The Hasselblad H3DII-31 SLR Digital Camera has been developed around a unique digital camera engine producing increased lens performance and an unsurpassed level of image sharpness. By focusing solely on digital camera architecture, Hasselblad is able to offer photographers the full benefits of professional medium-format digital cameras as well as the ease of use of the best 35mm DSLRs. The H3DII design has also made possible the launch of a 28mm lens, designed and optimized solely for digital image capture.

The H3DII-31 delivers outstanding digital performance, taking full advantage of the virtues of medium format photography. The result is flexibility for the professional photographer, including the freedom to choose between eyelevel and waist-level viewfinders, digitally APO corrected lenses, and on-the-fly classification of images. Furthermore, the H3DII-31 offers the photographer the freedom to work with film to allow shooting under extreme conditions, and Hasselblad's Natural Color Solution delivers out-of-the-box image quality only achievable in a true digital camera system.

The H3DII is the 4th generation of the Hasselblad H-system, and provides improved controls and functionality, better sensor cooling, a more intuitive user interface, and a bright, 3" display. When combined with the latest Hasselblad's image processing software - Phocus by Hasselblad - H3DII will set a new standard for digital photographic quality. Featuring a range of new techniques and features. Phocus will provide the power and finesse needed to serve and support the latest Hasselblad camera developments and to enable groundbreaking levels of image quality - all in a modern and easy-to-use environment. Every aspect of Phocus has been developed and designed to reflect the way that photographers work and to help ensure that you can spend as much time as possible taking images - not processing them.

• Large Format 33x44mm Digital Capture

Today's digital photography demands higher resolution, less noise, and improved compositional choice, The H3DII-31 image sensor provides 31 Megapixels and is more than twice the physical size of today's 35mm sensors. Consequently the sensor holds more and larger pixels, which ensures the highest possible image quality and moire free color rendering without gradation break-ups - in even the most subtly lit surfaces.

• Ultra-Focus and Digital APO Correction

Information about the lens and exact capture conditions is fed to the camera processor for ultra-fine-tuning of the auto-focus mechanism, taking into account the design specifications of the lens and the optical specifications of the sensor. In this way the full HC lens program is enhanced to perform at a new level of sharpness and resolution. Digital correction for color aberration and distortion is also added. Digital APO Correction (DA C), is an APO-chromatic correction of the images based on a combination of the various paramaters concerning each specific lens for each specific shot, ensuring that each image represents the best that your equipment can produce.

• Three Modes of Digital Operation and Storage

Optimum portability and image storage are critical for the professional photographer. The Hasselblad H3D offers a choice of storage devices: portable CF card storage, the flexible Firewire driven Hasselblad Imagebank or tethered operation with extended, special capture controls, and image capture directly to a computer hard drive. With these three operating and storage options, you are able to select a mode to suit the nature of the work in hand, whether in the studio or on location.

• FlexColor Workflow for the Professional Photographer

FlexColor offers an image processing workflow with the highest degree of control for the studio photographer. In tethered operation, tools like overlay masking help bring productivity to advanced set composition. The latest FlexColor version allows the photographer to manipulate color temperature and compare image details across multiple images for precise image selection. FlexColor processes the raw 3FR files generated by the Hasselblad H3D. FlexColor runs natively on both Macintosh and Windows computers and is licensed to allow you to provide free copies for all your co-workers and production partners.

• Unique Hasselblad Natural Color Solution

Normally troublesome subjects such as various skin tones, metals, fabrics, flowers, etc. are easily captured by using the powerful color profile - the Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS). It works invisibly in the background in conjunction with the FlexColor imaging software, producing outstanding and reliable out-of-the-box results. In order to support our new unique color system, we have developed a custom Hasselblad raw file format called 3F RAW (3FR). The file format includes lossless image compression, which reduces the required storage space by 33%.

• DNG workflow

3FR files can be converted into Adobe's raw image format DNG (Digital NeGative). In order to optimize the colors of the DNG file format, conversion from the 3FR must take place through FlexColor. The DNG file format enables RAW image files to be opened directly in Adobe Photoshop. Hasselblad image files carry a full set of metadata, including capture conditions, keywords and copyright, facilitating workflow with image asset management solutions.

• Instant Approval Architecture (IAA)

Building on the success of its Audio Exposure Feedback technology, Hasselblad has created Instant Approval Architecture (IAA), an enhanced set of feedback tools, designed to liberate the photographer from the selection process and to concentrate on the shoot. Audible and visible signals as well as recorded information in the file and in the file name all promote a quick and easy classification in the field or in the lab. Sorting becomes automatic, accessible and very fast, facilitating reviewing the best images for immediate client presentation.

• GPS Recording Flexibility

Hasselblad's Global Image Locator (GIL) is an accessory to any H-based Hasselblad digital capture product. Using the GIL device all images captured outside are tagged with GPS coordinates, time and altitude. This data is key to a number of future applications involving image archiving and retrieval. One example is the direct mapping of images within the coming Phocus software to Google Earth.

• Modular Design for Flexibility and a Choice of Bright Viewfinders

One of the important traditional advantages of medium format is the extra large and bright viewfinder image. The H3D comes with the HVD90X viewfinder designed for full performance over the large 33.1 x 44.2mm sensor. It is interchangeable with the HV90X viewfinder and the HVM waist-level viewfinder. For increased usefulness, the digital capture unit of the H3DII can also be detached and used on a view camera by way of an adapter. In this case the unit is controlled by the flash sync signal from the view camera shutter. A clean and dust-free sensor is essential and the modular design of the camera allows for easy access for cleaning, saving you hours of retouching work later.

• Free Upgrade to Phocus by Hasselblad

Over the years, the image processing engine in Hasselblad's FlexColor software has evolved into a powerful raw converter. The upcoming release of Phocus by Hasselblad adds an entirely new processing engine - featuring a range of new techniques and features and the power to support the latest Hasselblad camera developments and to enable groundbreaking new levels of image quality. Every aspect of Phocus has been developed and designed to reflect the way that photographers work and to help ensure that you can spend as much time as possible taking images - not processing them. Some of the features of Phocus include:

• Moiré Removal
  Even very high resolution images can exhibit moiré under certain circumstances. With Phocus, moiré is effectively removed without the need to make special mask selections or other manual procedures, and is performed directly on the raw data.
• Expanded Metadata
  The metadata included in Phocus images follows the IPTC Core standard with XMP Plus, with added GPS data 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.
• Enhanced Tethered Operation Control
  Phocus provides special extended controls of your Hasselblad camera, such as the ability to control the lens drive for focusing when the camera is in a remote position or when the digital capture unit is mounted on a view camera.
• Improved GUI
  The GUI includes straightforward options for customizing your set-up to suit a number of different workflow situations, such as choice of import source, browsing/comparing functions, file management, image export in a range of file formats, pre-set of options for coming shoots, and much more.
• Improved Views
  The Phocus view 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. Plus multiple folders can be open at the same time for simultaneous viewing, comparison and selection.

Flexcolor users will be eligible for a free upgrade to Phocus when it is made available. Check back on www.hasselblad.com for exact release dates.