- Capture One has added native Hasselblad .3FR RAW file support
- Hasselblad’s X2D II 100C, X2D 100C and CFV 100C are included
- Tethered capture is set to follow later this year
Hasselblad photographers, I have the news you’ve been waiting years for: Hasselblad cameras finally have native Capture One support.
The support covers Hasselblad’s 16-bit .3FR RAW files and includes three of its 100MP medium-format cameras: the X2D II 100C, X2D 100C and CFV 100C digital back (which is the sensor module for the 907X). You’ll need the latest version of Capture One 16.8.3 or Mobile Version 3.3.4.
It’s truly a match made in heaven; Hasselblad’s 16-bit RAW files and ‘Natural Color Solution’ render possibly the most true-to-life colors I’ve seen in my 15 years of testing cameras, while Capture One is industry-favorite editing software for color correction and tethered shooting.
This partnership between two Scandinavian companies had to happen some time, and now it has, with tethered shooting support (a studio setup where you can control the camera through the software) also promised for later this year.
It’s a big deal for both parties — Hasselblad shooters can ditch Adobe, which is held in lower regard among pro colorists, in favor of Capture One and its precise photo-editing toolset.
The move might also attract new professional and commercial photographers, who have previously been put off because of the lack of Capture One support, to Hasselblad’s medium-format digital cameras.
As for Capture One, it can potentially attract a new wave of existing Hasselblad photographers, with a seamless workflow from capture to the finished image.
Until now, workarounds were needed to bring Hasselblad RAW files into Capture One, at the cost of color accuracy and editing latitude. Meanwhile, Adobe’s photo-editing platforms, such as Lightroom, are held in less regard than Capture One for outright color fidelity.
Now Hasselblad’s 100MP medium-format RAW files are supported, with profiles for Hasselblad’s entire range of XCD lenses and the ability to organize files as well as edit them and, later this year, tethered capture.
I reached out to Hasselblad for comment, and a spokesperson told me: “One of the most consistent requests has been 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 happen.”
Capture One echoed Hasselblad’s sentiment about the new partnership, saying “Giving Hasselblad photographers the native Capture One workflow they’ve asked us for is genuinely rewarding. Both of us are 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 in bringing native support to a new format, Capture One told me, “The real challenge was less about simply reading the files. Getting a new format right means dedicated color profiles for each of the three cameras, so Hasselblad’s files render with the true-to-life color our users know Capture One for, plus lens profiles for the XCD lenses that correct distortion, chromatic aberration, and light falloff.
“Throughout, the priority was making sure the unique character of these cameras comes through with the image quality we pride ourselves on.”
You can sign up for a free Capture One 7-day trial if you’ve yet to try it, with subscriptions starting at $18 / £16.67 per month or $216 / £124 per yer, or a one-time purchase costing $349 / £336.
