Edit Canon CR2 files on your Mac.
Your DSLR archive, developed.
RevelRaw is a native macOS RAW editor. Drop a .CR2 from your Canon EOS DSLR, and the app reads the scene, ranks 50+ curated presets, and lets you fine-tune, compare and export, all on your Mac.
Edit and compare unlimited photos free. Includes one full-quality export. Lifetime purchase available.
macOS 26 or later · Apple M1 or later
About the CR2 format
CR2 is the RAW format of Canon's DSLR era, written from the EOS-1D Mark II in 2004 until CR3 took over in 2018. RevelRaw opens it from every generation, sRAW and mRAW included, so years of 5D, 7D and Rebel negatives can be re-developed with AI scene detection and 50+ presets.
- Cameras
- Canon DSLRs 2004–2018: 5D through 5D Mark IV, 6D, 7D, 80D, the Rebel line, early EOS M, PowerShot G of that era
- Variants
- Full RAW, reduced-size sRAW and mRAW, Dual Pixel RAW on the 5D Mark IV
- Opens in macOS Preview?
- Yes. CR2-era bodies are on Apple's list; our test files rendered in Quick Look on macOS 27
- File size, our tests
- 27–39 MB standard RAW from 21–30 MP bodies; 62 MB for a 5D Mark IV Dual Pixel RAW
CR2 is a finished format, so new-camera gaps don't apply. The trouble is rarer: an in-camera multiple exposure. macOS's own conversion turned one 5D Mark IV multiple-exposure CR2 into a black frame in our tests, while Quick Look and the embedded preview looked fine. RevelRaw's second decoder opens that file as a normal photograph, though white balance and lens correction aren't available for it yet.
If one CR2 in a folder is mysteriously huge, check whether Dual Pixel RAW was switched on. A 5D Mark IV file shot that way weighed 62 MB against 34 MB for a standard frame, because Canon stores a second image inside it. It opens in RevelRaw like any other CR2; Canon's free Digital Photo Professional is the tool built to use that extra image.
Related guides
Change just part of your photo.
Brighten a face, soften a background or bring out the sky. Selective edits let you adjust light, color and detail exactly where you want them.
- Click to select
- Click a face, the sky or the background to select it. Requires macOS 27; Apple’s selection model downloads on first use, then runs on your Mac.
- Gradients and brush
- Darken a sky with a linear gradient, lift a subject with a radial gradient, or paint a mask with the brush. Works on macOS 26 and later.
- Refine each area
- Use up to three layers per photo, each with its own light and color controls. Soften edges, change the amount or invert the selection.
- Carry edits across a series
- Sync, Copy and Paste gradient and brush layers across compatible photos. AI selections stay with the original photo.
Bring out the detail. Get the color right.
Start with Auto white balance, fine-tune in Kelvin, and return to As Shot whenever you like. Pull back highlights and lift shadows without halos, add depth with Structure and cut through haze with Dehaze. Shift any of eight color bands with HSL, shape contrast with RGB tone curves, and compare with the original as you edit.
Export for your feed, portfolio or print.
Choose an export preset for Instagram, your portfolio, stock sites or print. Set the format, size and color space together, and include your name and copyright in the file.
- Instagram JPEG · 1080 × 1350 · sRGB · 90%
- 500px JPEG · 2048 × 2560 · sRGB · 95%
- Adobe Stock JPEG · Full · sRGB · 100%
- Print TIFF 16-bit · Full · Adobe RGB
- Web HEIF · 2400 long · P3 · 85%
“RevelRaw does everything locally, with no account and no internet. The AI scene detection is genuinely useful, and the AI denoise saved several high-ISO photos from a wedding last week.”
“It was better than I expected. For editing something quickly, it’s a very good app.”
“The AI helped me remove the noise from my photos.”
Clean up the grain in the shots worth keeping.
Reduce luminance and color noise with AI denoise, then set the strength to keep the texture you want. Process the full-resolution photo on your Mac. Drag the comparison to inspect the detail.
Bring the RAW files you already shoot.
Open 24 RAW formats, from Canon CR3, Nikon NEF, Sony ARW and Fujifilm RAF to DNG and iPhone ProRAW. Check supported RAW formats, then try one of your own files. Just need to look at a file first? See how to open RAW files on a Mac with nothing installed.
Edit free. Your first export is on us.
Edit as many photos as you like. To export more than one, choose any plan below.
