Companies to 'Push the Borders' of Imaging Technology in Corporate Partnership
Shenzhen, China-based aerial cinematography specialist DJI has acquired a stake in Swedish medium-format camera and lens manufacturer Hasselblad, the companies said in a joint announcement today of a new "corporate partnership" between the two entities.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but DJI's investment in Hasselblad is described as a "strategic minority stake," and DJI will join Hasselblad's board of directors.
Hasselblad has a line-up of aerial still cameras and it's not hard to imagine DJI taking an interest in flying those around. For example, the new Hasselblad A5D Aerial camera (above) comes with either a 50 or 80 megapixel sensor. It's unclear whether Hasselblad has aspirations to make a cinema camera. More likely, DJI is looking to increase its presence in the markets for the surveying and mapping applications that Hasselblad's aerial cameras are designed for, with products like its Zenmuse aerial gimbals.
"Hasselblad and DJI share a passion to provide creative people with cutting-edge, inventive technology to help them take visual storytelling to the next level," said DJI founder and CEO Frank Wang in a prepared statement. "With this partnership, we combine our strengths to further push the borders of what's possible in imaging technology."
The companies said that Hasselblad will continue to manufacturer its cameras and equipment in Sweden, and DJI will continue to make its products in China.
