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Need help?How to Merge 3FR Files into a PDF Online
- Upload Your 3FR Files: Drag and drop or click "+ Add Files" to select Hasselblad RAW captures from your shoot. Batch is supported — drop in an entire client folder or commercial proof set. Files render on our servers, so 100+ MP medium-format RAWs from an X2D 100C / 907X CFV 100C are processed on our servers.
- Arrange Page Order and Pick Combine Mode: Drag thumbnails to set the running order — chronological for a wedding, by hero shot first for a portfolio, by setup for a fashion lookbook. Under "Combine?" choose "Single PDF" for one document or "Individual PDFs" for one PDF per RAW (useful when each frame is a separate proof).
- Set Page Layout, Paper Size, and Image Placement (Optional): Pick "Portrait" or "Landscape" under "Page layout"; choose a "Paper size" preset (Letter, A4, Legal, Tabloid, Ledger, ARCH A/B, ISO B4/B5, Executive) or "Same as image size" to honor each frame's native aspect. Under "Image placement" choose "Cover" (fill page, may crop) or "Contained" (fit within margins). Align with "Top", "Center", or "Bottom".
- Tune Quality, Margins, Transparency, and Download: Set "Margin" (No margin / Narrow 0.5" / Moderate 0.75×1" / Normal 1" / Large 2×1"). Adjust "Image Compression" type (Screen / Ebook / Default / Prepress / Printer) and the "Quality Percentage" slider (default 75). Under "Image Transparency" choose "Unchanged" or "Removed" to flatten any alpha to white. Click "Merge" and download — no sign-up, no watermark.
Why Merge 3FR Files into a PDF?
3FR (Hasselblad 3F RAW) is the native sensor format produced by Hasselblad medium-format cameras — the X2D 100C and X2D II 100C, the 907X & CFV 100C / CFV II 50C digital backs, the X1D / X1D II 50C, and the H6D / H5D / H4D series. A single X2D 100C frame from its 43.8×32.9 mm 100 MP BSI CMOS sensor lands at roughly 200–220 MB on card. The format is TIFF-based with Hasselblad-specific tags (it borrows some DNG tags but is not DNG) and is normally opened in Hasselblad Phocus, where it is corrected against the camera's hardware profile and rendered into FFF for the rest of the workflow.
That makes raw 3FR files awkward to share with anyone who isn't running Phocus, Lightroom, Capture One, or recent versions of Photoshop. A PDF book is the standard delivery format that any client, agent, or printer can open. Common reasons to merge:
- Commercial proofs and client review — Drop a day's hero selects into one PDF that opens in any browser or Mail client. The producer doesn't need to install Phocus to review.
- Fine-art portfolios for galleries and agents — A laid-out PDF book reads as an edited body of work, not a folder dump. Use Cover placement at A4 / Letter Portrait for a clean print-ready feel.
- Fashion and editorial lookbooks — Sequence the take by setup, set Margin to Narrow 0.5" so images carry the page, drop in 30–80 frames at Prepress quality.
- Architecture and product proofs at large paper size — Use Tabloid (11×17") or Ledger Landscape with Contained placement so detail in a Hasselblad 100 MP capture survives reading distance.
- Studio archives and shoot catalogues — Generate one PDF per project at Ebook quality, store on a slow archive drive, retire the proxies. The 3FRs stay in their original tree.
- Printer-ready submissions — Send a single Prepress-quality PDF to a fine-art lab; many shops prefer one PDF over a dozen RAWs.
3FR vs DNG vs JPEG — Which Should You Send?
