How to Open CR2 Files or Convert Canon CR2 for Other Image Browsers
Last Updated on November 26, 2021 by Peter Wood
CR2, standing for Canon RAW image file, is an image file format produced by Canon digital cameras. It is a kind of RAW file format and is used to store uncompressed image data. When you take photo shots with a Canon camera, you can find the photos decode in CR2.
How to open the CR2 files directly? If you want to view the photos in CR2 on Windows or Mac, what are the best solutions? Is there a method to view, edit, manage or even convert the CR2 format with ease? Just find the desired answer from the article now.
Part 1: What is Canon CR2 Photo Format?
RAW is a collection of uncompressed image formats include CR2. It is a file type used by some popular Canon digital cameras, such as EOS400D, EOS450D, and more. To help you understand what Canon CR2 is, we will compare it with JPG below:
1. File extension. Canon CR2 files are ended with cr2, while JPG images are in jpg files. The former is far more than an image format but stores a lot of raw data. The latter is a standard image format readable by any image program on the market.
2. Quality. CR2 usually records 12 bits of color or 36 bits per location. JPG stores exactly 8 bits per color or 12 bits per location. Even you zoom out a CR2 image file, it won’t become blurry.
3. Compression. CR2 is a RAW format. It means that the image files contain extensive data and information captured by camera processors. JPG is a compressed image format instead. That makes CR2 better for adjustment and editing.
4. File size. Since CR2 is an uncompressed format and stores a lot of information, the file size is much larger than JPG.
Sometimes, you view the image stored in CR2 and JPG, but the latter may look better. That is due to Canon CR2 files storing the original image data. But JPG will become sharper and higher in contrast after compression. Therefore, CR2 is not suitable to print from your camera.
Part 2: How to Open and Convert CR2 Files
Just as mentioned above, the CR2 format has high photo quality and includes all the metadata. It is hard to open CR2 files directly within the default image viewer. WidsMob Viewer Pro is a versatile CR2 viewer to browse Canon RAW photos in different modes. Moreover, it enables you to convert, rename and even resize the RAW files with a batch process.
1. Open CR2, JPEG, HEIC, and even video files directly without an extra codec.
2. View Canon CR2 files in various modes like full screen, slideshow, etc.
3. Hardware acceleration to open CR2 files with 6x fast speed with ease.
4. Convert, rename and resize multiple CR2 files within a batch process.
How to Open and Convert CR2 Files
Step 1: Launch the CR2 browser after installation. You can connect the SD card of the Canon camera to the computer. Go to the File menu and choose the Open option to select and open the CR2 files. Just double-click any photo to view all files within the SD card.
Step 2: When you access the Library mode based on folders, you can drag the desired CR2 to the desktop, then transfer and manage the CR2 images between different folders. You can also migrate to slideshow mode or full-screen mode from the user interface.
Step 3: To browse CR2 images in full screen, you can zoom out photos and view the detail, go to View > Enter Full Screen to switch between photos forward and backward icons. Click the Bin icon to remove the desired images with ease.
Note: In addition to browsing CR2 files, you can find crop, rotate, and other tools from the Edit menu. It also enables you to add filters and effects according to your requirement.
Step 4: Select the CR2 file you want to view the metadata of the CR2 photos. Click View > Show Info. And you will get the Camera Model, ISO, Exposure Time, F-Number, Focal Length, White Balance, Contrast, Lens, and more other information.
Step 5: Of course, you can also select your favorite photos from the Full Screen to make a slideshow. Of course, you can also enter the slideshow mode directly from the Library mode. It enables you to view the CR2 files in an index sheet or automatically one by one.
Step 6: Moreover, you can convert CR2 files within the CR2 browser. Go to the Edit menu on the top ribbon, select the Batch Convert option, and choose Batch Convert to open the popup dialog. Expand the Format drop-down list and choose JPEG, PNG, etc.
Step 7: Click the Folder icon and set the destination folder. Then move the Quality slider to the proper value. Finally, click the Convert button to start converting all CR2 files in the album. It only takes a few minutes to process hundreds of CR2 files. Plus, the output quality is pretty good.
Conclusion
You can understand what Canon CR2 is and how to open CR2 images with original quality. Experts suggest that you should take photos in RAW formats, such as CR2. However, you may face problems when trying to open images on your computer. That is why you need the WidsMob Viewer Pro, the best CR2 viewer, manager, and converter. It offers extensive useful features for RAW image files.