No, not April 1. You read that right: Nikon is actually acquiring RED, a manufacturer of high-end digital camcorders. According to a press release issued today (March 7), Nikon Corporation has entered into an “agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding membership interests of RED.com, LLC (RED), under which RED will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Nikon. .” It’s a particularly surprising development because it wasn’t that long ago RED sued Nikon over video compression technology at a Japanese company flagship Z9 mirrorless camera.
The press release goes on to explain that Nikon and RED share a common interest in providing “exceptional user experiences that exceed expectations, combining the strengths of both companies.” Nikon prides itself on its product development capabilities, image processing know-how, optical technology and user interface, and praises RED’s knowledge of cinema cameras, including image compression technology uniqueness and color science.” Combining these areas of expertise will enable the development of “exceptional products in the professional digital video camera market”. But it will be equally interesting to see how RED’s technology will find its way into Nikon’s mirrorless cameras.
Founded in 2005, RED is headquartered in California and employs approximately 220 people. The company has been at the forefront of digital cinema since its inception, becoming the camera of choice for countless Hollywood productions. In the field of underwater filming, the company’s camcorders have been widely supported by Nauticam, which produces housings for models such as Komodo, Komodo-X And V-Raptor.
