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Canon Raw v2 (CR2)

Description

Canon Raw v2 (CR2) files are processed similarly to common image formats, with full EXIF metadata extraction for timestamps and GPS coordinates when available.

File Extensions

  • .cr2 - Canon Raw Version 2 format

Processing Details

Time Extraction (Priority Order)

  1. EXIF Metadata (Primary): EXIF:CreateDate field in YYYY:MM:DD HH:MM:SS format
  2. Filename Parsing (Fallback): Extracts numeric sequences from filename
  3. File Modification Time (Last Resort): Uses the file's mtime when other methods fail

Coordinate Extraction

  1. EXIF GPS Metadata (Primary):
  2. Composite:GPSLatitude
  3. Composite:GPSLongitude
  4. Full GPS metadata from camera when available
  5. Time-Based Correlation (Fallback): Matches CR2 timestamp with nearest GPS track point from GPX files

RAW Processing

  • Format Conversion: CR2 files are converted to the configured output format (default: JPG)
  • Quality Settings: Configurable via image_options in configuration
  • EXIF Preservation: Metadata extraction occurs before conversion
  • Unique Naming: Duplicate filenames handled with automatic counter suffixes

Configuration

site:
  image_format: jpg                  # Output format for converted RAW files
  image_options: {}                  # PIL/Pillow save options for conversion

features:
  geo_correlation:                   # For coordinate fallback
    enabled: true
    time_offset: !duration 0 seconds         # Camera time offset
    max_time_diff: !duration 300 seconds     # Max correlation window

Dependencies

  • ExifTool: Required for CR2 metadata extraction
  • PIL/Pillow: For RAW to standard format conversion
  • Note: CR2 support may require additional libraries or plugins

Tips for Best Results

  • Camera GPS: Enable GPS logging on Canon cameras when available
  • Time Synchronization: Keep camera time synced with GPS device for accurate correlation
  • External GPS: Use external GPS logger alongside camera for location data
  • RAW Benefits: CR2 files often contain more complete EXIF metadata than processed formats

Camera Compatibility

Canon cameras that produce CR2 files, including: - Canon EOS DSLR series - Canon PowerShot series (select models) - Most Canon cameras from ~2004 onwards

Output

  • Gallery Images: Converted images appear in the photo gallery
  • Metadata Preservation: Timestamps and GPS coordinates extracted and preserved
  • Web Optimization: Converted to web-friendly formats while maintaining quality
  • Location Integration: GPS metadata used for map display and correlation with other assets