Hasselblad put cameras on the moon, DJI put cameras in the air metres above your head. Now they are partners down here on the ground. It was announced today that the Chinese drone maker has bought a minority share of the legendary Swedish camera manufacturer. This is not a merger and the two companies will continue to brand and market separately, but the move will bring much closer technological co-operation between the two.
Hasselblad’s medium format cameras are not as popular as they once were, and attempts by the company to create luxury DSLRs, CSCs and compacts based on Sony designs have had only moderate success. Celebrities like David Beckham have been seen touting the bling’ed up cameras and many rich Chinese also seem to like them. The range has however had virtually no appeal to professionals or keen enthusiasts.
A lesser known strength of Hasselblad is their aerial imaging expertise. Indeed the company’s very first camera was an aerial camera called the SKa4 for the Swedish Air Force in 1941. They currently make and sell cutting edge aerial imaging technologies for industrial use.
DJI have rapidly expanded to become the largest maker of drones for aerial imaging. They have more recently spread out into making their own cameras and handheld brushless gimbals. The company clearly have their sights on the filmmaking industry. Their latest wireless follow focus system shows they can rival existing cine manufacturers’ products for quality, while maintaining a lower price.
What could this mean? At some point I would expect to see Hasselblad imaging technologies seeing their way into DJI’s product line. Exactly what form this will take isn’t clear. DJI have already started to venture into industrial applications and closer working with Hasselblad could give them valuable expertise in the field. 3D and remote mapping are expanding areas and the two companies working together could yield some interesting results.
For stills and video shooting there could be benefits too for both brands. As DJI branch out into cameras they can now tap into the knowledge of one of the world’s most experienced camera makers. If Hasselblad want to try and build more prosumer cameras, or other non-camera products then DJI’s vast, modern research and manufacturing capabilities are well placed to help them.
I don’t expect to see a DJI camera with the Hasselblad logo on it any time soon, or a Hasselblad branded OSMO stabilizer. But who knows? Never say never.
