Inventor. Distinguished Swedish Inventor and Photographer. He invented the single lens reflex camera, known to the world as ”Hasselblad.” His famed career started in 1940, when a German military aeroplane was shot down over Swedish terrotory. The army found an aerial camera inside the plane, and the Royal Swedish Air Force asked Victor Hasselblad if he could ”make a camera like this?” He replied: ”No, I can make one better.” In 1941 the company Victor Hasselblad AB was founded, and was to begin with commissioned to produce cameras for the Royal Swedish Air Force. In 1948 the first civil Hasselblad camera was introduced in New York. It was regarded as a sensation. And his company grew. From 1962 to this day, Hasselblad cameras has been aboard every manned US space mission, including the pictures from the landing on the moon 1969. His ambition was to make a camera with the highest quality, with one camera size only, the 6 by 6 format, with complete interchangeability, which mean that all lenses and accessories ever made can still be used with any camera. According to his will, SEK 78 millions (USD 8 million) was donated to The Erna and Victor Hasselblad Foundation. A photographic center/museum, The Hasselblad Center, was 1989 opened in Gothenburg by the foundation.
Inventor. Distinguished Swedish Inventor and Photographer. He invented the single lens reflex camera, known to the world as ”Hasselblad.” His famed career started in 1940, when a German military aeroplane was shot down over Swedish terrotory. The army found an aerial camera inside the plane, and the Royal Swedish Air Force asked Victor Hasselblad if he could ”make a camera like this?” He replied: ”No, I can make one better.” In 1941 the company Victor Hasselblad AB was founded, and was to begin with commissioned to produce cameras for the Royal Swedish Air Force. In 1948 the first civil Hasselblad camera was introduced in New York. It was regarded as a sensation. And his company grew. From 1962 to this day, Hasselblad cameras has been aboard every manned US space mission, including the pictures from the landing on the moon 1969. His ambition was to make a camera with the highest quality, with one camera size only, the 6 by 6 format, with complete interchangeability, which mean that all lenses and accessories ever made can still be used with any camera. According to his will, SEK 78 millions (USD 8 million) was donated to The Erna and Victor Hasselblad Foundation. A photographic center/museum, The Hasselblad Center, was 1989 opened in Gothenburg by the foundation.
Bio by: Peter Robsahm
Family Members
Advertisement
