Hasselblad HDR: The Complete Guide to HNCS HDR in Phocus
Hasselblad's approach to HDR is architecturally different from what Canon or Sony do. With those systems, you commit to HDR at capture time - a specific mode, a different exposure strategy, a different file. With a Hasselblad X2D II, you shoot normally and decide in post. The same 3FR file can become an HDR image, an SDR image, or both, depending on what you choose in Phocus.
That decision-point flexibility exists because the X2D II captures more dynamic range than any SDR display can show. The HNCS rendering pipeline in Phocus has enough headroom to map that extra range into HDR outputs. Nothing changes at capture time - the entire HDR workflow happens in software.
This page sequences the key posts on Hasselblad HDR in the order they're most useful to read. Each section links to the full article. There's no point duplicating what's already covered in depth - read the summaries here, then follow the links that match your current question.
Start here: What is HNCS HDR?
HNCS (Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution) is the render-time color pipeline at the center of Phocus. It's not an in-camera process - it's applied when Phocus decodes your RAW file. HDR output is one of the things HNCS can produce from that decode. Understanding what HNCS does and how it relates to the camera's sensor output is the foundation for everything else in this guide.
Read: What is HNCS HDR and how does Hasselblad's approach differ?
Step 1: Choose your output format
Phocus offers three HDR output paths: JPEG with gain maps, HEIF, and TIFF. None of them are universally correct. JPEG with gain maps works on the widest range of displays and remains usable on SDR screens, but you're working inside a lossy format. HEIF offers good quality and native HDR encoding but has uneven software support. TIFF is lossless but has no standard HDR encoding - what you get is a high-bit-depth file that requires the receiving application to know what to do with it.
The choice depends on your display pipeline, your archival requirements, and who receives the final file. There is no free option that satisfies all three priorities simultaneously - that's the trilemma.
Read: The HDR output format trilemma - JPEG, HEIF, or TIFF?
Step 2: The Phocus HDR adjustment workflow
Once you've chosen a format, the adjustment work happens inside Phocus's develop tools. The Histogram Levels tool takes on a specific role in HDR workflows that's different from its normal exposure-check function - it sets the HDR output point, determining where the image's bright values map in the HDR output range. The exposure tools interact with this in ways that aren't obvious from the UI.
There's also a hidden adjustment chain in Phocus that affects how HDR rendering behaves with different tool settings. Getting the order of operations right prevents wasted exports and unexpected tone mapping on the receiving display.
Read: The Phocus 4 HDR workflow and how Histogram Levels controls the output
Step 3: Can your display show it?
HDR output from Phocus is only visible as HDR on a display that supports it. On an SDR display, a gain map JPEG shows the SDR base layer and looks normal. An HEIF HDR file may display with incorrect tone mapping on an unsupported display, depending on the software handling it. Before investing time in HDR adjustments for a specific output use case, it's worth confirming your display chain actually supports HDR - and at what peak brightness.
Not all monitors marketed as "HDR" provide a meaningful HDR experience. Peak brightness matters: most consumer displays that claim HDR don't hit the 1000-nit threshold where HDR content starts to look distinctly different from well-exposed SDR. The tested models article covers what to look for and what's confirmed to work with Hasselblad HDR output.
Read: Display requirements for Hasselblad HDR - tested models and specs
Step 4: Print and archival
HDR output and print are not naturally compatible. ICC color management was designed for SDR output, and the round-trip from HDR Phocus export to print-ready file requires care. Archival is a separate concern: what format do you store the "master" in if you want to re-export for different HDR standards later?
The answer depends on whether you're archiving for flexibility or for compatibility. A 16-bit TIFF with HNCS applied is the most compatible archival choice but locks in the SDR rendering. Retaining the original 3FR and .phos sidecar gives you maximum flexibility at the cost of Phocus dependency for any future re-render.
Read: HDR print and archival - ICC round-trip constraints and what to keep
Related: HDR bugs and fixes in Phocus 4.x
The initial Phocus 4.1 HDR release shipped with a severe memory leak that made extended HDR export sessions impractical. Phocus 4.1.0 fixed the leak. Phocus 4.1.2 added HDR export improvements but introduced a separate color preview regression that affects all editing, not just HDR. Current recommendation is to use Phocus 4.1.1 for HDR work until the 4.1.2 preview bug is resolved.
For a full version-by-version breakdown, see the Phocus version history page.
Going deeper
The Phocus 4.x Guide covers the complete HDR workflow with screenshots and step-by-step detail, alongside every other Phocus feature. It's the reference I wish existed when Phocus 4.x first shipped - Hasselblad's official documentation stops at version 3.8.
For active bug tracking and known issues that may affect your HDR work, see the known issues page.
