In a move that has surprised the industry, Nikon, a company only recently written off by many internet ‘experts’ has announced its acquisition of RED, a leading company in the digital cinema camera industry. This unexpected move has taken many by surprise, as the acquisition of RED by Nikon was not something that was widely anticipated.
RED, the brainchild of then Oakley CEO Jim Jannard, pretty much kickstarted the 4K revolution with the RED ONE. One of the most well known moves by RED was patenting compressed raw video inside a camera. Making it almost impossible for other companies to put compressed raw inside popular mirrorless bodies by, among others, the Sony A7SIII.
The company’s contributions to the film industry have been recognized with an Academy Award, making it the camera of choice for numerous Hollywood productions. While RED has it’s critics, directors and cinematographers worldwide have celebrated RED for its commitment to innovation and its ability to deliver exceptional image quality optimized for the highest levels of filmmaking and video production.
It will be interesting to see what will happen, Nikon, a camera and lens company with a desire to add quality cinema options into it’s Z series, something they build on with the 2.0 Firmware release for the Z9 adding PICO raw, where taken to court by RED. It is uncertain what happened, but feels like RED told them to pay and Nikon asked “How much ….for the entire company….?”
Nikon, known for its expertise in product development, exceptional reliability, and know-how in image processing, as well as optical technology and user interface, will leverage this acquisition to expand its presence in the fast-growing professional digital cinema camera market. The collaboration with RED, with its unique image compression technology and color science, will enable the development of innovative products that push the boundaries of what is possible in film and video production.
This strategic partnership between Nikon and RED marks a new era of innovation and excellence in the professional filmmaking sector. By combining Nikon’s extensive history and expertise with RED’s revolutionary digital cinema cameras and award-winning technologies, the companies are poised to redefine the professional digital cinema camera market.
Filmmakers and professionals are eager to find out what the results of this collaboration might be, Nikon’s established reputation for reliability and image processing, combined with RED’s innovative prowess, creates a powerful synergy that holds great potential for the future of digital cinema. As Nikon and RED are not merging into a single company, the Canon RF mount will probably be supported for a long time, especially as lenses are one of the main investments professionals make .
With this acquisition, Nikon aims to build on its existing business foundations and networks, offering an exciting future of product development. The acquisition of RED by Nikon has sent shockwaves through the digital cinema industry. This unexpected development brings together two industry leaders, each with their own unique strengths and expertise. The collaboration between Nikon and RED promises to deliver exceptional products that will shape the future of professional digital cinema cameras. Filmmakers and professionals eagerly await the exciting innovations that will emerge from this partnership, as Nikon and RED continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in film and video production.
The official press release:
https://www.nikon.com/company/news/2024/0307_01.html
Accelerating Expansion in Professional Digital Cinema Camera Market
March 7, 2024
TOKYO – Nikon Corporation (Nikon) hereby announces its entry into an agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding membership interests of RED.com, LLC (RED) whereby RED will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nikon, pursuant to a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement with Mr. James Jannard, its founder, and Mr. Jarred Land, its current President, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions thereunder.
Since its establishment in 2005, RED has been at the forefront of digital cinema cameras, introducing industry-defining products such as the original RED ONE 4K to the cutting-edge V-RAPTOR [X] with its proprietary RAW compression technology. RED’s contributions to the film industry have not only earned it an Academy Award but have also made it the camera of choice for numerous Hollywood productions, celebrated by directors and cinematographers worldwide for its commitment to innovation and image quality optimized for the highest levels of filmmaking and video production.
This agreement was reached as a result of the mutual desires of Nikon and RED to meet the customers’ needs and offer exceptional user experiences that exceed expectations, merging the strengths of both companies. Nikon’s expertise in product development, exceptional reliability, and know-how in image processing, as well as optical technology and user interface along with RED’s knowledge in cinema cameras, including unique image compression technology and color science, will enable the development of distinctive products in the professional digital cinema camera market.
Nikon will leverage this acquisition to expand the fast-growing professional digital cinema camera market, building on both companies’ business foundations and networks, promising an exciting future of product development that will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in film and video production.
Overview of RED.com, LLC
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