Image MIME Reference
Canon-CRW
Canon Raw Format
image/x-canon-crw
VS
Kodak Digital Camera Raw
image/x-kodak-dcr
Kodak-DCR
A complete technical comparison of Canon Raw Format and Kodak Digital Camera Raw — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | Canon-CRW | Kodak-DCR |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | Yes | Yes |
| EXIF Metadata | Yes | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | ✕ No | Yes |
Canon Raw Format
image/x-canon-crw
Extension
.crw
Container
CIFF (Camera Image File Format)
Compression
Lossless JPEG (ITU-T81)
Algorithm
Lossless JPEG
Color Depth
10-bit (Per Channel), 12-bit (Per Channel)
Developed by
Canon Inc.
Released
1998
Magic Bytes
49 49 1A 00 00 00 (Header) / 48 45 41 50 43 43 44 52 (HEAPCCDR signature near end)
Kodak Digital Camera Raw
image/x-kodak-dcr
Extension
.dcr
Container
TIFF/EP
Compression
Uncompressed / Lossless JPEG
Algorithm
NoneLossless JPEG (ITU-T81)
Color Depth
12-bit (Per Channel)
Developed by
Eastman Kodak Company
Released
1998
Magic Bytes
49 49 2A 00 or 4D 4D 00 2A
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | Canon-CRW | Kodak-DCR |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
Canon-CRW
Canon-CRW Strengths
- Preserves original raw sensor data from foundational early digital SLR cameras, allowing for modern noise reduction and demosaicing algorithms to extract better images than software could in 2003
- Files are remarkably small (often 6-8 MB) compared to modern 40MB+ raw files due to the lower megapixel count of early sensors
Limitations
- Completely obsolete and utilizes the idiosyncratic CIFF structure rather than the modern, standardized TIFF/EP structure
- Cannot be natively viewed in web browsers or standard operating system image viewers without specialized codecs
- Less robust metadata support compared to modern CR2 or CR3 formats
Kodak-DCR
Kodak-DCR Strengths
- Preserves the full dynamic range and uncompressed raw sensor data captured by foundational professional digital cameras
- Utilizes the standard TIFF container structure, ensuring that open-source decoders like LibRaw can easily parse and interpret the files long after official vendor support has ended
Limitations
- Completely obsolete proprietary format tied to camera hardware that is no longer manufactured
- Shares the TIFF magic header, leading to widespread misidentification by automated MIME detection libraries
- Cannot be natively viewed in web browsers or standard operating system image viewers without specialized codecs
When to choose which format
Canon-CRW
Use Canon-CRW when…
- Historical Digital Photography (2000-2004)
- Non-destructive Image Post-Processing
- Raw Imaging Archival
Kodak-DCR
Use Kodak-DCR when…
- Vintage Professional Digital Photography (Kodak DCS series)
- Non-destructive Image Post-Processing
- Raw Imaging Archival