Why is 3FR not the final RAW?

3FR (Hasselblad 3F RAW) is the compressed RAW format used by Hasselblad H-series cameras (H4D, H5D, H6D-50c, H6D-100c) and the X-series mirrorless medium-format bodies (X1D, X1D II 50C, X2D 100C, 907X 100C). It is the in-camera capture format; Hasselblad's Phocus software can re-process and save the larger FFF (Full Frame format) variant for archival. Fashion photographers shooting Vogue editorials, fine-art landscape photographers working with the X2D's 100MP back-illuminated sensor, and high-end commercial product teams convert 3FR to JPG for client web galleries and proofing.

Phocus, Hasselblad's free processor, is the only application with full per-camera Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS) support. Lightroom and Capture One read 3FR via LibRaw, but skin tones and the signature Hasselblad blue rendering shift slightly compared to Phocus output. For wedding albums and beauty work where Hasselblad color is the explicit reason for choosing the system, process in Phocus, export 16-bit TIFF, then derive JPG quality 92 sRGB for client web preview - the two-step preserves the look.

Aerospace and industrial clients (NASA's H6D-100c is famous; Phase One Aerial / Hasselblad's drone integrations) generate 3FR in aerial mapping and large-format reconnaissance. These workflows convert to JPG for inclusion in reports and presentations, often at full 100MP resolution because the JPG output - typically 35-50MB at quality 95 - is the only format PowerPoint and Keynote ingest cleanly. Studio fashion teams shooting X2D for Net-a-Porter and SSENSE catalogues use 3FR to JPG conversion at 8192px long edge for ecommerce preview rendering.

Reasons to convert 3FR to JPG usually come down to compatibility, file-size, or specific feature requirements. Common situations:

• An app or platform only accepts JPG uploads.
• You need a feature unique to JPG (e.g. transparency, vector scaling, animation, multi-page pages, etc.) that 3FR doesn't provide.
• You're optimising file size — modern formats often produce smaller files than the older format you started with.
• You need a single archival format across a project so files behave consistently in the same viewer.

1. Open the 3FR → JPG tool on jpg.now.
2. Drag your 3FR file onto the drop zone, or click Select files. You can drop a whole folder of files at once.
3. The output is fixed to JPG. If the format supports extra options (page size, transparency background, quality, EXIF stripping), tweak them in the right-hand panel.
4. Click Convert. The job runs on our server and finishes in a few seconds for typical photos.
5. Download the result. Files stay in storage for 24 hours and are then permanently deleted.

The entire flow is free for the first 10 jobs per day with no signup required. A free account doubles that quota; a premium plan removes the limit entirely.

• Use Phocus (free from hasselblad.com) for color-critical work - HNCS is the reason Hasselblad clients pay $50K for the system and Phocus is the only software that fully applies it.
• Convert 3FR to FFF in Phocus first if you plan extensive retouching - FFF is the lossless, fully-debayered Hasselblad master format that downstream tools handle more predictably.
• Apply Phocus's Lens Profile correction for the XCD 21mm and 28mm wide lenses - 100MP magnifies any uncorrected distortion or chromatic aberration aggressively.
• Export at AdobeRGB for print clients and sRGB for web - never deliver ProPhoto JPG, because most browsers and Office software clip it and shift colors unpredictably.
• Strip GPS and serial number from EXIF before client delivery on commercial shoots - Hasselblad bodies embed both, which clients sometimes republish without thought.