Canon CR2 to HDR: conversion guide

Source · Canon CR2
Target · HDR

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What happens when you convert Canon CR2 to HDR?

RAW development

Canon CR2 needs camera- and file-aware development to produce a rendered HDR image. White balance, exposure, camera colour interpretation and, where applicable, demosaicing determine that rendering. The destination does not retain the original RAW development latitude. No development settings or camera support are implemented yet.

Developing into an HDR workspace

RAW capture values are not automatically a finished SDR or HDR picture. An HDR-capable destination can hold a developed high-range image, but exposure, camera calibration, colour space and highlight handling determine which captured information reaches it. The future engine defines that development; neither sensor values nor a wider dynamic range are guaranteed to survive.

Lossless sample storage

RLE preserves stored RGBE bytes; RGBE quantization is not exact storage of arbitrary float RGB. The .hdr format is distinct from the general concept of HDR photography. HDR can store its supported image samples without lossy compression. This applies after rendering and sample conversion: it does not guarantee preservation of source precision, colour space or document structure, and cannot undo earlier losses.

Canon CR2

Source

Canon CR2

Canon Raw 2

Compression: Depends on variantTransparency: NoMetadata: Capture metadata

Canon’s TIFF-based raw format for compatible camera generations, retaining data for later photo development.

Explore Canon CR2 format →
HDR

Target

HDR

Radiance HDR / RGBE

Compression: LosslessTransparency: NoMetadata: Radiance header, EXPOSURE, FORMAT

Radiance pictures with a shared exponent for high-dynamic-range lighting values.

Explore HDR format →

Is Canon CR2 → HDR right for you?

Good choice when

  • HDR fits your delivery use: Lighting environments & radiometry.
  • You need a developed image for a non-RAW application.
  • You need a developed image for an HDR working pipeline.
  • You need lossless storage of the rendered samples supported by HDR.

Probably not when

  • You need the original sensor data and freedom to redevelop it.
  • You need untouched camera samples rather than a rendered image.
  • You expect lossless encoding to restore lost details or editing structure.
  • You require identical samples without a defined colour and precision policy.

Canon CR2 to HDR conversion details

RAW development
Canon CR2 needs camera- and file-aware development to produce a rendered HDR image. White balance, exposure, camera colour interpretation and, where applicable, demosaicing determine that rendering. The destination does not retain the original RAW development latitude. No development settings or camera support are implemented yet.
Developing into an HDR workspace
RAW capture values are not automatically a finished SDR or HDR picture. An HDR-capable destination can hold a developed high-range image, but exposure, camera calibration, colour space and highlight handling determine which captured information reaches it. The future engine defines that development; neither sensor values nor a wider dynamic range are guaranteed to survive.
Lossless sample storage
RLE preserves stored RGBE bytes; RGBE quantization is not exact storage of arbitrary float RGB. The .hdr format is distinct from the general concept of HDR photography. HDR can store its supported image samples without lossy compression. This applies after rendering and sample conversion: it does not guarantee preservation of source precision, colour space or document structure, and cannot undo earlier losses.
Sample precision & colour
Source and target sample models can differ in precision, channel layout, colour space and transfer function. Lossless compression only preserves the samples actually encoded; a precision reduction or colour conversion can already change them. The future engine defines numeric mapping, orientation and colour conversion; canonical depth facts are listed below where available.
Metadata & colour
Format support does not guarantee that an export preserves metadata or colour profiles. Retention and colour handling depend on the future converter; its engine is not implemented yet.
Compression
Canon CR2: Depends on variant → HDR: Lossless Canon CR2: Raw precision and reduced-size recording modes depend on the camera. A lossless compression stage does not imply that a reduced-size raw has identical data to a full-resolution capture. Use the camera documentation and a decoder that supports that exact model and mode. HDR: RLE preserves stored RGBE bytes; RGBE quantization is not exact storage of arbitrary float RGB. The .hdr format is distinct from the general concept of HDR photography.
Colour depth
Canon CR2: Camera and recording mode → HDR: 32-bit RGBE / XYZE pixel
HDR
HDR: Radiometric values
Sensor data
Canon CR2: Raw development required
Dimensions
Pixel dimensions, page geometry, rendering resolution, resizing and orientation need explicit converter policies. The future engine has not defined them yet.
Metadata
Canon CR2: Capture metadata → HDR: Radiance header, EXPOSURE, FORMAT. Which fields are copied, rewritten or omitted will depend on the future engine; retention is not implemented yet.

Common questions

Will HDR still be an editable camera RAW?

Canon CR2 needs camera- and file-aware development to produce a rendered HDR image. White balance, exposure, camera colour interpretation and, where applicable, demosaicing determine that rendering. The destination does not retain the original RAW development latitude. No development settings or camera support are implemented yet.

Will RAW to HDR preserve the original sensor values?

RAW capture values are not automatically a finished SDR or HDR picture. An HDR-capable destination can hold a developed high-range image, but exposure, camera calibration, colour space and highlight handling determine which captured information reaches it. The future engine defines that development; neither sensor values nor a wider dynamic range are guaranteed to survive.

Does lossless output mean an unchanged source?

RLE preserves stored RGBE bytes; RGBE quantization is not exact storage of arbitrary float RGB. The .hdr format is distinct from the general concept of HDR photography. HDR can store its supported image samples without lossy compression. This applies after rendering and sample conversion: it does not guarantee preservation of source precision, colour space or document structure, and cannot undo earlier losses.

Are bit depth and colour values guaranteed to match?

Source and target sample models can differ in precision, channel layout, colour space and transfer function. Lossless compression only preserves the samples actually encoded; a precision reduction or colour conversion can already change them. The future engine defines numeric mapping, orientation and colour conversion; canonical depth facts are listed below where available.

Will metadata and colour profiles be retained?

Canon CR2: Capture metadata → HDR: Radiance header, EXPOSURE, FORMAT. Which fields are copied, rewritten or omitted will depend on the future engine; retention is not implemented yet.