RAW image viewer

[ElectroSpotlight]

is there a way to view RAW CR2 images without opening in a program? I just want to view the thumbnail in a folder... PC Windows 7

 

[HughGuessWho]

Irfanview with the added plugin. Both free. I use it all the time for fast viewing.

 

[Big Mike]

Irfanview with the added plugin. Both free. I use it all the time for fast viewing.

Well, technically...that's a program. Although it's a very light program, which makes it easy to use.

What you need to do, is download and install the (latest version of) Canon Raw codec
Canon U.S.A. : Support & