Nikon buys movie camera maker RED, with whom there were patent disputes as recently as 2 years ago

Nikon has announced the acquisition of the company RED, which specializes in high-quality cinema cameras. The cost of the deal is not disclosed. The statement says that RED will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nikon. Currently, RED has about 220 employees. At the moment, no plans have been announced regarding staff reduction.

The company RED was founded in 2005 and has established itself as a producer of quality cinema cameras. Its cameras have been used in popular films, including "Squid Game," "Sharp Objects," and "Captain Marvel." Now Nikon plans to enter this market with the help of its new acquisition. In recent years, Nikon has shifted away from less profitable areas of the camera market, particularly discontinuing the development of new DSLR cameras.

This move can benefit both parties, as shared by RED President Jarred Land on Facebook:

"This strategic partnership combines Nikon's extensive history and expertise in product development, image processing know-how, optical technology, and user interface with RED's revolutionary digital cinema cameras and recognized technologies."

Earlier, in 2018, RED tried to expand its business scope and enter the smartphone market. However, after a brief attempt, the company ceased operations in this direction.

Interestingly, shortly before the partnership between the companies, patent disputes arose. In 2022, RED sued Nikon, claiming that it had consciously used RED's patented data compression technology in its Z9 camera. Nikon, in turn, argued the legitimacy of using RED's patents. Subsequently, the companies agreed to settle.

Source: Engadget