Hasselblad & Phocus Glossary: Every Term Explained

This glossary covers the terms that come up most often when working with Hasselblad cameras and Phocus - both the Hasselblad-specific vocabulary and the general photography concepts that underpin it. Definitions aim to be accurate without being padded: I've written what I wish I could have looked up when I started.

Glossary terms are listed alphabetically. Click any term in the table of contents to jump to its definition.

Table of Contents

• Hasselblad & Phocus Terms
• 3FR
• Adjustment Layers
• Capture Sequencer
• CFexpress Type B
• Export Preset
• FFF
• Gain Map
• Hasselblad RGB vs Hasselblad L* RGB
• HDR (Hasselblad context)
• HNCS (Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution)
• HNCS Film Curve
• HNNR (Hasselblad Natural Noise Reduction)
• Phocus
• Pyramid Cache
• Sidecar File (.phos)
• Working Space
• XCD Lens
• General Photography Terms
• Bit Depth
• Color Space
• Dynamic Range
• Histogram
• ICC Profile
• JPEG
• Lossless
• Noise Floor
• Non-destructive Editing
• RAW File
• TIFF
• White Balance

Hasselblad & Phocus Terms

3FR

3FR is Hasselblad's native RAW format, the file your X2D II (or any modern Hasselblad digital body) writes to the CFexpress card or internal SSD. It contains the unprocessed sensor data, basic metadata, and an embedded JPEG preview. The name comes from the three-frame optical design of Hasselblad's historical medium format backs. Why you can't just rename a 3FR to FFF (and why that's actually fine) ->

Adjustment Layers

Adjustment Layers are Phocus's local editing tools. They include radial gradients, linear gradients, and a brush tool, each letting you apply tonal and color adjustments to a specific region of the image rather than globally. Changes are stored in the sidecar file and are fully non-destructive. They're more limited than what Capture One or Lightroom offer, but they handle the common cases without leaving Phocus.

Capture Sequencer

The Capture Sequencer is Phocus's tethered capture automation tool. It lets you schedule shots, set intervals, and define capture sequences - useful for product photography, focus stacking, or long-exposure work at a controlled interval. Tethered capture tools and hidden focus features in Phocus 4.1.2 ->

CFexpress Type B

CFexpress Type B is the storage card format used by the Hasselblad X2D II. It supports capacities up to 2 TB and sequential write speeds fast enough to handle the X2D II's uncompressed RAW output. CFexpress Type B cards are physically the same size as XQD cards and use the same slot, though the interfaces differ. Not all CFexpress cards are equal for sustained write performance - capacity and brand affect real-world burst depth.

Export Preset

An Export Preset in Phocus is a saved output configuration that defines color space (Adobe RGB, sRGB, ProPhoto RGB), file format, bit depth, sharpening, and sizing for a batch export. Presets let you output to multiple destinations (client JPEG, archival TIFF, web) without re-entering settings each time. The Reproduction tool's Working Space setting interacts with the export color space and should be set intentionally before exporting.

FFF

FFF is a container format that Phocus generates during tethered capture. Unlike a 3FR (which is a bare RAW file from the camera), an FFF wraps the RAW data together with capture metadata from the tethered session. Despite the different extension, the image data inside is the same. The full story on FFF vs 3FR, including why you can't convert between them by renaming ->

Gain Map

A Gain Map is HDR metadata embedded in a JPEG file that tells a compatible display how much to boost luminance in specific regions to show the image in HDR. On an SDR display, the base JPEG image shows normally. On an HDR display, the gain map is applied to selectively increase brightness beyond SDR limits. Hasselblad's JPEG HDR export in Phocus uses gain maps - the resulting file works everywhere but only shows HDR content on capable hardware.

Hasselblad RGB vs Hasselblad L* RGB

These are the two Working Space options in Phocus's Reproduction tool (accessible from the menu bar). Hasselblad RGB uses a linear gamma encoding, which is what most export pipelines expect and processes faster. Hasselblad L* RGB uses perceptual lightness encoding (the L* from CIE L*a*b*), which distributes tonal values more evenly across the visible range. For most workflows, Hasselblad RGB is the right default. L* RGB can be useful for specific color grading workflows where perceptual uniformity matters.

