- Capture One has added native support for Hasselblad .3FR RAW files
- Included are the Hasselblad X2D II 100C, X2D 100C and CFV 100C.
- Tethered capture will take place later this year
Hasselblad photographers, I have the news you have been waiting for for years: Hasselblad Cameras finally have native support for Capture One.
The support covers Hasselblad’s 16-bit .3FR RAW files and includes three of its 100MP medium format cameras: the X2D II 100C digital back, X2D 100C, and CFV 100C (which is the sensor module for the 907X). You will need the latest version of Capture One 16.8.3 or mobile version 3.3.4.
It’s truly a perfect combination; Hasselblad’s 16-bit RAW files and ‘Natural Color Solution’ reproduce possibly the truest colors I’ve seen in my 15 years of testing cameras, while Capture One is the industry’s favorite editing software for color correction and connected shooting.
This partnership between two Scandinavian companies was bound to happen some time ago, and now it has, with tethered shooting support (a studio setup where you can control the camera via software) also promised for later this year.
It’s a big deal for both sides: Hasselblad users can ditch Adobe, which is less highly regarded among professional colorists, in favor of Capture One and its precise set of photo-editing tools.
The move could also attract new professional and commercial photographers to Hasselblad’s medium format digital cameras, who had previously been put off by the lack of Capture One support.
As for Capture One, it can potentially attract a new wave of Hasselblad photographers, with a seamless workflow from capture to final image.
Let the Hasselblad cameras sing
Until now, workarounds were needed to bring Hasselblad RAW files into Capture One, at the cost of color accuracy and editing freedom. Meanwhile, Adobe photo editing platforms like Lightroom are less highly regarded than Capture One for their absolute color fidelity.
Hasselblad 100MP medium format RAW files are now supported, with profiles for the entire Hasselblad XCD lens range and the ability to organize files, edit them and, later this year, capture them online.
I contacted Hasselblad for comment and a spokesperson told me, “One of the most consistent requests has been for native support for Hasselblad RAW files in Capture One. This partnership is a direct response to that feedback and we’ve been working with the Capture One team for some time to make it a reality.”
Capture One echoed Hasselblad’s sentiment on the new partnership, saying, “Giving Hasselblad photographers the native Capture One workflow they’ve asked for from us is really rewarding. We’re both firmly rooted in the commercial and professional space, and that’s a big part of why this partnership makes sense.”
And when I asked about the challenges of providing native support for a new format, Capture One told me: “The real challenge wasn’t simply reading the files. Getting a new format right means dedicated color profiles for each of the three cameras, so that Hasselblad files are reproduced in the true color our users know in Capture One, plus lens profiles for the XCD lenses that correct for distortion, chromatic aberration, and light fall-off.
“At all times, the priority was to ensure that the unique character of these cameras was reflected in the image quality we pride ourselves on.”
You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of Capture One if you haven’t tried it yet, with subscriptions starting at $18 / £16.67 AU$27 per month, or a one-off purchase costing $349 / £336 / AU$523.
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