Convert ARW to CR2

A Sony camera may produce .arw files that an older Canon-only application accepts only as .cr2. A genuine Canon raw file cannot be reconstructed from Sony raw data, so rendering to TIFF or JPEG—or converting to DNG when the receiving application supports it—is usually the correct solution.

What the ARW format is

ARW is Sony's camera raw format, used by Sony Alpha interchangeable-lens cameras and some Cyber-shot models. It stores minimally processed sensor data and camera metadata in a TIFF-based raw container; the exact structure depends on the camera model and may include compressed or uncompressed data.

Raw-processing software such as Sony Imaging Edge, Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic, Capture One, darktable, and RawTherapee can adjust white balance, exposure, highlight recovery, noise reduction, sharpening, and demosaicing before producing an image. Support depends on the camera model and the software version.

What the CR2 format is

CR2 is Canon's older camera raw format, used primarily by Canon EOS cameras before many newer models adopted CR3. A CR2 contains Canon-specific sensor data, calibration information, metadata, and a raw-processing structure recognized by compatible software such as Canon Digital Photo Professional, Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic, and Capture One.

CR2's advantage is its compatibility with legacy Canon workflows and its retention of raw-processing latitude compared with a rendered JPEG or TIFF. It is not a generic raw-image exchange format, and it is not inherently better than ARW. Renaming photo.arw to photo.cr2 changes only the filename; it does not create a valid Canon raw file.

How to convert ARW for practical use

Most desktop applications can decode ARW but cannot create a genuine, camera-valid CR2. Use one of these workflows instead:

• For editing: Open the ARW in Lightroom Classic, Adobe Camera Raw, Capture One, darktable, or RawTherapee, make the raw adjustments, and export a TIFF or JPEG.
• For maximum retained editing data: Export a 16-bit TIFF in ProPhoto RGB or Adobe RGB. TIFF is suitable for further editing but is no longer raw.
• For sharing or broad compatibility: Export an sRGB JPEG at the required quality, commonly 90–100. JPEG is smaller but uses lossy compression and contains the rendering decisions made during export.
• For a raw-preserving interchange file: Use Adobe DNG Converter to convert ARW to DNG, but only if the receiving application supports DNG. DNG retains raw sensor data, although proprietary metadata or some camera-specific behavior may not be preserved exactly.

A typical desktop workflow is:

1. Back up the original .arw file.
2. Open it in the selected raw processor and confirm that the camera model is supported.
3. Adjust exposure, white balance, color, noise reduction, and sharpening while the image remains raw.
4. Choose File → Export in Lightroom, Save Image in Camera Raw, or the equivalent export command in the other applications.
5. Select TIFF, JPEG, or DNG according to the receiving system, and retain the ARW beside the exported file for future reprocessing.

Using an online converter

CloudConvert, Convertio, Zamzar, and similar services may advertise ARW-to-CR2 conversion, but an advertised result is not necessarily a genuine Canon raw file. Some services render the image and give the result a requested extension; others may reject the conversion or produce a file that only limited software can open.

If an online service is unavoidable, upload a non-sensitive test image, verify that it accepts both formats, download the result, and test it in the exact application that requested CR2. Do not upload confidential or unreleased photographs without checking the provider's retention and deletion terms. Keep the original ARW because no converter can recover raw information discarded during rendering.

Compatibility and quality limitations

A synthetic CR2 cannot gain Canon's original sensor calibration, lens data, camera profile, or Canon-specific metadata from a Sony ARW. It may pass a superficial extension check but fail in Canon Digital Photo Professional or another decoder that validates the internal CR2 structure.

ExifTool can inspect, copy, or edit metadata, but it does not convert Sony sensor data into a Canon raw file. ImageMagick and similar utilities can decode many ARW files, but their ability to write a usable CR2 is not a reliable conversion method.

If the receiving program specifically requires CR2 and rejects TIFF, JPEG, and DNG, there may be no technically valid conversion. The dependable options are to use software that supports ARW, obtain the original image from a Canon camera, or ask the workflow owner to accept a standard rendered format or DNG.