CR2 to BMP Converter
Convert CR2 to BMP in your browser. The large JPEG preview in the first directory is what gets converted; it carries the Picture Style that was active when you shot. No raw development happens here. You get an uncompressed 24-bit BMP, or 32-bit with alpha when the image has transparency. Nothing is uploaded.
- Processed locally
- No upload, no wait
- No sign-up
- No watermark
Drop images here
or choose files · paste with Ctrl/⌘ V
RAW expected · other image formats also work
How to use CR2 to BMP
- 1
Add your CR2 files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
There is nothing to tune: the BMP is written uncompressed. Resizing and rotating are under More options if you need them.
- 3
Click Convert. Each file is decoded and encoded in a background thread on this device.
- 4
Download the .bmp files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for cr2 to bmp
Where the BMP goes next
BMP opens in every operating system and browser.
BMP next to CR2
The BMP stores the camera preview's pixels uncompressed, so it can be as large as the 20 to 50 MB raw file, or larger, depending on the preview's resolution.
No new artefacts
The preview inside the CR2 is a camera JPEG; the BMP stores its decoded pixels uncompressed, so this step adds no compression damage of its own.
Processed on your device
Your images are decoded, edited and encoded inside this browser tab by Web Workers. Nothing is uploaded to a server.
CR2 vs BMP
What changes from CR2 to BMP
Encoding: the CR2 uses lossless JPEG-compressed sensor data, cut into vertical slices; BMP uses usually none; RLE for some 4 and 8-bit files, and the download is an uncompressed 24-bit BMP, or 32-bit with alpha when the image has transparency.
Bit depth: 12 or 14 bits per channel in the CR2; BMP allows 1, 4, 8, 16, 24 or 32 bits per pixel, and the BMP written here has 24 or 32 bits per pixel. The sensor's 14 bits are not used: the 8-bit camera preview is converted.
Colour: camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic, with the Picture Style recorded in the maker notes in the CR2; BMP supports RGB or an indexed palette, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the CR2 can carry EXIF, Canon maker notes (Picture Style, lens, focus points) and the embedded previews; BMP can carry nothing beyond the header's resolution fields (and a colour profile in rare V5 headers), but nothing is copied across.
About CR2
CR2 is the raw format of Canon EOS cameras from 2004 until CR3 replaced it in 2018. It holds the sensor's 12 or 14-bit readings, losslessly compressed, plus a large JPEG preview rendered with the camera's Picture Style.
CR2 is TIFF-based: the TIFF header is followed by the letters 'CR' and version 2.0, then four image directories: a large JPEG preview with the EXIF block, a 160×120 thumbnail, a small uncompressed RGB image, and the sensor data as lossless JPEG cut into vertical slices.
CR2 files usually come from Canon EOS DSLRs made from 2004 to 2018, such as the 5D Mark II and III, 6D, 7D and the Rebel series.
About BMP
BMP stores raw, uncompressed pixels. Files are huge but trivially simple, which is why some legacy Windows software, embedded displays and printers still ask for it.
A BMP is a 14-byte file header ('BM' and the offset to the pixels), a DIB header (40 bytes, or 108 and 124 bytes in the V4 and V5 versions that add colour masks and alpha), an optional palette, then pixel rows padded to 4 bytes and normally stored bottom-up.
When converting CR2 to BMP makes sense
BMP is the better choice for legacy software and embedded systems that require it, while CR2 suits editing Canon photos in a raw developer.
BMP strengths: No compression artifacts; Read by very old and very simple software. Drawbacks to weigh: Enormous files; Poor support for transparency; No metadata.
Limitations
- The 14-bit sensor data, with its highlight and shadow latitude, is not developed here; use a raw editor when you need to recover detail.
- A BMP is uncompressed, about 3 bytes per pixel, or 4 with transparency, so expect a large file.
- Some older programs ignore the alpha channel of a 32-bit BMP and show transparent areas as black or white.
More conversions
Related tools
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting CR2 to BMP lose quality?
BMP is written uncompressed, so the pixels are stored exactly as decoded. Those pixels come from the camera's JPEG preview, so its compression stays, but nothing new is lost. The sensor's 14 bits are not used: the 8-bit camera preview is converted.
Which apps open BMP files?
Every operating system and browser.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. Processing happens inside your browser with WebAssembly and Web Workers. The site only downloads the app code and codecs; your files never leave your device. You can confirm this with the live upload counter on the tool, or in your browser's network panel.
Can I process many files at once?
Yes. Drop a whole selection or folder. Files are processed in parallel on several worker threads, each result can be downloaded on its own, and everything can be saved as one ZIP.
Is it free? Is there a file limit or watermark?
It is free with no account, no watermark and no daily limit. The only limit is your device's memory: very large images (over roughly 100 megapixels) may be refused to keep the tab from crashing.