Phocus by Hasselblad Preliminary
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. 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 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.). 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.
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. 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. All the power in the world doesn t help you much if you can t use it easily and effectively. 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.
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. System Requirements Windows: Intel Pentium III or equivalent processor Microsoft Windows Vista; Windows XP Professional, Home Edition, or Tablet PC Edition with Service Pack 2; Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4; Windows 2003 Server 1GB of RAM Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or 7.0, Firefox 1.5 or 2.0, Mozilla 1.7, AOL 9 Macintosh: PowerPC G3, G4, G5 or Intel processor Mac OS X 10.4.3 to 10.4.9 1GB of RAM 170MB of available hard-disk space Safari 2.0.2 www.hasselblad.com Preliminary - 2007/09 - UK