Hasselblad RAW Files Now Supported by Apple

Hasselblad 3FR RAW files are now supported by Apple in Mac OS X 10.5.2 and Aperture 2. The free Leopard update includes support for Hasselblad raw image files in the 3FR, FFF and DNG format, created with any Hasselblad digital camera. Apple’s raw file processing is very fast, and delivers images with a generally high image quality, resulting in a level of image quality sufficient for standard application.  The quality of the images produced, however, will not equal that of those processed via Hasselblad’s proprietary FlexColor or Phocus software.

Hasselblad Press Release

With the update of Apple’s Leopard operating system to OS X 10.5.2, Apple now includes official support for the Hasselblad raw files (3FR, FFF and DNG) that are produced from a range of the Hasselblad digital camera solutions.  The new Aperture 2 release also includes support for these Hasselblad raw file formats.

The free Leopard update includes support for Hasselblad raw image files in the 3FR, FFF and DNG format, created with any Hasselblad digital camera product with a 16 Mpix, 22Mpix, 31Mpix or 39Mpix sensor. 

This update means that Hasselblad raw files (3FR, FFF and DNG) will now be visible in Finder and able to be opened directly from popular applications such as Preview, iPhoto, and Aperture.  An added benefit of the new OS X support is the creation of thumbnails for both FFF and 3FR files, enabling quick file inspection via Quick Look.

This most recent news from Apple is yet another indication of the increasing compatibility of Hasselblad raw 3FR and FFF files in a wide range of photographic applications and workflows.  Apple’s raw file processing is very fast, and delivers images with a generally high image quality, resulting in a level of image quality sufficient for standard application.  The quality of the images produced, however, will not equal that of those processed via Hasselblad’s proprietary FlexColor or Phocus software, which provide a number of quality parameters not attainable from third party software, including:

- Digital lens corrections (not included by Apple, with the exception of chromatic aberration correction on exported DNGs)
- Moiré removal
- Color handling
- Noise reduction

For users of Hasselblad digital cameras, it is also important to note the photographic advantages gained by using Hasselblad’s Phocus software, which is delivered as an integral part of the camera system.  Phocus works with Hasselblad cameras using the same integrated philosophy Apple has designed into its own products, and achieves similar benefits from native integration between software and hardware. Phocus provides maximum functionality and seamless integration between the camera and the photographer’s computer system – much like iPod and iTunes, for example. This integration enables a range of beneficial features, including advanced job preparation, camera set-up, and camera control including focusing and live-view when working under tethered operation.

In an industry where the search for ultimate quality is never ending, Apple and Hasselblad are proud to continue their collaborative efforts to provide the best range of photographic tools available, covering the multitude of workflows, conditions and challenges that face modern photographers.

About Hasselblad
Hasselblad A/S has developed, manufactured and delivered the very best in high-end camera systems for over 50 years.  A Scandinavian company, headquartered in Gothenburg and Copenhagen, the company employs more than 250 people, has subsidiaries in the USA, the UK, Germany and France and is represented worldwide by more than 90 distribution partners, through which it reaches every segment of the professional photographic market.  Inspired by the vision of its senior management to create the world’s best high-end digital SLR cameras and to become the market leader in that sector, Hasselblad continues to pursue its founder’s philosophy of combining the most advanced technology available with a passion for photography to give professional photographers the best possible tools to capture the best possible images.

To satisfy the evolving requirements of today’s customers, Hasselblad continues to offer analogue cameras while delivering the ultimate in flexibility and digital image quality through its H3D camera line and it’s digital backs, the flagship of which is the H3DII, the world’s first high-end, digital SLR camera system.  By developing the H3D’s integrated camera architecture specifically for digital users, Hasselblad is able to provide customers with the full benefits of professional medium-format digital cameras as well as the ease of use of the best 35mm DSLRs.

An iconic brand throughout the world of professional photography and probably best known for the cameras that the Apollo astronauts took to the moon, Hasselblad remains synonymous with outstanding craftsmanship and unsurpassed image quality.

Published: Friday, March 28, 2008

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