Phocus for Mac: Version History and Changelog

This page tracks every Phocus 4.x release for Mac, with notes on what each version actually changed - including regressions and issues that Hasselblad's official release notes don't mention. I update this page when new versions are released.

For active bug tracking across all versions, see the known issues page.

Phocus 4.1.2

Released: March 2026

Current recommendation: Avoid. Downgrade to 4.1.1 for daily use.

Official changes

• HDR export fixes
• Tethered capture improvements
• Fix for duplicate files appearing when importing from CFexpress cards

What we found

4.1.2 ships a critical color preview regression: images display with incorrect color rendering in the browser and develop views. The colors shown in Phocus do not match the exported output. This makes accurate editing impossible and affects every file type, not just edge cases.

The HDR export fixes and tethered capture improvements are genuine improvements over 4.1.1, but the preview bug makes 4.1.2 unsuitable for any color-critical work until Hasselblad issues a fix.

• What Phocus 4.1.2 fixes in HDR export ->
• The color preview regression in 4.1.2: what it is and how to verify it

Verdict

Do not upgrade to 4.1.2 if you're currently on 4.1.1. If you've already upgraded, roll back via the Hasselblad website. The preview regression is severe enough that there's no reliable workaround short of exporting and checking externally for every image.

Phocus 4.1.1

Released: Early 2026

Current recommendation: Use this version. Best available release for daily work.

Official changes

• Privacy fixes: added opt-in dialog for analytics data collection
• Stability improvements

What we found

4.1.1 addressed a legitimate concern: earlier Phocus 4.x versions sent usage data to Google Analytics without an opt-in dialog. 4.1.1 added the required disclosure. The analytics data transmitted was less alarming than initial reports suggested, but the missing consent dialog was a genuine compliance gap.

Several bugs from earlier releases persist in 4.1.1 - including an import freeze that occurs when importing from certain folder structures, and some tool adjustment behaviors that don't match expected results. None are as severe as the 4.1.2 preview regression. The memory leak from Phocus 4.1 is fixed.

• Known bugs in Phocus 4.1.1: import freeze and tool adjustment issues ->
• What data Phocus sends to Google - a privacy investigation ->

Verdict

4.1.1 is the most stable 4.x release available. Use this version unless Hasselblad releases a patched 4.1.2 that addresses the preview regression.

Phocus 4.1.0

Released: Late 2025

Current recommendation: Superseded by 4.1.1.

Official changes

• Addressed the severe memory leak introduced in Phocus 4.1
• Stability fixes

What we found

4.1.0 was a necessary patch to make 4.1's HDR feature usable in practice. The memory leak in the initial 4.1 release caused Phocus to consume increasing amounts of RAM during an HDR export session, eventually crashing or forcing a restart. 4.1.0 resolved this. Details on the 4.1 memory leak and what 4.1.0 fixed ->

Verdict

Upgrade to 4.1.1. There's no reason to stay on 4.1.0 since 4.1.1 adds the privacy improvements with no known regressions over 4.1.0.

Phocus 4.1

Released: Late 2025

Current recommendation: Do not use. Severe memory leak; superseded by 4.1.0.

Official changes

• HDR support for macOS - Ultra HDR export for compatible displays
• New HDR-specific adjustment tools
• Expanded export format options

What we found

Phocus 4.1 was a significant release - the first version to expose Hasselblad's HDR rendering capabilities in a usable form. The HDR adjustment workflow and export pipeline work as described. The problem is a severe memory leak that makes HDR export sessions progressively slower and eventually forces a restart. Extended sessions with multiple HDR exports are not feasible on the initial 4.1 release.

• First 24 hours with Phocus 4.1: what works, what doesn't, and the memory leak ->
• The Ultra HDR export bug and memory leak in Phocus 4.1 ->

Verdict

Skip this version entirely. 4.1.0 fixed the memory leak and is the minimum viable HDR-capable release.

Phocus 4.0.1

Released: 2025

Current recommendation: Superseded by 4.1.x. Upgrade for HDR support.

Official changes

• Direct 3FR editing without FFF conversion requirement
• Updated browser and develop views
• Performance improvements

What we found

4.0.1 was the first 4.x release and introduced the change most users noticed immediately: you could now work directly with 3FR files captured in-camera, without the previous requirement to convert them to FFF format via tethered capture. This removed a significant friction point for photographers who weren't shooting tethered.

One regression discovered in 4.0.1 and confirmed across 4.x: color label changes made in Phocus do not persist between sessions. Labels applied to images disappear after restarting Phocus. This is a cataloging workflow bug that affects anyone who uses color labels for culling. Color labels not saving in Phocus: the bug, workarounds, and status ->

Verdict

Upgrade to 4.1.1 for HDR support and stability improvements. 4.0.1 is a reasonable fallback if 4.1.x introduces issues for your specific workflow, but there's no advantage to staying on it for new installs.

Full Reference

The Phocus 4.x Guide covers all versions documented here in depth, including workflows that changed between releases and settings to verify after an upgrade. It's the most complete independent reference for Phocus 4.x for Mac.