Have you ever had a situation where you have raw files from your favorite Canon SLR camera and a friend's computer that doesn't have a Raw converter? Or is someone in your family asking what you can do about that weird file with the .cr2 extension? There are a lot of such situations...

The service provides full support for the cr2 (Canon) format. It allows you to view the embedded JPEG, which is stored in each raw image, as well as raw data (demosaing occurs directly in the browser). The result of demosaing will be a full-size image. As for the embedded JPG, it is at least 1500px on the long side.

In the converter you can adjust the exposure of the photo and save it as JPEG format with the quality you need.


Always available and free

When you don't need any program to view and work with a file, when what you see doesn't depend on the platform you're using, the file format becomes generally accepted. PDF - good example this: once support for this format appeared in browsers, it became the de facto standard for digital documents.

We do the same with raw photos. Moreover, our service is also free to use.

22.01.2018

CR2 is a RAW image format of Canon cameras, unsuitable for opening in graphic editors and not ready for printing. Before working with such files, they should be converted to popular formats raster graphics, for example - JPG.

Methods to convert CR2 to JPG

There are two main conversion methods:

  • Converter programs;
  • Online services.

This article only discusses the option using installed software. Online services usually do not contain the conversion settings required for some cameras. Despite the light weight of the converter programs, they offer automatic white balance adjustment, JPG image compression, and selection of the final resolution.

Method 1: CR 2 Converter

Let's start with something simple - CR 2 Converter only supports CR2 files, but it has a simple interface and the absence of unnecessary settings. It is worth noting that in addition to converting to JPG, other common formats are supported - PNG and BMP.

The main advantage of this method is the small size of the downloaded program and its ease of use.

Method 2: XN Converter

Free program, supports the CR2 we need. There is a preview of the source file before conversion.


XN Converter is a very powerful tool for working with over 500 file types. The main advantage of the program is fast speed works and Russian interface.

Method 3: PhotoScape

PhotoScape is a free open source graphics editor. source code. It also has a built-in converter. RAW images, which is what we need.

The only supported output format in PhotoScape is JPG.

  1. When installing the program, be careful, and if you do not want to suddenly discover the client Google Drive on your computer - uncheck the corresponding box in the installer.
  2. Open Photoscape and click on " RAW Converter" to open the converter in a separate window.
  3. Now you need to add the CR2 file. Click on the button "Add". The program supports selecting a group of files.
  4. Specify required file, then "Open".
  5. On the right side of the program window there is a settings panel for converted files. It’s better to leave everything here as it is. Some cameras may require the option to be installed "Camera White Balance". If you check the box "1/2 size", the conversion will be faster, but the quality will deteriorate by 50%. Click the button "Convert".
  6. In the confirmation window, click "Yes".
  7. The conversion process itself takes from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the size of the source file and available PC resources. After completion, press "Save".
  8. In the Explorer menu that opens, select the target folder, enter the desired JPG file name and click "Save". Everything is ready, the JPG image is uploaded to the specified location.

Convert CR2 to raster formats often takes a long time due to the large size of the source files. The conversion can be carried out using online services, graphic editors And special programs, which were discussed above. XN Converter and PhotoScape allow you to configure the necessary options that are not found in Photoshop and on converter sites.

If you yourself or were photographed with a Canon camera, then as a result you will receive images in CR2 format that cannot be viewed without special programs or uploaded to social networks or other photo sharing applications. In this case, these images should be converted into some convenient and common format, for example, JPEG. Let's figure out how to do this.

After conversion, pictures can be viewed using normal means and posted on networks.

Branded Canon format good for its properties, which provide ample opportunities digital processing, and also preserve many details of the image. Its main disadvantages are, as we have already said, low compatibility with most applications and the large size of photos, which makes it difficult to store them both on the computer’s hard drive and on the camera’s memory card. For convenient use these photos should be changed.

IMPORTANT. JPG is one of the main image types used today both in computer applications and in almost all digital cameras.

Its advantages:

  • high compression ratio, hence low file weight;
  • at small size photographs are of good quality;
  • color depth 24 bits;
  • It is easy to convert any images into it.

Flaws:

  • the stronger the compression, the worse the quality;
  • does not support transparency option.

