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Kevin Raber, over at Luminous Landscape, has announced that he has heard from “numerous, reliable sources” that the Chinese drone maker DJI is now a majority shareholder of the legendary Swedish camera maker Hasselblad.
Back in October 2015, Hasselblad and DJI formed a strategic partnership, with DJI buying a minority stake into the camera company. In July 2016, they announced their first joint aerial photography package, pairing the DJI Matrice 600 Drone (M600 and M600 PRO, both drones designed for professional aerial photography and industrial applications) with the Hasselblad A5D.
This is not the first time that Hasselblad changes ownership hand. In fact, it was previously sold to Ventizz Capital and a number of times again before that to other financial firms.
Until we hear officially, this, of course, remains a rumor. If true, will the future of the Hasselblad X1D be up in the air, depending on the direction DJI would like to take the company? I very doubt DJI would acquire Hasselblad and not continue with the X1D, which has apparently received “lots of orders,” and why acquire the Hasselblad name if not to continue making more “legendary” cameras? For all we know, this may be a good thing for Hasselblad to acquire an owner who knows — and cares about — building successful products that the market wants. This new infusion of capital by the drone maker may be just what Hasselblad needs to “take to the air.” Like the French says, Affaire à suivre.
