File format · RAW

.CR3 — Canon CR3

Canon RAW format since the EOS M50 and EOS R, based on ISO base media file format with optional C-RAW compression.

.cr3
File extension
RAW
Type
14-bit
Bit depth
2018
Introduced
R/W
ExifTool support (R/W/C)

What is a .cr3 file?#

Canon RAW format since the EOS M50 and EOS R, based on ISO base media file format with optional C-RAW compression.

Made by: Canon.

Advantages#

  • C-RAW is ~40% smaller
  • Dual Pixel RAW option

Drawbacks#

  • Needs up-to-date software

How to open and convert it#

Open & edit: Adobe Lightroom / Camera Raw, Capture One, DxO PhotoLab, darktable and RawTherapee (free), or the manufacturer's own free software. Windows and macOS preview most RAW formats natively after updates.

Convert: Adobe DNG Converter (free) turns proprietary RAW into DNG; any RAW editor exports JPEG or 16-bit TIFF.

See all Canon cameras.

Read metadata: exiftool file.cr3 — see the EXIF tag reference.

Best for: Canon EOS R and late DSLRs.

Other RAW formats#

.3fr.arq.arw.cr2.crm.cs1.czi.dcr.dng.erf.fff.gpr.iiq.k25.kdc.mef.mos.mrw.nef.nrw.pef.r3d.raf.raw

Frequently asked questions#

What opens .cr3 files?

Open & edit: Adobe Lightroom / Camera Raw, Capture One, DxO PhotoLab, darktable and RawTherapee (free), or the manufacturer's own free software. Windows and macOS preview most RAW formats natively after updates.

Convert: Adobe DNG Converter (free) turns proprietary RAW into DNG; any RAW editor exports JPEG or 16-bit TIFF.

See all Canon cameras.

Is .cr3 a RAW file?

Yes — it stores minimally processed sensor data from Canon cameras.

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources