Image MIME Reference
Canon-CR2
Canon Raw Version 2
image/x-canon-cr2
VS
JPEG XL
image/jxl
JXL
A complete technical comparison of Canon Raw Version 2 and JPEG XL — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
JXL wins on browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | Canon-CR2 | JXL |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | Yes |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | Yes |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | Yes |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes |
| EXIF Metadata | Yes | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | Yes |
Canon Raw Version 2
image/x-canon-cr2
Extension
.cr2
Container
TIFF
Compression
Lossless JPEG (ITU-T81)
Algorithm
Lossless JPEG (ITU-T81)
Color Depth
12-bit (Per Channel), 14-bit (Per Channel)
Developed by
Canon Inc.
Released
2004
Magic Bytes
49 49 2A 00 10 00 00 00 43 52 02 00
JPEG XL
image/jxl
Extension
.jxl
Container
ISOBMFF / JPEG XL Codestream
Compression
Lossy (VarDCT) / Lossless (Modular)
Algorithm
VarDCT (Variable block-size DCT)Modular (Predictive coding for lossless)
Color Depth
8-bit, 10-bit, 12-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit (Float)
Developed by
Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)
Released
2021
Magic Bytes
FF 0A (Codestream) / 00 00 00 0C 4A 58 4C 20 0D 0A 87 0A (Container)
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | Canon-CR2 | JXL |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ |
✓ 17+
|
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
Canon-CR2
Canon-CR2 Strengths
- Retains maximum sensor data, allowing extreme recovery of highlights and shadows that would be permanently lost in a JPEG
- White balance and color profiling are not 'baked in', meaning they can be completely altered in post-production without degrading the image
- Lossless compression ensures perfect pixel accuracy while reducing file size compared to fully uncompressed formats
Limitations
- Proprietary format means it requires constant updates to raw processing engines (like Adobe Camera Raw) every time Canon releases a new camera model
- Produces very large file sizes (often 20MB to 40MB per image depending on sensor resolution)
- Cannot be directly embedded into web pages or used in standard HTML/CSS contexts
JXL
JXL Strengths
- Capable of losslessly recompressing legacy JPEG files, saving ~20% space while retaining perfect byte-for-byte restorability
- Highly superior progressive decoding (Saliency-driven), allowing recognizable images to load extremely fast on slow connections
- Outperforms WebP and competes favorably with AVIF, especially at high-fidelity settings and for complex textures/photography
- Royalty-free with an open-source reference implementation (libjxl)
Limitations
- Google's removal of JXL support from Chrome severely hindered its adoption as a universal web standard
- Lack of hardware decoding chips compared to video-derived codecs like AVIF (AV1)
- File parsing logic is complex due to the split between raw codestreams and ISOBMFF containers
When to choose which format
Canon-CR2
Use Canon-CR2 when…
- Professional Digital Photography
- Non-destructive Image Post-Processing
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) Imaging Archival
JXL
Use JXL when…
- High-End Web Delivery (via Safari/Polyfills)
- HDR Photography
- Legacy JPEG Archiving
- Digital Art & Image Storage