Hasselblad Meets Capture One: What Native RAW Support Means for Medium Format Shooters

Medium format shooters have been managing a friction point for years: the best RAW development workflow for Hasselblad files didn’t live in the software most professional photographers actually use. That just changed.

What Happened

Capture One 16.8.3 shipped with native RAW support for Hasselblad cameras, ending the dependency on Hasselblad’s proprietary Phocus app for full-quality .3FR file development. Three 100-megapixel flagship models are supported at launch:

• X2D II 100C
• X2D 100C
• CFV 100C digital back

The implementation goes beyond basic demosaicing. Engineers from both companies developed custom-tailored color profiles for each supported camera model, specifically preserving Hasselblad’s Natural Color Solution (HNCS) rendering — the color science that Hasselblad has positioned as a differentiator for decades. Full 16-bit color depth is maintained throughout (approximately 281 trillion color values), along with dedicated lens profiles for XCD glass that apply automatic distortion and aberration corrections.

Tethered capture support is confirmed but not yet shipping — it’s scheduled later in 2026.

Why It Matters

This partnership resolves a practical friction point that affected studio workflows in particular. Photographers using Hasselblad systems for commercial work often had to maintain two software pipelines: Phocus for initial RAW conversion, then export to Capture One or Lightroom for the editing and color grading work they actually wanted to do. That handoff introduced color translation errors and added time to workflows that are already expensive.

The multi-user session capabilities Capture One added earlier this year made it more compelling for studio environments — and those same studios are the core Hasselblad buyer. Pairing native RAW support with multi-user collaboration completes the argument for Capture One as the primary system in high-end studio production.

The HNCS color science point deserves attention. Hasselblad’s color rendition is a genuine differentiating factor, not just marketing language. Independent tests have consistently shown that the X2D system produces distinct skin tone and highlight rendering that clients and art directors recognize. If Capture One’s implementation accurately preserves HNCS, shooters can now access those color characteristics without ever opening Phocus.

The Catch

Tethering is the conspicuous gap. For studio photographers — which is precisely the market for 100-megapixel cameras — live tethered shooting is often how a session runs. The Capture One + Hasselblad workflow won’t be complete until that arrives later this year. Shooters with active studio bookings will likely maintain their current Phocus-first tethering workflow until the full release lands.

Older Hasselblad systems and the H-series aren’t mentioned in the launch scope. Whether broader camera support follows will determine how much of the Hasselblad installed base actually benefits from this partnership.

Source: The Phoblographer

Content created with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.