80 Years Kaiser Fototechnik

It was the year 1945 when Erich Kaiser began manufacturing everyday items from leftover materials. Directly after the war, materials were scarce, but the need for many things was great—including products for photography. Thus, in 1947, the first lens hoods for cameras were delivered to the photographic trade. The production of camera accessories proved promising, and soon, Erich Kaiser was also making lens caps, reflectors, and other aids. In its first years, the company was still based in Lardenbach, Upper Hesse.

However, the spatial possibilities there were soon exhausted. In search of a suitable location, the choice fell on Buchen in the Odenwald—not only due to the active settlement policy there, but also thanks to the good infrastructure with a hospital and all important types of schools. In 1954, the time came: Kaiser moved into a purpose-built company building at Krötenteich 2. The demand for the products rose steadily, as did the production area and the in-house manufacturing depth. With departments for turning and stamping technology, painting, screen printing, a design department, and its own toolmaking, "Made in Germany" at Kaiser soon meant a high degree of in-house production. The product catalog soon comprised over 250 pages with more than 1,000 articles—from general camera accessories to lighting technology for photo, film, and video, to enlargers and darkroom needs.

Numerous innovations from Kaiser Fototechnik shaped the industry, including the first electronic autofocus enlarger for amateurs. Award-winning design multiple times showed that Kaiser set not only technological but also design standards. As early as the mid-1950s, export within Europe, to North America and South Africa began. The company also gained worldwide attention through decades of participation in the world photography fair "photokina" in Cologne.

In 1989, a generational change took place: company founder Erich Kaiser handed over management to his children Vera and Alfred Kaiser. During this time, the shift from analog to digital photography posed enormous challenges to the industry. Many competitors disappeared, but Kaiser Fototechnik succeeded in transforming: a large part of the range was already cross-technology compatible back then, and additional developments opened new markets—such as in industry, government, or especially in museums, where various devices and accessories are used for the digital archiving of historical cultural assets such as documents, books, and paintings. Today, the portfolio also includes custom solutions for professional users like motorized and computer-controlled camera mounts for efficient digitization.

In parallel, the transformation in communication took place: With a strong online presence and activities on social media, Kaiser Fototechnik is also visible in the digital world.

After 77 years in the hands of the Kaiser family, Vera Kaiser finally handed over management—and with Jonas Vogt and the neighboring OKW Group, new owners were found who are leading the company into a stable future.

“For 80 years, Kaiser Fototechnik has stood for quality ‘Made in Germany’, combined with a spirit of innovation and closeness to our customers,” says managing director Jonas Vogt. “Our goal is to continuously develop new solutions out of tradition for today’s and future needs—for photographers and videographers, industry, research, and education alike.”

Kaiser Fototechnik looks to the coming decades with confidence—supported by a visionary pioneering spirit, dedicated employees, and the trust of its worldwide partners.