Should You Use Capture One For Your Hasselblad Files?

If you’re a Hasselblad user or even someone who wishes they could be a Hasselblad user if only they had compatibility with Capture One, then last week was a very good week, because the seemingly impossible has happened. That’s right, Capture One is now compatible with Hasselblad cameras (some of them).

This is such big news, but it’s important that we clarify some things for now, so let’s get started.

Compatibility

Compatible Hasselblad Models

• Hasselblad X2D II
• Hasselblad X2D
• Hasselblad 907x/CFV 100C

Future releases may include compatibility for X1D and X1D II, as well as 907x/CFV 50C. As for pre-X series older Hasselblad H bodies … I suppose it’s possible, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for that. Adding the same level of support that X cameras receive to a series of cameras that existed 10 – 25 years ago feels like a stretch. Would be nice, but I am not expecting it.

Compatible Files and Functions

For 3FR files, all of Capture One’s wide assortment of excellent editing tools are active and in play.

• HNCS is not supported. In fact, Capture One has been adamant that the images will retain the look that Capture One users have come to value.
• Lens Profiles/Corrections present, but no auto correct. 
• Tethered capture is not supported, though it has been mentioned as coming later this year.
• FFF files are not currently supported, hopefully this support will come with tethering.

Worried About Noise?

I at first assumed HNNR applied in Phocus or Phocus Mobile would not transmit in the .3FR file to Capture One, but it appears that it does. So that is great news. However, that means you must first apply that either in Phocus or Phocus Mobile before coming into Capture One. There’s a better way. If you’re going to use Capture One, forget about HNNR. Capture One’s new Enhanced Denoise Tool is at least as effective and gives you more control. HNNR in Phocus has an option for Purity (max smoothing) or Detail (smooth, but more detail preservation). Capture One’s Enhanced Denise Tool gives you a user adjustible Impact Slider going from 0 to 100. Discarding an applied Denoise setting also appears easier, with a checkbox to apply or not. In Phocus, I haven’t yet found a way to undo an HNNR. If I re-load my default from the Adjustment Browser, it is still applied and HNNR is greyed out. I’m sure there’s a way somewhere in Phocus to un-HNNR an image, I just haven’t found it. Also, Capture One’s Enhanced Denoise can be batch applied to multiple images with one simple action and I’m not aware of a way in Phocus/Phocus Mobile to do so with HNNR.

For most of the comparison images below, I’ve also included Adobe renderings. This scene – I wish I could say purposely – was a bit underexposed. It’s Mr. Perfect Tail, and it is the only file involved in this article that I captured prior to this past week. But it shows some interesting things.

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

Top: Phocus, Bottom: Capture One, Denoised images on the right

Above, you have default zero setting Luminance Noise Reduction applieds for both Phocus and Capture One on the left, and then HNNR and Enhanced Denoise, respectfully, on the right. Both programs do an excellent, even amazing job with noise removal, while retaining a level of detail that doesn’t appear sacrificed in any way.

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus – Zero NR Applied

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus – Zero NR Applied

I’m generally seeing a slight advantage for Phocus with noise settings turned off in terms of the amount of visible noise. However, I do also feel that when the noise is present, it is a prettier grain/noise with Capture One’s rendering (subjective).

Out of the box, default results for chromatic noise resolution: L-R Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

Check the sunflower seed for chromatic noise. This goes back many years to the early days of Hasselblad H, and perhaps even before with Flexbodies and Flexcolor, but Capture One has always been far more effective at removing chromatic noise – automatically out of the box, without you doing anything.

The Elephant In The Room: Can Capture One Rendering Make Me Happy?

Maybe? It could depend on how adept you are or are not, or your willingness to become so, in Capture One. One of the things I’ve always liked about Capture One – once you have some level of familiarity – was how easy it is to be adept and effective with their tools. It doesn’t take a lot (IMO) and isn’t an endless puzzle. I set about creating some test images this week, with an eye on what I wanted to see, in terms of how these raw processors handled the image data. For the most part, these images are processed with defaults with the following exceptions:

• Luminance noise reduction was set to 0
• White balance was set to the ideal scene reference (which was Shade for the most part)
• Lens Corrections were active and adjusted in Adobe and Capture One

Importantly, these images are not for determining color accuracy, as in say, a product studio, or a heritage setup reproducing paintings, etc. This is an introductory look at what a general user who might like to shoot landscapes might see. My native state for editing images is to start with LNR turned off as I want to see the most detail I can see with no smoothing whatsoever, and I also want to see the noise/grain, if there is any. And for this test I want to assess algorithmic noise, not tools for noise reduction (except for an HNNR comparison).

What I have found with White Balance is that AWB is a weak point for non-native raw processors. The results are poor compared to the scene references. In this regard, Hasselblad handles AWB quite well, comparatively, to a scene reference WB, but Adobe and Capture One do not.

Both Adobe and Capture One offer lens profiles and corrections, but do not have an auto default correction. So in this case, I adjusted both programs to the values reflected in Phocus, which is 100 for Vignetting. I guessed 100 for Distortion (there’s no shown value in Phocus).

