For 80 years, Hasselblad has produced some of the most legendary cameras in the world, which have captured some of the most iconic photographs in history – from portraits of Jimi Hendrix to man’s first steps on the moon. This year, OnePlus is partnering with Hasselblad to take photography out of this world, again. You may know the story of OnePlus, but Hasselblad also shares a deep origin of pursuing excellence.
These are the key moments in Hasselblad history.
1940 - The First Hasselblad Camera
The first camera created by Victor Hasselblad, the HK7
© Hasselblad
Hasselblad got its start in 1940, during World War II, when the Swedish military approached Victor Hasselblad to create an aerial camera like the one recovered from a downed German plane.
“No, not one like that, but a better one,”
the ambitious 34-year-old responded.
With the aid of technicians and his brother, Victor successfully designed the first Hasselblad camera, the HK7. By the end of World War II, the team had produced 342 cameras for the Swedish military.
Swedish Air Force with a Hasselblad camera
© Hasselblad
1962 - Hasselblad’s First Mission
Walter Schirra and the Hasselblad 500C
© Hasselblad
By 1962, Victor had not only built up the reputation of Hasselblad’s cameras, but earned the trust of NASA. With larger than average sensors - allowing it to capture more light, and exceptional dynamic range, Hasselblad became the camera brand of choice for space missions.
On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts touched down on the surface of the Moon, becoming the first humans to ever set foot on another world. In hand was a modified version of the Hasselblad 500C.
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
A live shot of the Earth from the Moon
1998 - Reshaping Photography with XPan
Sample XPan images from brochure
© Hasselblad
In 1998, Hasselblad introduced an all-new concept camera, using a wide format system with 135 film. But, unlike traditional “wide frame” cameras, XPan did not compromise the image quality with any cropping or compression. This unfamiliar format brought new horizons to photography and changed the way people captured life.
In a world full of squares, be a rectangle.
Original Hasselblad Xan Camera
© Hasselblad
2021 - OnePlus Partners with Hasselblad
Since the beginning, OnePlus has striven to deliver the best technology to our users - never settling for a second. And while we have disrupted the industry with ultra-smooth displays and unmatched Warp Charging technology, it’s time to take another leap forward.
Starting this year, OnePlus will be partnering with Hasselblad to create the best smartphone camera experience for users like you. With the pioneers of modern-day photography, OnePlus smartphones will bring top-of-the-line hardware, fast and smooth software and improved computational photography, for a camera system unlike any other.
We hope you’re excited, because we are.
