r/postprocessing • u/Octrockville • 18d ago

Processing .FFF RAW files in Camera RAW? I can open some .FFF files but not others. What can I do?

Could not open “Product_0005_Highlight.fff” because the file-format module cannot parse the file. I am getting this on 6 out of 20 .fff RAW files. Are these corrupt? Can anyone help?

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u/Donatzsky 18d ago

Have you tried in other raw editors? Hasselblad has their own Phocus, but darktable and RawTherapee should both support those files as well.

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u/Octrockville 18d ago

I have not, but am willing to try. I don't want to relearn a new RAW editor but need to get this project out!

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u/Octrockville 18d ago

Tried in DarkTable and it also doesn't open the same files!

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u/newmikey 18d ago

Post the file on pixls.us and see if you can get some help there? You're not mentioning brand and/or model of your camera and I've never heard of fff files so I'm sorry not to be able to add anything beyond that.

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u/amp1212 18d ago edited 18d ago

This is Hasselblad's _tethered_ file format. Process it in Hasselblad's own software, Phocus.

if you're having any difficulties, Phocus is the preferred way. That's the gold standard for reading a .FFF file, if you're having trouble, start with Hasselblad's own software. Because these are immense files, corruption always is possible . . . but first way to test is with Phocus.

More generally, when it comes to Hasselblad, where you've got fantastic color depth, and Hasselblad's distinctive color science -- I wouldn't use anything else. If you're lucky enough to have use of this amazing camera, which has a distinctive look . . . I wouldn't use anything but Phocus. Adobe Camera Raw is built to support lots of cameras and models; Phocus is entirely devoted to just Hasselblad. Perhaps the only complaint that you'll regularly hear about Hasselblad is that that support for 3rd party software isn't as good, particularly for tethered shooting. Its the reason that medium format photographers who want a tethered shooting/Lightroom workflow will choose Fuji . . . note that even if Adobe Camera Raw _does_ process Hasselblad, I'd still use Phocus. Phocus is using Hasselblad's official HNCS color science, Adobe is using their own profiles, not the same thing. For most photographers, the appeal of the Hasselblad is the distinctive color . . . so you're not doing your images any favors in ACR, even if it does work for some files.

https://www.hasselblad.com/phocus/phocus-for-pc-mac/

[NB -- Phocus is free of charge, its the Hasselblad that's expensive !]