CR2 (Canon RAW Image)
Canon's workhorse RAW format that captured professional photography for over a decade.
| Full name | Canon RAW Image |
| Extension | .cr2 |
| MIME type | image/x-canon-cr2 |
| Developer | Canon Inc. |
| Released | 2004 |
| Type | RAW image |
| Based on | TIFF/EP standard |
| Compression | Lossless JPEG (original 1993 standard) |
What is a CR2 file?
CR2 is Canon's second-generation RAW image format, introduced in 2004 with the Canon EOS 1D Mark II. It stores the unprocessed sensor data exactly as the camera captured it, giving photographers full control over exposure, white balance, and color in post-processing. The format was the standard RAW output for Canon EOS cameras for roughly 14 years before Canon replaced it with CR3 in 2018.
A CR2 file holds raw, unprocessed data read directly from a Canon camera's image sensor. Because it skips in-camera processing, it retains far more tonal information than a JPEG. The file also embeds a small JPEG preview so photo browsers can show a thumbnail without decoding the full RAW data. CR2 captures up to 14 bits per color channel, which gives editors much more room to recover shadows and highlights than an 8-bit JPEG ever could.
History
Canon used an earlier proprietary format called CRW (.crw) in its first digital cameras. In 2004 Canon released CR2 alongside the EOS 1D Mark II, switching to a TIFF-based structure that made the format easier for third-party software to support. CR2 became the standard RAW format across all Canon EOS DSLRs from 2004 through around 2018, when Canon began migrating its mirrorless and newer DSLR bodies to the updated CR3 format built on the ISO Base Media File Format.
How it works
CR2 files follow the TIFF specification and are organized into four Image File Directories (IFDs). IFD0 holds a small JPEG thumbnail and camera metadata; IFD1 contains a slightly larger preview image; IFD2 stores an uncompressed full-resolution preview; and IFD3 holds the actual RAW sensor data compressed with lossless JPEG. The RAW data is stored as a Bayer color filter array and may be split into vertical strips depending on the camera model, indicated by the Canon-specific TIFF tag 0xC640.
What it is used for
- Professional and enthusiast photography requiring maximum post-processing control
- Archiving original camera captures before any destructive editing
- High-dynamic-range work where shadow and highlight recovery matter
- Studio and commercial photography where color accuracy is critical
How to open it
Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Capture One, and Canon's own Digital Photo Professional all open CR2 files natively. On Windows and macOS you can also view CR2 thumbnails with the free Canon RAW Codec, and on Linux the dcraw utility and darktable handle the format well.
Pros and cons
Strengths
- Stores full unprocessed sensor data with up to 14-bit color depth
- Lossless compression means no image quality is lost during storage
- Wide software support built up over more than 20 years
- Embeds JPEG previews so browsers and file managers can show thumbnails quickly
Trade-offs
- Files are large, typically 20-35 MB each depending on camera resolution
- Requires RAW-capable software to edit; ordinary viewers cannot display them properly
- Superseded by CR3, so some newer Canon features are not available in CR2
- Processing is slower than JPEG because the full RAW decode happens in software
Convert CR2 files
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CR2 FAQ
What is the difference between CR2 and CR3?
CR2 is based on the TIFF standard and was used in Canon DSLRs from 2004 to around 2018. CR3 is Canon's newer format, introduced in 2018, built on the ISO Base Media File Format (the same container family as MP4). CR3 files are generally smaller for equivalent image quality and support Canon's newer features like C-RAW compressed RAW, but older software may not support CR3 yet.
Can I open a CR2 file without paying for software?
Yes. Canon's Digital Photo Professional is free to download from Canon's website and opens CR2 files from any Canon camera. GIMP with the UFRaw plugin, darktable, and RawTherapee are also free and handle CR2 files well.
Is CR2 lossless?
Yes. CR2 uses the original 1993 lossless JPEG standard to compress the RAW sensor data, so no pixel information is discarded during storage. This is different from standard JPEG, which is lossy.
Should I convert my CR2 files to DNG for long-term storage?
DNG is an open standard maintained by Adobe and may be safer for very long-term archiving because it does not depend on Canon continuing to support CR2. However, CR2 has been around since 2004 and is still widely supported, so for most photographers keeping the original CR2 files alongside any edits is a practical approach.