Smith-Victor

Overview

Smith-Victor manufactures lighting equipment and accessories for photography, videography, and digital imaging. The company offers LED lights, lighting kits, tripods, microphones, soft boxes, umbrellas, barn doors, and copy stands targeted at professionals and enthusiasts.¹²⁵

History

James H. Smith founded Smith-Victor in the late 1800s in Chicago after inventing the first viable flash system for photography. The company, originally James H. Smith & Sons, relocated to Griffith, Indiana, 40 miles west of its original plant. Smith-Victor Corporation was sold to Promark International, Inc. on New Year's Eve 1998.³⁷

Product Lines

Manufacturing

Products are manufactured and distributed from Griffith, Indiana, United States. The company handles production of photo, video, and digital imaging lighting, tripods, accessories, and custom miniature ceramic lampholders in-house.¹²

Notable Products

• Acies Pro LED 32″ RGBW Strip Light - RGBW strip light with barndoors for color-controlled video lighting.
• LED Lighting Kits - Kits including lights, stands, and modifiers for studio setups.
• Copy Stands - Stands for flat product and artwork photography.
• Tripods - Supports for cameras and lighting equipment.
• Soft Boxes and Umbrellas - Modifiers for shaping and diffusing light.

Reputation

Smith-Victor is recognized among photographers and videographers for reliable, specialized lighting gear suitable for studio and home setups. Professionals value its long heritage in photography lighting since the 1800s and products like LED panels and modifiers. Some note the small company size may limit product variety compared to larger brands.¹³