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

There are differences between each processor (well, duh). So part of this journey can be seen as two separate tasks, comparing how each processor handles the image data and how close Adobe and Capture One are to Phocus. But they are surely different. The results above reinforce themes I saw through all of these images and have seen in the past, with regard to how Adobe and Phocus rendering differs. The luminance values of the green leaves feels closer between Capture One and Phocus. The magenta flowerette and folded Hibiscus leaves are much closer. And something I’ve always noticed with Adobe is that they sort of neuter earth tones for Hasselblad files. They just suck the life out. And you can see that in the close up immature flowerette stalk. The out of focus Purple Stem Aster flowers in real life are somewhere between Capture One and Phocus. They are not blue, as rendered by Adobe.

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

L-R: Adobe, Capture One, Phocus

Now, I want to wrap with these images, because this scene showed the most glaring representation of what Phocus uniquely delivers compared to how Adobe or Capture One approaches rendering. The focus point and sharpness is dead on with this grass, and yet the Phocus rendering has a really natural feel to it. The Adobe and especially Capture One examples are less smooth, more contrasty. You can see the aggression of Capture One here. And Adobe has mangled the earth tones of the tree bark. But let’s focus on the Capture One and Phocus renderings for now.

Capture One defaults on the left, Phocus defaults on the right

Capture One Hassy Style on the left, Phocus defaults on the right

I know, you’re thinking, well, why go to all the time and difficulty to try and make the Hasselblad image in Capture One look like the Hasselblad image in Phocus, why not just skip it and use Phocus? So the point of the above example isn ‘t that I made the image look exactly like the Phocus rendering, it’s that I can make it look much closer to the Phocus rendering (and maybe with some more time even make it look identical), but that this can happen automatically, without you really having to do anything. Files can just come in this way, or however you want, upon import, effortlessly.

One of the great things in Capture One is the ability to make many adjustments and then save them as a Style. And this Style can then be batch applied upon importing any files, so they just come in with the look you’re after. So in the case of the 2nd sliding view image, I’ve attempted to negate some of the aggression that Capture One wants to apply by default and get closer to how Phocus might treat this image. I’ve reduced contrast, clarity, sharpening, and I’ve altered the tones and luminance values of my greens with the Capture One Color Editor. And all saved as a Style that performs this automatically upon importing any Hasselblad file.

Create a Saved Style from any combination of adjustments.

Automatically apply a saved Style to a collection as they import.

Optimize any setting and set as a new default automatically for any Hasselblad file.

Closing Thoughts

Let me tell you – we’ve done so much individual and comparative hardware testing at Capture Integration over the years, digital backs, digital cameras, lenses, all to make sure we absolutely understand the real world performance and results in order to recommend the best suited product to recommend to our clients. And testing 3 different lenses on 3 different cameras is not easy. Matching framing, matching exposure, matching focus position, navigating the cameras themselves, often in changing conditions – it’s not easy. But comparing results from 3 different software programs (Adobe, Capture One, Phocus) also presents its own unique struggle. Kind of the same challenges; getting all the settings as equivalent as possible. Oops, I forget to reset the slider on that one. Over and over …. So I meant to publish late last week. It took time….

That said, here are some thoughts. First – this is your decision. We are on board with whatever your own conclusion and direction turns out to be. What we primarily think you owe to yourself, if you’re open to it, is to investigate Capture One for using with Hasselblad files. I’ll say that my initial impression was that I would like to use Capture One for most of the Hasselblad files I shoot, but for some of the really wonderful shots (sadly, few and far between), I would probably run those through Phocus because they just look sooo nice. The difference just seemed dramatic. But working through it, some things changed, and here they are. The white balance is really, really important. Avoid AWB in Capture One for your Hasselblad files, you’re leaving yourself short. And – it is tremendously easy to dial back some of Capture One’s assertive style and make that an effortless and in some ways, automatic action.

I do feel that in Capture One, I (or anyone) can get close to what I like in Phocus, and the rewards are numerous. First, not having to use Phocus, which has way too many pain points for me to find it an enjoyable or productive process. Second, just everything that Capture One offers, which is staggering by comparison. Not just the way more advanced toolsets, but the flexible and productive manner in which you’re able to use the application!

A note about Adobe, since I included those files too. Many avoid Phocus and use Adobe and many say they like the results, some say the results are really close. “Really close” could be considered a subjective term. And to me – the prospect of using Adobe leaves some image quality on the table. But I understand – completely – those that continue to use Adobe, all, good! They have extensive catalogs from years of work, and they love the toolset that Adobe offers as well, which is enormous and cutting edge. For those, they may be happy where they are at. But for all – I still would say, give Capture One a shot. Take some time to dig in a bit and learn how to use it. And you may gain a valuable new approach to working with your Hasselblad files. I know that I have.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out! Your purchase strengthens our business, and we appreciate it!

steve@captureintegration.com – 404.543.8475

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