977) p. 24</ref>
+
Graflex Inc. was a camera builder based in New York, starting in NYC, but being based in Rochester for much of its history. They produced professional medium and large format cameras, and consumer medium and small format cameras.
 +
{{brl}}
 +
==History==
 +
Graflex Inc. began its life as the [[Folmer & Schwing]] company, of New York City. William F. Folmer was a serial inventor, and went into business with William E. Schwing. Their company originally produced gas lamps, but expanded into bicycles and photographic equipment, later focusing on cameras exclusively; after introducing their focal plane camera in 1899.  <ref>  Schilling, Donovan (2015). Made in Rochester. Victor, NY: Pancoast Publishing. p. 76. ISBN 978-0983849667. Retrieved 30 January 2016.</ref> With their success, they would eventually be bought out by [[George Eastman]], and integrated into [[Kodak]] as the "Folmer Graflex division of Eastman Kodak." By 1921, Kodak had become a monopoly on the sale of cameras in the United States, and was forced to divest itself of several assets, including Folmer Graflex. <ref>  United States v. Eastman Kodak Co., 226 F. 62 (W.D.N.Y.1915) appeal dismissed, 255 U.S. 578, 41 S. Ct. 321, 65 L. Ed. 795 (1921).</ref> Failing to find a buyer, the company was spun off as '''Folmer Graflex Corporation''' in 1928. In 1945 it was renamed to '''Graflex Inc.''' . From the depression of the 1930s to 1957 the company grew from 100 to 760 employees. The company remained independent until 1958, when it was bought by '''General Precision''' before being sold to '''Singer Corp.''' in 1968. By the 1970's, much of the consumer camera products had been discontinued due to Japanese imports, and with the shift towards 35mm and 120 SLR's in the professional market, Graflex's historical professional customer base had largely eroded. In 1976 [[Cambo]] purchased the complete tooling, know-how and production of the [[Graflex XL]] camera from Singer Educational Systems, and marketed a slightly updated version as the [[Cambo XL]] for a time.<ref>British journal of photography - Volume 123 (1976), p. 575</ref> Rights to the 4x5 Speed Graphic and Crown Graphic were bought by the Japanese manufacturer of [[Toyo]] view cameras around the same time.<ref>Journal of the Biological Photographic Association, Volume 45 (1977) p. 24</ref>  
  
−
{{brl}}
 
 
==Cameras from Graflex and its predecessor [[Folmer & Schwing]]==
 
==Cameras from Graflex and its predecessor [[Folmer & Schwing]]==
 
{{Flickr_image
 
{{Flickr_image

Revision as of 16:49, 30 June 2020


49947174162_b4a1887e8a.jpg
The "Graphic" Gang
image by Neal Wellons (Image rights)

The name Graflex may mean either:

  • The main camera brand used by Folmer & Schwing, and (after 1905) the Folmer & Schwing division of Kodak
  • The company that succeeded Folmer & Schwing when it had to be sold by Kodak in 1926

Company

photography related industry in Rochester (New York)
American Camera | Bausch & Lomb | Blair | Century | Crown Optical Co. | Elgeet | Folmer & Schwing | Gassner and Marx | Graflex | Gundlach | Ilex | JML | Kodak | Milburn | Monroe | PMC | Ray | Reichenbach, Morey and Will | Rochester Camera and Supply Co. | Rochester Optical Co. | Rochester Panoramic Camera Co. | Seneca | Sunart | Walker | Webster Industries | Wollensak
and in Rochester (Minnesota)
Conley
external links
graflex.org - Rudolf Kingslake's
"Optical industry in Rochester (N.Y.)"

Graflex Inc. was a camera builder based in New York, starting in NYC, but being based in Rochester for much of its history. They produced professional medium and large format cameras, and consumer medium and small format cameras.

History

Graflex Inc. began its life as the Folmer & Schwing company, of New York City. William F. Folmer was a serial inventor, and went into business with William E. Schwing. Their company originally produced gas lamps, but expanded into bicycles and photographic equipment, later focusing on cameras exclusively; after introducing their focal plane camera in 1899. [1] With their success, they would eventually be bought out by George Eastman, and integrated into Kodak as the "Folmer Graflex division of Eastman Kodak." By 1921, Kodak had become a monopoly on the sale of cameras in the United States, and was forced to divest itself of several assets, including Folmer Graflex. [2] Failing to find a buyer, the company was spun off as Folmer Graflex Corporation in 1928. In 1945 it was renamed to Graflex Inc. . From the depression of the 1930s to 1957 the company grew from 100 to 760 employees. The company remained independent until 1958, when it was bought by General Precision before being sold to Singer Corp. in 1968. By the 1970's, much of the consumer camera products had been discontinued due to Japanese imports, and with the shift towards 35mm and 120 SLR's in the professional market, Graflex's historical professional customer base had largely eroded. In 1976 Cambo purchased the complete tooling, know-how and production of the Graflex XL camera from Singer Educational Systems, and marketed a slightly updated version as the Cambo XL for a time.[3] Rights to the 4x5 Speed Graphic and Crown Graphic were bought by the Japanese manufacturer of Toyo view cameras around the same time.[4]

Cameras from Graflex and its predecessor Folmer & Schwing

162055618_6be9276b16_m.jpg
Graflex 22 TLR
image by Bill Strong (Image rights)

35mm Film

Medium Format Rollfilm

5175939972_841bfafcc7_m.jpg
Auto Graflex
showing typical style of early Graflex SLRs
image by EspressoBuzz (Image rights)

Sheet Film Cameras

4092384415_a60a178b39_m.jpg
Super Speed Graphic
image by rawheadrex (Image rights)

Aerial Cameras

The K20, and perhaps others, were designed by Fairchild, and so may also be known as Fairchild K20.

  • Folmer Graflex K20 Aircraft Camera
  • Folmer Graflex K21 Aircraft Camera
  • Folmer Graflex K25 Aircraft Camera


Notes

  1. ↑ Schilling, Donovan (2015). Made in Rochester. Victor, NY: Pancoast Publishing. p. 76. ISBN 978-0983849667. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  2. ↑ United States v. Eastman Kodak Co., 226 F. 62 (W.D.N.Y.1915) appeal dismissed, 255 U.S. 578, 41 S. Ct. 321, 65 L. Ed. 795 (1921).
  3. ↑ British journal of photography - Volume 123 (1976), p. 575
  4. ↑ Journal of the Biological Photographic Association, Volume 45 (1977) p. 24

Links

Retrieved from "http://camera-wiki.org/index.php?title=Graflex&oldid=199566"