Canon RAW 3.0 digital camera image format based on ISO Base Media File Format
File type: Digital camera RAW file
Canon RAW 3.0 is a proprietary RAW image format used by many Canon digital cameras introduced from around 2018 onward. It stores minimally processed sensor data along with EXIF metadata, camera settings, lens information, and often an embedded JPEG preview.
CR3 images can be opened and developed with Canon Digital Photo Professional, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Photoshop, Capture One, darktable, and RawTherapee, provided that the software version supports the camera model.
Found 2 different file type records with the same cr3 filename suffix.
File type category:
Digital camera RAW file
Date updated: September 7, 2026
CR3 replaced the earlier CR2 format on many Canon cameras and is based on the ISO Base Media File Format, the container family also associated with formats such as MP4. The image data and metadata remain specific to Canon cameras.
A CR3 file may contain conventional full-resolution RAW sensor data or Canon's smaller C-RAW representation. C-RAW reduces file size while preserving substantially more exposure, color, and white-balance information for editing than a standard JPEG. Files can also include an embedded preview image, EXIF data, lens details, and shooting settings.
RAW files are not finished photographs intended for ordinary image viewing. A compatible RAW processor interprets the sensor data, applies camera-specific color profiles and optional lens corrections, and renders the result for export to formats such as JPEG, TIFF, PNG, or DNG. Rendering quality and feature support can vary by camera model and application.
Canon Digital Photo Professional generally provides the most complete manufacturer-specific support. Many versions of Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Capture One, darktable, RawTherapee, ART, and digiKam support CR3 on Windows, macOS, and Linux, although newly released cameras may require updated software or RAW libraries.
On Windows or macOS, install Canon Digital Photo Professional or a current version of Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Adobe Photoshop, or Capture One. Use the application's Open or Import command; changing the filename extension will not make an incompatible program recognize the image.
On Linux, try a current version of darktable, RawTherapee, ART, or digiKam with suitable RAW-library support. If the file is not recognized, update the application and its RAW libraries, since older releases may not support newer Canon cameras. Keep an untouched backup of the original camera file before editing.
To convert CR3, open it in Canon Digital Photo Professional, Lightroom, Camera Raw, darktable, or RawTherapee, adjust the image, and export it as JPEG for general use or TIFF/PNG for further editing. Adobe DNG Converter can convert supported Canon RAW files to DNG for workflows that require broader compatibility.
Online services may convert CR3 to JPEG or DNG, but uploading original photographs can expose private images and metadata. Desktop RAW converters provide better privacy, batch-processing options, and control over color and compression. Converting a JPEG or TIFF to CR3 does not recreate the original sensor data and is not a genuine RAW conversion.
Software applications that can open cr3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Software applications that can edit cr3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Software capable of saving cr3 files:
Microsoft Windows
Software apps that create cr3 files:
Microsoft Windows
File type category:
Various data file
Date updated: February 27, 2024
Record marked as obsolete and not updated for a long time.
The cr3 file extension is mainly related to an registration format recorded using the Casio WK-1800 Keyboard.
It was a type of 76-key portable keyboard with Floppy Disk Drive for song play and storage released around 2003.
These cr3 files contain registration data, 20 setups (5 setups x 4 banks)
There is no way how to transform *.cr3 files to other file formats.
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