Phocus by Hasselblad - Hasselblad Customer Care

Phocus by Hasselblad

The world’s finest
cameras, the market’s
largest sensors, the world’s
finest lenses, and now the
world’s most advanced
image processing software.
Phocus: the final step towards un-compromising image quality
Phocus by Hasselblad could very well be called Beauty and the Beast. Beast, for the
power and performance of the Hasselblad Raw Converter (HRC) that forms the core of
this amazing new software, and Beauty for the attractive, new working environment it’s
contained in. Phocus makes even the largest files in the world easy to handle on both
Mac and Windows platforms and provides serious photographers with a well thought
out, intuitive workflow, designed to work the way that photographers work.
When combined with the rest of Hasselblad’s photographic chain – large, unsurpassed
optics and the world’s largest CCD sensors – the result is amazingly stunning image
quality. A quality standard which we refer to as Hasselblad Star Quality.

Shot by Anders Espersen
The idea behind Hasselblad
Star Quality
Most digital cameras capture images
in a raw image format, which can be
directly used in a range of imaging
applications. This approach, however,
can never deliver the utmost in superior
image quality as it doesn't work
well with the extremely large files
generated by the world's largest sensors.
In addition, Hasselblad cameras
also make use of the most advanced
image quality techniques, requiring a
great deal of added capture data to
be imbedded in the image file. For this
reason, Hasselblad cameras generate
raw image files in a special format that
exceeds the computing power of any
on-board processor. This raw image
format, “3FR”, allows photographers
to combine the processing power of
today’s computers with the extensive
camera and optical related data that
results from the world’s finest cameras
and lenses to produce a level of image
quality previously unseen in the world of
digital photography.
These techniques enable advanced
post-capture processing and result in
the market’s highest resolution, natural
and correct colors, the utmost in optical
purity, and an unparalleled level of
detail. Simply put, the unsurpassed
image quality that make Hasselblad
cameras the undisputed finest digital
cameras in the world.
Phocus is compatible with the
Hasselblad H3D, H2D, H1D, CF, CF-MS,
CFV, 503CWD, and Ixpress products.

Phocus, Hasselblad’s
new image processing
software, delivers an
entirely new level of image
quality and a wide range
of new functions.
Revolutionary new features
Over the years, the image processing
engine in Hasselblad’s FlexColor software
has evolved into a powerful raw
converter. Now, with the release of
Phocus, Hasselblad has added an entirely
new processing engine – featuring a
range of new techniques and features.
Phocus provides the power and finesse
needed to serve and support the latest
Hasselblad camera developments and
to enable groundbreaking new levels of
image quality. And all in a modern and
easy-to-use environment. Some of the
new features in Phocus include:
Moiré removal
Even very high resolution images can
exhibit moiré under certain circumstances.
With the new Phocus, moiré is
effectively removed without the need to
make special mask selections or other
manual procedures. Moiré removal is
performed directly on the raw data.
New metadata (GPS, etc)
The metadata included in Phocus
images follows the IPTC Core standard
with XMP. We have also added GPS data
capability in order to allow a number
of new functions. Phocus links GPS
data directly to Google Earth, making
geographic reference a snap and image
storage and retrieval much easier.
Hasselblad DSLR camera
preparation
Any photographer knows that the more
prepared you are for a shoot, the
more likely things are to go according
to plan once in the field or on the
shoot. Phocus is designed to make
pre- planning easier than ever before,
allowing you to pre-set camera parameters
and folders and the like.
New tethered operation control
Phocus also provides extended control
of your Hasselblad camera, including
control of the lens drive for focusing
when the camera is in a remote position
or the digital capture unit is mounted on
a view camera.
Note:
As these features place heavy demands
on processing power and software,
they are only available when using
Hasselblad’s 3FR workflow and are
not available when exporting to a DNG
workflow.

The ghost in the machine
Hasselblad’s raw image format “3FR”
has been developed to provide a foundation
for the capture of image information
and the additional data that is required
for a number of high-end imaging purposes.
This data includes color information
for Hasselblad’s unique color rendering
process, data for the correction of the
optical phenomena in the image, data for
quality classification of images, and data
describing the geographical origin of the
image.
The extra data contained in the
Hasselblad 3FR format, and the corresponding
set of image refining algorithms
contained does not fit into today’s DNG
format. Phocus does however, include
a full export function for exporting 3FR
files in the DNG format, delivering good
color rendering, but with no optical lens
corrections.
The Hasselblad Raw Converter (HRC)
handles the opening and management of
3FR files for viewing and inspection and
the processing of raw 3FR files to target
file formats (Tiff, Jpeg, etc.).

Using the browsing function allows
easy access to such things as
“favorites”, “collections” and
“devices”, in addition to providing
direct access to your disk/file
system.
In the command section, tabs
including Capture, Browse, Adjust
and Export allow each command
suite to be customized with a particular
set and sequence of desired
tools.
All the power in the world
doesn’t help you much if
you can’t use it easily and
effectively.

The standard top command bar
includes icons for selecting common
tools for exporting, managing
image settings, and direct capture.
The command bar can be collapsed
and customized within the Mac or
Windows standards.
Record exact location at the
moment of image capture with
Hasselblad's Global Image
Locator (GIL).
Achieving a good digital workflow is a
crucial part of today’s photography. With
this in mind we have designed Phocus to
be as intuitive and easy to use as possible.
The graphical user interface (GUI)
featured in Phocus incorporates some of
the most common features found in the
most popular image processing environments,
combined with a range of new
features that reflect the modern workflow
of serious digital photographers.
The GUI includes straightforward options
for customizing your set-up to suit a
number of different workflow situations,
including:
importing images from media
(CF-cards, Imagebanks, tethered
operation)
browsing, comparing and selecting
from image folders
adjusting images (exposure, contrast,
color temperature, crop, etc.)
managing images and folders
within your standard file system
exporting final images in different
file formats
setting up your Hasselblad camera
for a coming shoot
Phocus’s viewer section allows layout
and composition to be tailored to suit
the current workflow, providing a wide
range of options including full view,
compare, browse, horizontal or vertical
view, and so on. Multiple folders can be
open at the same time for simultaneous
viewing, comparison and selection.
Quick Selection folders make handling
your choices simple and easy. Every
aspect of the Phocus interface has been
developed and designed to reflect the
way that photographers work and to help
ensure that your can spend as much
time as possible taking images – not
processing them.

System Requirements
Operating systems:
Mac OS 10.5 or later
Windows XP (service pack 2) or later
RAM requirement:
2 GB minimum, 4 GB recommended
Phocus by Hasselblad is compatible with
all Hasselblad digital capture products,
including the Hasselblad H3D, H2D, H1D,
CF, CF-MS, CFV, 503CWD, and Ixpress
products.
CPU requirement:
Mac Phocus wil work on G4 or G5 PPC CPU's
but an Intel processor is recommended
for best performance
PC Pentium 4 or later
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