Suggesting that brand ownership has nothing to do with globalization is a bit naive. Of course it has a huge impact on product development and quality. Globalization tends to water down differences and blur what’s unique and special. And being unique and special is exactly what defines a premium brand. I don’t agree with you that my mentioning “Chinese owners” was offensive. I think you’re overinterpreting what I said and unnecessarily judging it in your own way. Let’s focus on the actual point
I also disagree with your last statement. You’re mixing up the result of work with the tool itself. Those are two totally different things. And the sales curve you mentioned is currently the only real indicator of whether a brand will keep growing or collapse.
Let’s go line by line:
1. Ownership vs. Nationality
You conflate “ownership” with “nationality.” DJI is a corporation, not a monolithic stand-in for “the Chinese.” If Canon buys a company, we don’t say “the Japanese” are pulling the strings; we talk about Canon’s strategy. Precision in language matters if the goal is clarity rather than caricature.
2. Globalization and “watering down”
Globalization doesn’t erase identity. Hasselblad’s design, color science, and ergonomics are still unlike any competitor. The X2D II didn’t dilute Hasselblad; it fixed AF and stabilization, which were glaring weaknesses. That’s refinement, not homogenization.
3. Premium ≠ Resale Value
You define premium by second-hand prices. That’s a shaky metric. Leica bodies have crashed and rebounded countless times, yet nobody denies their premium status. Premium isn’t resale math; it’s reputation, heritage, and the
experience of using the tool. By that measure, Hasselblad still sits in the premium category.
4. “The result vs. the tool”
You claim results and tools are separate. I’d argue the opposite: a premium tool delivers results you can’t easily get elsewhere. If the camera’s design, optics, and workflow produce a distinctive file and experience, then the result and the tool are inseparable. That’s why Hasselblad still commands loyalty.
5. Sales curve as the “only real indicator”
Sales curves show demand today, not brand longevity tomorrow. If sales were the
only measure, Leica, Phase One, and even Hasselblad itself would have disappeared long ago. Yet they didn’t, because premium brands endure through reputation and artistry, not just quarterly numbers.
After forty years with Hasselblad, I’ve seen booms, busts, ownership changes, and digital upheaval. Through it all, the brand has remained premium, not because the resale market says so, but because the tools still deliver something unique.
And if the resale graph really is the whole story, it’s curious that out of forty-plus replies here, mine, being the lone female voice, was the only one worth a rebuttal. Funny how “premium” seems to get redefined depending on who’s holding the camera.
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