- Unlimited full-resolution exports, no watermark
- Batch export a whole shoot, or just your selection
Prices shown in USD. Download free and choose a paid plan inside the app. Apple handles payment. Monthly and yearly subscriptions auto-renew until you cancel in System Settings; lifetime is a one-time purchase.
Before you download
Can RevelRaw open CR2 files?
Yes. Drag a .CR2 into RevelRaw or pick it from File > Open — AI scene detection, all 50+ presets and every fine-tune control work on it, and exports go out as JPEG, PNG, TIFF or HEIF. Curious what's inside a CR2 file? Read our CR2 guide, or the step-by-step on opening CR2 files on a Mac, or converting CR2 to JPEG.
Which cameras does RevelRaw support?
Every CR2-era Canon DSLR, from the EOS-1D Mark II of 2004 to the last Rebels of 2018, plus Canon's CRW before it and CR3 after. RevelRaw also opens RAW from Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, Panasonic, OM System and the other major brands. See every format RevelRaw opens.
How much does RevelRaw cost?
RevelRaw is free to download, editing is free, and your first export is free so you can try the whole workflow. After that, RevelRaw Pro gives you unlimited exports and batch export for $3.99/month, $24.99/year (about $2.08 a month), or $94.99 once for lifetime access. You buy inside the app through your Apple Account, and monthly or yearly plans can be canceled anytime.
What is RevelRaw?
RevelRaw is a Mac app for editing RAW photos. Open a Canon .CR2 file and RevelRaw recognizes what's in the shot, suggests the best-matched looks from its 50+ presets, and lets you fine-tune and export, all on your Mac.
Why does one CR2 convert to a black frame on my Mac?
Check whether it was shot as an in-camera multiple exposure; the file's EXIF carries a "Multi Exposure" entry. In our tests macOS's own conversion rendered a 5D Mark IV multiple-exposure CR2 as black. The same file opens in RevelRaw, and the camera's embedded preview is also intact.
Do sRAW and mRAW files open in RevelRaw?
Yes. They open at the size the camera recorded, smaller than a full CR2, for example 3360 × 2240 for a 5D Mark IV sRAW2. The camera already did part of the develop, so expect less room for white balance and highlight recovery than a full-size CR2 gives you.
What can I try for free?
Open, edit and compare unlimited photos for free, including syncing edits across a shoot. One full-quality single-photo export is included. Pro unlocks unlimited exports and batch export.
Will it work on my Mac?
You need macOS 26 or later and a Mac with an Apple M1 chip or later. RevelRaw is available in English, Spanish, Japanese, German, French, Italian and Portuguese. Check the current requirements on the Mac App Store before downloading.
Do I need editing experience?
You can start with a suggested preset and export, or refine the result with exposure, color, detail and crop controls. Preview your changes, compare with the original and use undo to explore different edits.
Does RevelRaw have film looks and HSL?
Yes. RevelRaw 4.8 adds 14 film looks inspired by classic slide, negative, cine and black-and-white film, and an HSL panel that adjusts hue, saturation and luminance in eight color bands. Structure and Dehaze arrived in 4.7. All of them are free to use; Pro adds unlimited and batch export.
Do my photos get uploaded?
Opening, editing, AI processing and exporting happen on your Mac. You do not need a RevelRaw account. You need internet access to download the app or buy Pro through the App Store.
Can I export for social media and print?
Yes. Export as JPEG, PNG, TIFF or HEIF, with presets for social media, stock sites, print and web. Set the dimensions, quality and color space for your destination, and add copyright and other metadata to the file.
Can I edit a whole shoot at once?
Yes. Open a folder or multiple RAW files, refine one photo, then Sync, Copy or Paste selected settings across the others. Batch editing is free and can be undone in one step. Pro adds batch export of your selection or the whole shoot.
Can I edit just part of a photo?
Yes. Masks are free, with no Pro required. Use linear gradients, radial gradients and a brush on macOS 26 or later. Click-to-select requires macOS 27 and downloads Apple’s on-device selection model on first use. Each photo supports up to three layers with separate light and color controls. Gradient and brush layers can be synced across compatible photos; AI selections are not copied.
Can I bring my Lightroom presets and edits?
Import compatible Lightroom .xmp presets and .cube color LUTs. Supported Lightroom adjustments can also be read from a DNG or an accessible XMP sidecar beside your RAW file, including its crop and straighten angle. Adobe profiles and masks are not imported, and rendering can differ. This does not import your Lightroom catalog.
From .CR2 to finished photograph, in minutes.
Take one of your own photos from a suggested look to a finished export. Try the workflow before choosing a paid plan.