CR2 to NEF Converter
Convert CR2 to NEF in your browser. You download a Linear DNG (.dng), not a .nef: only a Nikon camera can create a genuine NEF, and every editor that opens NEF also opens DNG. 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 NEF
- 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 nef
Where a NEF would go
NEF files are opened by Nikon NX Studio, Lightroom, Photoshop Camera Raw, Capture One and RawTherapee, and every one of them opens the DNG too.
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 NEF
What changes from CR2 to NEF
Encoding: the CR2 uses lossless JPEG-compressed sensor data, cut into vertical slices; NEF uses uncompressed, lossless compressed, lossy compressed, or High Efficiency on recent Z bodies, 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; NEF allows 12 or 14 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; NEF supports camera RGB from a Bayer mosaic, written here as 8-bit sRGB.
Metadata: the CR2 can carry EXIF, Canon maker notes (Picture Style, lens, focus points) and the embedded previews; NEF can carry EXIF and Nikon maker notes, partly encrypted, plus a thumbnail and a larger preview, 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 NEF
NEF is the raw format of Nikon cameras, from the D1 to the current Z series. It stores 12 or 14-bit sensor data, uncompressed or compressed, with a JPEG preview the camera renders using its Picture Control.
NEF is TIFF-based: the first directory usually holds a small thumbnail, and sub-directories hold the sensor data and, on current bodies, a full-size JPEG preview. Nikon's maker notes are a TIFF structure of their own, and since the D2X their white-balance block is encrypted with a key derived from the camera's serial number and shutter count.
NEF files come from Nikon DSLRs (D-series) and Z-series mirrorless cameras.
When converting CR2 to NEF makes sense
Forms and workflows that ask for NEF usually feed a raw editor, and each of those opens DNG as well, so the DNG can take the NEF's place. Keep the CR2 if you only need to view or share the picture.
What NEF offers when it comes straight from the camera: Lossless compressed mode with no data loss; Picture Control recorded so Nikon NX Studio can reapply it; 12 or 14-bit sensor data. Its drawbacks: Partly encrypted maker notes; The lossy compressed mode discards some sensor data; Large files on high-resolution Z bodies.
Limitations
- The large JPEG preview in the first directory is what gets converted; it carries the Picture Style that was active when you shot.
- 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.
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Frequently asked questions
Why do I get a .dng file instead of a .nef?
A real NEF is written by Nikon cameras and holds the sensor's own readings (12 or 14 bits per channel, stored as uncompressed, lossless compressed, lossy compressed, or High Efficiency on recent Z bodies) along with EXIF and Nikon maker notes, partly encrypted, plus a thumbnail and a larger preview. This converter reads the JPEG preview inside the CR2, not its sensor data, so it cannot make one either. The Linear DNG you get instead is Adobe's open raw format, and every editor that opens NEF files opens it with the same raw controls. It holds decoded pixels, so it adds no quality or dynamic range.
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.