Camera RAW
What is a DCR file?
Updated Jul 2026
DCR (Kodak Digital Camera Raw) is the RAW photo format used by Kodak cameras, mostly older professional DSLRs. It stores the full, unprocessed data straight off the sensor, so nothing is lost to compression. The catch is that DCR is tied to one aging camera brand, and modern software support for it is thin.
- Extension
- .dcr
- Type
- Camera RAW
- Typically
- Kodak cameras
- Metadata
- Carries EXIF
Why DCR exists
DCR comes from Kodak's line of professional digital cameras from the late 1990s and 2000s, including models like the Kodak DCS Pro. Instead of processing a photo into a finished JPG in-camera, the sensor's raw readings are saved as-is, along with the camera settings at the time of the shot.
That raw data means a DCR file holds far more detail than a compressed photo, especially in shadows and highlights, giving you more room to adjust exposure or color afterward. Nothing is thrown away the way it is with a JPG, which is the whole appeal of any RAW format.
People run into DCR today mostly through old photo archives, inherited camera gear, or scanned-in collections from a Kodak DSLR. Since Kodak stopped making these cameras years ago, current photo apps and viewers increasingly leave DCR support out, so the file needs converting to a JPG or TIFF just to open and share it normally.
The trade-offs
Strengths
- Keeps the full sensor data with no compression loss
- Leaves maximum room to adjust exposure and color later
- Preserves the original camera settings alongside the image
Watch-outs
- Only works with a narrow, discontinued line of Kodak cameras
- Large file sizes compared to JPG or PNG
- Poorly supported in current photo software, often needing conversion first
A note on privacy
A DCR file carries EXIF metadata, including the camera model, shooting settings, and sometimes GPS location if the camera recorded one. Running it through an online converter means that photo and its embedded details get uploaded to someone else's server. Converting it on your own computer keeps the image and its metadata on your machine the whole time.
Questions
How do I open a DCR file?
You'll usually need photo editing software with RAW support, and even then, older DCR files can be missed by current versions. Converting it to JPG or TIFF is often the simplest way to open and view it anywhere.
Is DCR better than JPG?
For image quality and editing flexibility, yes: DCR keeps all the original sensor data. For everyday use, no: JPG opens everywhere and takes up far less space, while DCR is limited to specific software and older Kodak cameras.
Why does my old Kodak camera save photos as DCR?
Kodak's professional DSLRs recorded RAW sensor data as DCR by default, aiming to give photographers maximum editing control. There's no way to change that after the fact since the camera itself is discontinued.
Can I convert DCR without uploading it?
Yes. A desktop app like Morphjet converts DCR on your own computer, so the photo and any metadata attached to it never leave your device.
Morphjet opens and converts DCR and 1,800+ other formats, all on your own computer. Launching this July.