CR2 to DNG Converter
Convert CR2 to DNG 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 a Linear DNG: demosaiced 8-bit RGB with the colour matrices raw editors need. 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 DNG
- 1
Add your CR2 files: drop them here, choose them, or paste from the clipboard.
- 2
There is nothing to tune: the DNG 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 .dng files one at a time or together as a ZIP.
Why use Aback Images for cr2 to dng
Where the DNG goes next
DNG opens in Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One, darktable, RawTherapee, Affinity Photo and macOS Photos.
DNG next to CR2
The DNG 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 DNG 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 DNG
What changes from CR2 to DNG
Encoding: the CR2 uses lossless JPEG-compressed sensor data, cut into vertical slices; DNG uses lossless (or lossy) JPEG-compressed sensor data, plus optional JPEG previews, and the download is a Linear DNG: demosaiced 8-bit RGB with the colour matrices raw editors need.
Bit depth: 12 or 14 bits per channel in the CR2; DNG allows 8 to 16 bits per channel, and the DNG written here has 8 bits per channel, linearised. 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; DNG supports camera RGB plus the colour matrices that map it to XYZ (demosaiced linear RGB in a Linear DNG), written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the CR2 can carry EXIF, Canon maker notes (Picture Style, lens, focus points) and the embedded previews; DNG can carry EXIF, XMP and DNG tags for colour matrices, calibration and lens corrections, 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 DNG
DNG is Adobe's openly documented raw format. Some cameras and phones record it directly, Adobe DNG Converter turns other brands' raw files into it, and a Linear DNG holds already-demosaiced RGB that raw editors treat like any other raw file.
DNG is built on TIFF/EP. The raw image sits in a sub-IFD marked as the main image, with tags for black and white levels, colour matrices and the colour filter pattern; a Linear DNG (PhotometricInterpretation 34892) stores demosaiced RGB instead of a mosaic. Previews are optional, and Adobe DNG Converter can write a medium (1024 px), full-size or no preview.
When converting CR2 to DNG makes sense
DNG is the better choice for raw editing and archiving raw files in an open format, while CR2 suits editing Canon photos in a raw developer.
DNG strengths: Open specification read by every raw editor; Lossless compression and optional previews; Recorded directly by Leica, Pentax, DJI drones and phones. Drawbacks to weigh: Large files; No browser or ordinary photo viewer support on every platform.
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.
- The DNG holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, so it adds no dynamic range or detail beyond the CR2.
- Raw editors apply their own default profile and tone curve to a DNG, so it can look slightly different from the source until you adjust it.
- A Linear DNG has no sensor mosaic, so demosaicing settings in your raw editor have no effect on it.
More conversions
Related tools
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Frequently asked questions
Does converting CR2 to DNG lose quality?
DNG 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.
Can Lightroom edit this DNG like a camera raw file?
It opens with the full raw controls in Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One and darktable, because it is a valid Linear DNG. It holds the decoded 8-bit pixels, though, so it has no more dynamic range or detail than the image it came from.
Which apps open DNG files?
Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One, darktable, RawTherapee, Affinity Photo and macOS Photos. It does not open in web browsers.
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.