What is a DCR file?
DCR stands for Kodak Digital Camera Raw. It was created by Kodak and first released in the early 2000s. DCR is the raw format of Kodak's professional DCS cameras, which Kodak built on Nikon and Canon bodies, such as the DCS 760 and the DCS Pro 14n. Kodak stopped making them in 2005, so few programs besides raw developers still open the files.
| Type | image |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossless |
| Colour | raw sensor data, usually 12 or 14 bits per pixel |
| Transparency | No |
| Animation | No |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; Lightroom, darktable and RawTherapee open it |
| Common uses | Kodak professional DCS cameras such as the DCS Pro 14n |
| MIME type | image/x-kodak-dcr |
Which format should you convert DCR to?
- DCR to PDF to print, or to attach as a document.
DCR is lossless, so converting it to a lossy format is where the file gets much smaller.
How to open a DCR file
A DCR file does not open in a web browser, and only some devices have a program for it. Here is what works on each. If none of these is to hand, converting the file to PNG here is the quickest way to see what is inside it.
| Windows | darktable and RawTherapee (both free) and Lightroom open it. |
|---|---|
| Mac | darktable and RawTherapee (both free) and Lightroom open it. |
| iPhone and iPad | iPhone and iPad have no dependable app for DCR. Convert it to JPG or PDF here to view it. |
| Android | Android has no common app for DCR. Convert it to JPG or PDF here to view it. |
Want the technical details? See what a .dcr file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
DCR compared with other image formats
How DCR stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCR | Lossless | No | the early 2000s | Kodak professional DCS cameras such as the DCS Pro 14n |
| JPG | Lossy | No | 1992 | camera photos, web images and email attachments |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | 1996 | screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with transparency |
| WebP | Either | Yes | 2010 | images served by websites to save bandwidth |
| HEIC | Lossy | Yes | 2017 | photos taken on iPhones and iPads since iOS 11 |
How to use the DCR converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your DCR files on the box, or press Choose DCR files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. The file is converted on our server and deleted as soon as the result is sent back.
Tips for converting DCR files without losing quality
DCR is lossless, so it is a good source for any conversion. Converting it to a lossy format is where the file gets much smaller, and converting it to another lossless format keeps every pixel.
- Keep the raw file. It holds the full sensor data, with far more room for adjusting exposure and colour than any JPG or PNG made from it.
- Choose JPG to share or upload a photo, and PNG or TIFF when the picture will be edited further, since they add no compression loss.
- The conversion is a neutral development with the white balance the camera recorded. For an edited look, develop the file in Lightroom, darktable or RawTherapee instead.
- The server accepts files up to 25 MB, which fits the raw files of most cameras; very high-resolution cameras can go past it.
Convert DCR files from the command line
LibRaw and ImageMagick do the same on your own computer:
dcraw_emu -w -o 1 -q 3 -T input.dcr
magick input.dcr.tiff output.pdfConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
DCR converter FAQ
What is a DCR file?
DCR stands for Kodak Digital Camera Raw, an image format created by Kodak in the early 2000s. DCR is the raw format of Kodak's professional DCS cameras, which Kodak built on Nikon and Canon bodies, such as the DCS 760 and the DCS Pro 14n. Kodak stopped making them in 2005, so few programs besides raw developers still open the files.
How do I open a DCR file?
DCR does not open in browsers; Lightroom, darktable and RawTherapee open it. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common DCR conversion?
DCR to PDF is the conversion people search for most. The DCR is developed by LibRaw, the open-source camera RAW decoder, on our conversion server: the sensor data is turned into a full-colour picture with the white balance the camera recorded, AHD demosaicing and standard sRGB colour.
Does converting DCR files here upload them?
Yes. DCR conversions need LibRaw and ImageMagick, open-source programs that cannot run in a browser, so they run on our conversion server. The file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept.
Is the DCR converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert DCR files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your DCR files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several DCR files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.