Image MIME Reference
JPEG
JPEG Image
image/jpeg
VS
Kodak Digital Camera Raw
image/x-kodak-dcr
Kodak-DCR
A complete technical comparison of JPEG Image and Kodak Digital Camera Raw — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
JPEG wins on browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | JPEG | Kodak-DCR |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | Yes | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | Yes |
| EXIF Metadata | Yes | Yes |
| ICC Color Profile | Yes | Yes |
JPEG Image
image/jpeg
Extension
.jpg.jpeg.jpe.jfif
Container
JFIF / Exif
Compression
Lossy
Algorithm
DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform)
Color Depth
8-bit
Developed by
Joint Photographic Experts Group
Released
1992
Magic Bytes
FF D8 FF
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 | JPEG | Kodak-DCR |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✓ All
|
✕ |
Firefox
|
✓ All
|
✕ |
Safari
|
✓ All
|
✕ |
Edge
|
✓ All
|
✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✓
|
✕ |
JPEG
JPEG Strengths
- Universal support — every browser, OS, and application handles JPEG
- Excellent compression for complex photographs with natural color gradients
- Rich metadata support: EXIF (GPS, camera settings), ICC color profiles
Limitations
- No transparency — cannot have a transparent background
- Lossy compression introduces visible artifacts on sharp edges and text
- No animation support
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
JPEG
Use JPEG when…
- Photography
- Websites
- Social Media
Kodak-DCR
Use Kodak-DCR when…
- Vintage Professional Digital Photography (Kodak DCS series)
- Non-destructive Image Post-Processing
- Raw Imaging Archival