A Canon RAW Image (.cr2) file is the go-to file-type for avid photographers using Canon digital cameras. You can now use Zamzar to convert your .cr2 files to other image formats.
If you’ve just splashed out on a brand-new digital camera, have rented one for an important event, or have been emailed files containing the images of your special occasion, it can be frustrating to realise you don’t have the correct image-editing software to open and view your images.
At Zamzar we now offer support for converting .cr2 files into a range of popular image formats, such as tiff, png, jpg and pdf. There’s no need to download any additional software; you can simply convert your files for free online, quicker than you can get everyone to say “cheese!”
The .cr2 format is a RAW image format that stores data taken directly from a camera’s sensor. This file type offers the best quality-to-size ratio, and allows for detailed post-processing of an image. It also avoids the image quality loss that can occur with other more common file formats like .jpg and .png. However, with .cr2 files the image isn’t readily viewable, meaning that specific software is needed in order to view and edit the pictures. This is fine if your camera came with a RAW software package, but not so simple if you’ve purchased your camera second-hand, have borrowed or rented one, or have been sent photos in the .cr2 format by a friend. If this is the case, simply use Zamzar to convert your .cr2 files to any or all of the following formats:
- bmp – Windows bitmap
- gif – Compuserve graphics interchange
- jpg – JPEG compliant image
- pcx – Paintbrush Bitmap Image
- pdf – Portable Document Format
- png – Portable Network Graphic
- tga – Truevision Targa Graphic
- tiff – Tagged image file format
- wbmp – Wireless Bitmap File Format
- webp – Lossily compressed image file
If you’re a budding photographer wanting to progress beyond simple point-and-shoot cameras, cameras that save images in RAW format are a great choice, allowing you to experiment freely and edit images later. If you’re confused by all your camera’s different picture styles and filtering options, or find you keep forgetting to select the correct options for that all-important shot, simply save your photographs as .cr2 files. That way, you can relax in the knowledge that you can edit your images later and correct any issues at that point – something that’s often not possible with images saved as .jpg files.
With Zamzar’s free online file-conversion tool, there’s no need to purchase or download specialist image-editing software for .cr2 files. Anyone with access to a camera that saves images in RAW format can view, share and print their photos.
Happy snapping !
The Zamzar Team.
