CR2 (Canon Raw Image)
CR2 is Canon's raw image format used by EOS DSLR cameras. It captures the full unprocessed sensor data with 14-bit color depth, giving photographers complete control over exposure, white balance, and noise reduction in post-processing.
MIME Type
image/x-canon-cr2
Type
Binary
Compression
Lossless
Advantages
- + Full 14-bit sensor data for maximum editing latitude
- + Lossless compression preserves all image data
- + Embedded JPEG previews for quick browsing
Disadvantages
- − Canon-proprietary — requires compatible raw processors
- − Large files (25-40 MB per image at high resolution)
- − Being replaced by CR3 on newer Canon cameras
When to Use .CR2
CR2 files come from Canon cameras; process in Lightroom, Capture One, or DPP, and convert to DNG for long-term archival.
Technical Details
CR2 files use a TIFF-based structure with four IFDs (Image File Directories). The full-resolution raw data is stored in IFD3 using lossless JPEG compression. Embedded JPEG previews in IFD0 enable quick viewing.
History
Canon introduced CR2 with the EOS 1D Mark II in 2004, replacing the older CRW format. It is based on TIFF with Canon-specific lossless JPEG compression. Canon's newer cameras use the CR3 format.