HDR (Hasselblad context)

Hasselblad's HDR implementation is architecturally different from Canon's or Sony's. With a Hasselblad, you don't choose HDR at capture time - you capture a normal RAW file and decide in post whether to export it as HDR, SDR, or both. This is possible because the X2D II captures more dynamic range than SDR can display, and Phocus's HNCS rendering pipeline applies the HDR decisions at export. What HNCS HDR actually means and why it's different -> and the output format tradeoffs ->

HNCS (Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution)

HNCS is Hasselblad's color rendering pipeline, applied at render time in Phocus - not in the camera at capture. It consists of a color matrix calibrated per-sensor, proprietary color LUTs, and the Hasselblad Film Curve for tonal response. When you open a 3FR in Phocus, HNCS is what transforms raw sensor values into the characteristic Hasselblad "look." HNCS also handles the HDR tone mapping when exporting HDR content. Full explanation of HNCS and its role in HDR ->

HNCS Film Curve

The HNCS Film Curve is the tonal response curve applied as part of the HNCS rendering pipeline in Phocus. It shapes the relationship between captured luminance values and displayed tones, giving Hasselblad files their characteristic highlight rolloff and shadow rendering. The curve is applied during rendering (not baked into the RAW file) and can be adjusted through Phocus's tone controls, though the base response is part of the HNCS system.

HNNR (Hasselblad Natural Noise Reduction)

HNNR is Phocus's noise reduction system, confirmed through empirical testing to use Apple's Neural Engine for processing. Unlike luminance-based smoothing, HNNR analyzes image structure to distinguish noise from detail, then suppresses the former while preserving the latter. It runs as a separate processing pass and can slow export significantly on high-ISO files. My observations on HNNR and what Phocus does differently with 3FRs ->

Phocus

Phocus is Hasselblad's free RAW processor, available for macOS and Windows. It's the only software that applies full HNCS color rendering to Hasselblad files - third-party apps like Lightroom and Capture One use generic demosaicing that bypasses HNCS entirely. Phocus handles tethered capture, HDR export, HNNR noise reduction, and local adjustments. Note: Capture One cannot open Hasselblad 3FR or FFF files directly - any Hasselblad-to-Capture One workflow must go via a Phocus TIFF export. The complete Phocus 4.x guide ->

Pyramid Cache

The Pyramid Cache is the preview rendering cache Phocus builds for each image. When you open a folder in Phocus, it generates multi-resolution image pyramids stored alongside the originals (or in a designated cache location). This is what enables fast zooming and scrolling in the browser - Phocus reads the pre-rendered zoom levels rather than decoding the full RAW on each interaction. Building the pyramid cache takes time upfront but significantly improves responsiveness thereafter. Large caches can consume substantial disk space.

Sidecar File (.phos)

A .phos sidecar file is where Phocus stores all adjustments made to an image - exposure, color, tone curves, local adjustments, crop, rotation, and metadata edits. The RAW file itself is never modified. When you move Hasselblad files between machines or storage locations, the sidecar files must travel with them or your adjustments are lost. The .phos file is specific to Phocus and not readable by other applications.

Working Space

Working Space is a color space setting found in Phocus's Reproduction tool (accessible via the menu bar in Develop mode). It defines the color encoding used for internal processing before the image is converted to the export color space. Phocus offers two options: Hasselblad RGB and Hasselblad L* RGB. This setting is separate from the export color space - you can work in Hasselblad RGB and export in Adobe RGB or sRGB.

XCD Lens

XCD lenses are the lens mount system for Hasselblad's X System cameras (X1D, X2D, X2D II). They use an integrated leaf shutter - a multi-blade shutter mechanism built into each lens rather than a focal-plane shutter in the body. This enables flash sync at any shutter speed, which is significant for outdoor fill-flash work. XCD lenses are designed for the X System's medium format sensor and cover its larger image circle. They are not interchangeable with the older V System lens mount.

