DJI buys stake in high-end camera firm Hasselblad
Drone maker DJI has purchased a stake in Hasselblad, the company best known for medium-format still cameras and pimped out, overpriced Sony rebadges. The move is a bit of a head-scratcher, because we don't see a lot of synergy there -- Hasselblad's H-series cameras are far too heavy for drones and most models don't even shoot video. Furthermore, DJI recently unveiled its own drone-ready Micro-Four-Thirds camera. Nevertheless, DJI can certainly afford the minority share it purchased in Hasselblad, and now sits on the company's board of directors.
The companies will continue to operate normally for now, with Hasselblad building cameras in Sweden and DJI operating in Shenzhen, China. As for the future, Hasselblad just said "we are looking forward to sharing technical expertise and paving the way for future innovations," while DJI CEO Frank Wang added, "we (will) combine our strengths to further push the borders of what's possible in image technology." Lately, DJI has dabbled in cinema products (like handheld gimbals) not related to drones, so the tie-up could lead to either improved drone imaging or new photography products. Hopefully, it won't result in titanium, walnut and leather-clad DJI drones marked up by five times the original price.
