3FR File Format (.3fr)

A 3FR file stores raw, minimally processed sensor data captured by a Hasselblad medium-format digital camera or digital back, a proprietary format Hasselblad introduced in 2006 with the H2D.

.3frImage Files

3FR at a glance#

Full name	Hasselblad CFV/H3D39II
File extension	.3fr
Category	Image Files
Developer	Hasselblad
First released	2006
MIME types	image/x-hasselblad-3fr
Compression	Lossless
FileFlip support	FileFlip reads this format but does not write it

What a .3fr file can hold#

These are the things a 3FR file either supports or does not, and they are what decides whether a conversion keeps everything or quietly drops something.

Lossless compression	Yes
Embedded metadata	Yes
Colour profiles	Yes

Strengths and limitations of 3FR#

What 3FR does well

Carries the full sensor output of Hasselblad's medium-format bodies and backs, which run from 50 to 100 megapixels on current models
Preserves 16-bit color depth, giving far more room to recover highlights and shadows than a processed JPEG
Stores the image alongside full camera metadata for later reprocessing in Phocus

Where 3FR falls short

Opens reliably only in Hasselblad's own Phocus software or a handful of raw converters that specifically support it
Files run into the hundreds of megabytes because they hold medium-format sensor data with little to no compression
Proprietary and undocumented publicly, so third-party support depends on reverse-engineered decoding

Shoot 3FR when working on a Hasselblad system and processing in Phocus, where the format's full sensor data and metadata are used as intended.

Convert 3FR to DNG or TIFF once editing is finished, since Phocus is the software most reliably guaranteed to read it and most archives and labs expect a more interoperable format.

How to open a .3fr file#

A .3fr file opens in the programs below, grouped by the platform you are on. If you would rather not install anything, FileFlip converts 3FR into a format your machine already opens, and it does it in the browser tab rather than on a server.

Platform	Programs that open it
Windows	Phocus, Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Lightroom, Capture One
macOS	Phocus, Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Lightroom, Capture One
Web	FileFlip

3FR questions people ask#

What camera shot my 3FR file?

A 3FR file was shot on a Hasselblad medium-format digital camera or digital back, such as the H-series or X-series bodies. Hasselblad introduced the format in 2006 with the H2D.

What opens a 3FR file?

Hasselblad's own Phocus software gives the most reliable results with 3FR since Hasselblad builds it specifically for their raw pipeline. Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom and Capture One also read 3FR, though support can lag behind a brand-new Hasselblad body.

Is 3FR the same as Hasselblad's FFF format?

No. Both are Hasselblad raw formats, but FFF is an older container inherited from Imacon after Hasselblad acquired it in 2004, while 3FR is the format Hasselblad introduced with the H-series in 2006. Which one a file uses depends on which Hasselblad product produced it.

What should I convert a 3FR file to for long-term storage?

DNG keeps the raw sensor data and metadata in an openly documented container that doesn't depend on Phocus staying available, which makes it a safer archival choice than leaving files as 3FR.

Converting 3FR files#

FileFlip does not write .3fr files, so nothing on the site converts into this format. It works as a source only.

Every conversion runs inside your browser. The file is read from your disk, the work happens on your own machine, and nothing is uploaded. How FileFlip works names the engine behind each family and how to verify that for yourself.