General Photography Terms

Bit Depth

Bit depth is the number of bits used to represent each channel value in an image. A 16-bit image can represent 65,536 levels per channel; an 8-bit image has 256. Hasselblad X2D II files are 16-bit RAW, though empirical testing shows approximately 6 of those bits contain meaningful signal at base ISO - the remaining bits provide headroom for processing without posterization.

Color Space

A color space defines the range (gamut) and encoding of colors that can be represented in an image. Common options include sRGB (smallest, universal compatibility), Adobe RGB (wider, good for print), and ProPhoto RGB (very wide, requires careful handling). Hasselblad's HNCS pipeline adds its own working spaces (Hasselblad RGB and Hasselblad L* RGB) for internal processing.

Dynamic Range

Dynamic range is the ratio between the brightest and darkest values a sensor can capture simultaneously without clipping either end. It's typically measured in stops (each stop doubles or halves the light). The Hasselblad X2D II has exceptionally wide dynamic range - more than most SDR displays can show - which is what enables the post-capture HDR workflow.

Histogram

A histogram is a graph showing the distribution of tonal values in an image, from pure black (left) on the left to pure white on the right. It's the primary tool for evaluating exposure. In Phocus's HDR workflow, the Histogram Levels tool plays a specific role in setting the HDR output point - separate from its usual exposure check function.

ICC Profile

An ICC profile is a standardized file that describes a device's color characteristics, enabling consistent color translation between devices (camera, monitor, printer). When you export from Phocus, the output file includes an embedded ICC profile matching the chosen color space. Displays and printers use this profile to interpret the file's color values correctly.

JPEG

JPEG is a lossy compressed image format. Each save applies compression that discards some image data. In Phocus, JPEG output is appropriate for web use and distribution but not for archival or further editing. Phocus's HDR JPEG export uses gain maps to encode HDR information while maintaining standard JPEG compatibility on SDR displays.

Lossless

Lossless describes compression or storage that preserves all original data exactly. TIFF files can be lossless. RAW files are effectively lossless (the sensor data is preserved). JPEG is lossy by design. Hasselblad 3FR files use lossless or visually lossless compression depending on the capture setting.

Noise Floor

The noise floor is the minimum signal level below which sensor noise dominates, making detail unrecoverable. Exposing above the noise floor (even if you plan to darken in post) produces cleaner shadows than underexposing and lifting. Medium format sensors like the one in the X2D II generally have lower noise floors than smaller sensors at equivalent ISO settings.

Non-destructive Editing

Non-destructive editing means adjustments are stored as instructions separate from the original file, which is never modified. Phocus uses .phos sidecar files for this. You can reset any edit to the original at any time. This contrasts with destructive workflows where you save over the original file.

RAW File

A RAW file contains unprocessed or minimally processed sensor data, plus metadata. Unlike JPEG, no in-camera rendering decisions (sharpening, noise reduction, color profile) are baked in. For Hasselblad, the RAW format is 3FR. Processing a RAW file requires software - for full HNCS color rendering, that software must be Phocus.

TIFF

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is a flexible, lossless image container widely used for archival and print workflows. Phocus exports TIFFs at 8 or 16 bit. A 16-bit TIFF from Phocus with HNCS applied is the right format for print preparation or for handing off to Capture One for further editing - it's the only path from a Hasselblad file into Capture One, since Capture One cannot read 3FR or FFF directly.

White Balance

White balance is the adjustment that neutralizes the color cast of a light source, making whites appear white under any lighting. In Phocus, white balance is applied at render time and stored in the sidecar - the RAW file is unaffected. The X2D II records the camera's white balance setting at capture, which Phocus uses as a starting point and which you can override freely in post.

Want the Full Reference?

This glossary covers the most common terms. The Phocus 4.x Guide goes deeper on all of these - workflows, screenshots, and specifics that the official Hasselblad documentation (which only covers Phocus 3.8) doesn't address. If you're using Phocus 4.x regularly, the guide is the most complete independent reference available.