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.3fr File Extension

Learn what a .3fr file is, how to open Hasselblad RAW photos, how Poly supports them, and which export format to choose.

File extension details for .3fr

Full Support
File typeHasselblad 3FR RAW photograph
MIME type
image/x-hasselblad-3fr
EncodingBinary, little-endian TIFF-based camera RAW with metadata and embedded previews
Operating systemsWindows, macOS, Linux
Opens withHasselblad Phocus, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Capture One
Poly supportYes. Poly provides rich support for Hasselblad 3FR photos.
Indexed by PolyYes. Poly indexes filenames, available camera metadata, color, and visual similarity.
Preview in PolyYes. 3FR files open in Poly's image viewer.
Poly agentYes. The Poly agent can understand the visible photograph.

What kind of file is a .3fr?

A .3fr file is a camera-native RAW photograph created by Hasselblad digital cameras. Unlike a finished JPEG, it preserves sensor measurements and camera information for later processing. The conventional image/x-hasselblad-3fr MIME type is not registered by IANA.1

3FR uses a little-endian TIFF-based structure and commonly starts with 49 49 2A 00. Other TIFF and RAW files share that signature, so PRONOM also checks Hasselblad camera metadata.2

Renaming a TIFF, JPEG, or another RAW file to .3fr does not convert it. Reliable identification checks the filename, structure, and Hasselblad metadata together.

How do I open a .3fr on my computer?

Use software that supports the exact Hasselblad camera model:

  • Windows or macOS: Hasselblad Phocus directly edits 3FR and applies Hasselblad-specific corrections.3
  • Windows or macOS: Adobe Lightroom and Camera Raw support many models. Adobe lists the required version for each camera.4
  • macOS: Apple provides system RAW support for listed Hasselblad cameras, which can make compatible files available to apps such as Photos and Preview.5
  • Linux: compatible RAW editors may open 3FR, but support varies by camera model.

Browsers do not natively develop 3FR. Export a JPEG, WebP, AVIF, or PNG copy for the web.

Poly support for .3fr

Poly gives 3FR photographs thumbnails, an in-app preview, available camera metadata, visual search, and agent understanding. Find a capture by its filename, metadata, color, or visible content.

Use a RAW editor for sensor-level adjustments such as highlight recovery or white balance. Words photographed inside a 3FR are not indexed as document text.

History of .3fr

Hasselblad documented 3FR with its H2D camera generation by 2006.6 The name sits beside an older Hasselblad workflow format:

ExtensionTypical role
.3frNative RAW capture written by the camera
.fffProcessed 3F file that can retain adjustments and metadata

Historically, importing a 3FR into Phocus could produce a corrected 3F file. Current Phocus can edit 3FR directly and preserve it during import.3 Renaming it .fff does not perform that processing.

Working with .3fr and alternatives

Keep the original 3FR as the master, then export a rendered copy for a specific use:

FormatBest forTradeoff
JPEGEmail, galleries, and broad compatibilityLossy; much RAW editing latitude is gone
TIFFHigh-quality interchange and further editingLarge rendered file
DNGRAW-oriented workflows in compatible softwareDifferent container; test camera-specific behavior
PNGLossless sharing of a finished renderingDoes not preserve the original sensor workflow

Phocus exports developed photographs to formats including JPEG and TIFF.7 Keep the 3FR because a rendered derivative cannot recreate the original sensor measurements. Before sharing, review camera, copyright, serial, and location metadata.

Footnotes

  1. Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. Media Types Registry. The image registry contains no image/x-hasselblad-3fr entry. ↩
  2. The National Archives (UK). PRONOM: Hasselblad 3FR Raw Image, fmt/1062. Documents the TIFF-based signature, Hasselblad metadata check, and .3fr extension. ↩
  3. Hasselblad. Phocus for PC/Mac. Documents direct 3FR editing and the choice of FFF or 3FR during import. ↩ ↩2
  4. Adobe. Cameras Supported by Camera Raw. Lists supported Hasselblad models and minimum Camera Raw and Lightroom versions. ↩
  5. Apple Support. Digital Camera RAW Formats Supported by Apple Operating Systems. Lists supported Hasselblad camera models. ↩
  6. Hasselblad. H2, CFH, and H2D User Manual. The 2006 manual identifies 3F and 3FR as H2D RAW formats. ↩
  7. Hasselblad. Phocus User Guide. Describes 3FR as camera-native RAW and documents common export formats. ↩
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