Convert to JPEG

There are two main ways to convert a photo to JPG:

  • software suitable for operating system your computer or smartphone;
  • using online converters.

Method 1

To do this, you need to select and download the appropriate program. The most famous is Adobe Photoshop. It has versions running on Windows, Mac OS, Android and IOS. The main drawback is that it is paid. Among the free ones we can highlight XnView, FastStone Image Viewer, GIMP and IrfanView. Most similar to Photoshop program GIMP.

The least important are FastStone Image Viewer (very simple and understandable for any beginner) and IrfanView (requires a separate plugin). XnView is a multifunctional utility. With its help, you can convert your pictures not only to JPG, but also to 50 different options!

It is very convenient when you can convert several images at once. Photoshop and GIMP allow you to process the largest amount at a time. And of course, with their help, any picture can be edited by changing saturation, white balance and other parameters, as well as applying various effects. More detailed review Conversion programs can be found in our other article.

Method 2

If you do not want or cannot for any reason download and install conversion utilities, online converters are suitable for you. To work with them, just type the phrase “convert online CR2 to JPEG” into the search bar in your browser, and choose the one most convenient for you from the proposed options.

Now you know how to take CR2 format photos JPG images using applications on your computer and smartphone, as well as how to change them using online converters. We will be very glad if you share your experience in converting photos in the comments!

Sometimes situations arise when you need to open CR2 pictures, but for some reason the built-in photo viewer in the OS complains about an unknown extension. CR2 is a photo format where you can view data about the parameters of the image and the conditions under which the shooting process took place. This extension was created renowned manufacturer photographic equipment specifically to prevent loss of image quality.

You can open RAW using specialized software from Canon, but it is not very convenient to use. Today we will talk about online services that will help convert photos in CR2 format into a well-known and understandable JPG format, openable not only on a computer, but also on mobile devices.

Considering that files in CR2 format weigh quite a lot, you will need stable high-speed Internet access to work.

Method 1: I love IMG

A simple resource for converting CR2 format to JPG. The conversion procedure is fast, exact time depends on the size of the initial photo and network speed. The final image loses virtually no quality. The site is easy to understand and does not contain professional functions and settings, so it will be comfortable to use even for a person who does not understand the issue of converting an image from one format to another.


The file is stored on the service for an hour, after which it is automatically deleted. You can see the remaining time on the final image upload page. If you don't need to store the image, just click "Delete now" after downloading.

Method 2: Online Convert

The Online Convert service will allow you to quickly convert an image into required format. To use it, just upload an image, set the necessary settings and start the process. Conversion occurs in automatic mode, the output is a high-quality image that can be further processed.


Processing the file on Online Convert took longer than on I love IMG. But the site offers users the opportunity to make additional settings final photo.

Method 3: Pics.io

Pics.io service offers users to convert a CR2 file to JPG directly in the browser without the need to download additional programs. The site does not require registration and provides conversion services free of charge. You can save the finished photo on your computer or immediately post it to Facebook. Supports work with photos taken on any Canon cameras.

By converting a file to another file extension, you can use other programs to service it. But we should not forget that the CR2 file, after converting to JPG, may differ slightly from the original, for example in the placement of data. The most vital information should be saved, but if you are interested in the file being identical after converting from CR2 to JPG, you should act judiciously and select the appropriate application from the list below. This doesn't guarantee that the conversion will be 100% as expected, but it can still help a lot. If, nevertheless, the effect of converting the CR2 file to JPG did not meet your expectations, you can try to find on the Internet another version of your file in the CR2 format, previously correctly converted by someone else into a JPG file. If this does not work for you, use the information presented in the next section.

Programs for converting CR2 to JPG:

Other possible CR2 file conversions

If after converting the CR2 file you do not get the corresponding result, you can try changing the CR2 file format to something other than JPG. On our website you will also find information about the following conversion options:

Converting a file with a CR2 extension to another format

What other possibilities are there?

Unfortunately, if after performing the two previously described steps (trying to find your CR2 files converted by someone else, and trying to convert it to JPG format yourself), there is still a problem with the file, then there are few solutions left. You can try again to find and install an application that can open the CR2 file in its original format (without converting to a JPG file. This solution will be difficult to implement, but will undoubtedly give the best result.