CR2 & CR3 to JPG

Canon’s RAW files come in two generations. CR2, a TIFF-based format, was used by EOS DSLRs for well over a decade. CR3, built on the same container family as MP4 and HEIF, replaced it in 2018 with the first EOS R and M50 bodies. Both open in Canon’s Digital Photo Professional, Lightroom and similar editors, but not on most phones, tablets, office computers or websites. This page develops either kind into a JPG right in the browser.

CR2, CR3 and the old CRW

CR2 files store a 14-bit sensor image, a full-size preview JPEG and Canon’s metadata in a TIFF-like structure. CR3 changes the container and the compression; its newer “crx” codec also allows C-RAW, a smaller lossy variant. Files from the very first Canon digital cameras use CRW, which is supported too. The converter recognises CR3 even when a file has been renamed, by reading its container header.

Picture style versus neutral development

On the camera, Canon applies a Picture Style, Standard by default, which adds contrast and saturation and gives Canon’s well-known skin tones. Developing the sensor data here produces a neutral rendering instead, with the camera’s white balance but without the style, so the result can look calmer. To keep the in-camera look exactly, choose “Embedded camera JPEG”: Canon stores a full-resolution preview in CR2 and CR3 files, so you lose no pixels.

File sizes to expect

A 24-megapixel CR3 is around 25 to 30 MB, the C-RAW version about 15 MB, and a 45-megapixel EOS R5 file 45 to 55 MB. Converted to JPG at 90 percent quality they shrink to roughly 5 to 15 MB, small enough to email a handful. For social media, switch on the size limit and set 2048 pixels on the long side; that brings each photo down to around half a megabyte.

Batch conversion of a card

Copy the card’s DCIM folder to your computer, then drop the CR3 files onto the page in one go. With “Half size” on, a typical Canon file develops in about a second, which makes it practical to go through a whole shoot and pick favorites. Convert the selection again at full size afterwards. The download button packs everything into a .zip with the original file names.

Dual Pixel and burst files

Dual Pixel RAW files from the 5D Mark IV and R5 contain two half-images for focus micro-adjustment; the converter develops the combined picture, which is what you normally want. RAW burst files from some EOS M and R bodies pack many frames into one CR3; those are not split into separate pictures here.

When to use an editor instead

For photos you will print large or publish professionally, a full RAW editor offers lens corrections, noise reduction and local adjustments that this quick converter does not. Use this page for fast sharing, previews, uploads to services that reject RAW, and working on computers where you cannot install software. For other brands, see NEF to JPG, ARW to JPG and the general RAW to JPG page.

Tips for the best Canon results

Use “As shot” white balance for daylight and flash pictures, where Canon’s automatic setting is reliable. Under warm indoor light, compare “As shot” with “Auto” on one picture before converting the whole set. Keep a copy of the original CR2 or CR3 files: a JPG is a finished product, while the RAW keeps all the latitude for later editing.