| Property | 3FR (Hasselblad RAW) | DNG (Adobe RAW) | JPEG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container | TIFF-based, Hasselblad tags | TIFF-based, open Adobe spec | JFIF |
| Bit depth | 14- or 16-bit linear | 14- or 16-bit linear | 8-bit per channel |
| Typical file size (X2D 100C frame) | ~200–220 MB | ~120–160 MB (compressed) | 15–35 MB |
| Color science | Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution applied in Phocus | Generic, depends on RAW processor | Baked in by camera |
| Edits non-destructive | Yes | Yes | No (re-encodes on save) |
| Software needed | Phocus, Lightroom, Capture One, Photoshop | Most modern RAW processors | Anything |
| Good for sharing | No — heavy and proprietary | Better, but still requires RAW processor | Yes, but no headroom |
| Good for PDF book / proof | Use this tool to render to PDF | Convert to JPEG/TIFF first | Drops straight in |
Image Compression Quick Guide (PDF Output)
| Compression Type | Embedded image style | Approx. PDF size for 30 frames | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 72 DPI, aggressive JPEG | 8–20 MB | Email proofs, quick client review on phone |
| Ebook | 150 DPI, balanced | 25–60 MB | iPad / tablet portfolios, web download |
| Default | 150–300 DPI | 40–90 MB | General-purpose review PDFs |
| Printer | 300 DPI, light JPEG | 90–180 MB | Submitting to a print shop, lookbook delivery |
| Prepress | 300 DPI, color-preserving | 120–250 MB | Fine-art press, gallery-bound books |
Pair the compression type with the "Quality Percentage" slider for finer control — leave it at 75 for review PDFs, push to 90+ for print delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my Hasselblad's full sensor resolution show in the PDF?
The PDF embeds a rendered image at the resolution dictated by the chosen compression type — Screen flattens to 72 DPI, Prepress preserves 300 DPI. A 100 MP X2D capture printed at 300 DPI fills a roughly 39×29-inch page, so even Tabloid (11×17") or A3 prints have headroom. For exhibition-grade reproduction, deliver TIFF or the original 3FR alongside the proof PDF and let the lab handle the master print.
Why is my 3FR not opening in this tool the way it does in Phocus?
Phocus applies camera-specific corrections (lens profiles, the Hasselblad Natural Colour Solution, sensor calibration) and renders the file into FFF before display. Browser-based renderers decode the underlying sensor data with a generic RAW pipeline, so colour and contrast won't match a Phocus-developed look. For colour-critical client delivery, develop frames in Phocus first, export TIFF or JPEG, then merge to PDF — or use TIFF to PDF with your Phocus exports.
Which Hasselblad cameras produce 3FR?
The H-series digital backs (H4D, H5D, H6D), the early X1D and X1D II 50C, the X2D 100C and X2D II 100C, the 907X & CFV 100C and CFV II 50C combos, and Hasselblad's CFV digital backs all write 3FR by default. Older H-series files may carry slight metadata differences but the container is the same TIFF-derived format introduced with the H2D in 2006.
Is 3FR the same as FFF?
No. 3FR is the original capture file written to card. FFF is the processed, hardware-corrected file that Phocus generates after applying lens, colour, and sensor corrections. A typical 3FR is ~210 MB; the matching FFF lands around 160–170 MB. This tool reads 3FR directly. If you have FFF instead, develop it to TIFF or JPEG in Phocus first.
How do I get the smallest possible PDF for emailing?
Use Compression Type "Screen", Quality Percentage around 60–70, Margin "Narrow", and Page layout "Portrait" with "Contained" placement. A 30-frame X2D shoot lands around 8–15 MB — comfortable for a 25 MB Gmail or Outlook attachment cap. For more aggressive shrinkage, run Compress PDF on the merged output.
Can I include a cover page or title slide in the PDF?
Not directly inside this tool — it merges image files only. Workflow: export your title art as a JPEG or PNG at the same paper size, drop it in as the first file, and use the drag-to-reorder control to lock it at position 1. Or merge the proofs here, then prepend a cover with Merge PDF.
What aspect ratio do Hasselblad 3FR files come out at?
Hasselblad's 44×33 mm sensors (X1D, X2D 100C, 907X / CFV 100C) shoot 4:3. Older 53.4×40 mm sensors (H6D-100c, CFV II 50C in some modes) also shoot 4:3. Choose "Same as image size" under Paper size to keep that native ratio, or pick A4 / Letter Portrait if you'd rather have white margins around each frame.
Should I use Cover or Contained placement?
Cover fills the entire page edge-to-edge and crops whatever doesn't fit the paper aspect — best when the page aspect roughly matches 4:3 (e.g., A4 Portrait with a portrait-oriented frame). Contained scales the whole image to fit within the margins with no cropping — the safer default for mixed orientations or fine-art reproduction where you don't want any of the frame removed.
Can I convert 3FR straight to JPEG or TIFF instead of merging?
Yes — see 3FR to JPEG, 3FR to TIFF, or 3FR to PDF (single file) if you want one image per output. Merge is for combining multiple captures into a single document; the per-file converters are for delivering individual frames.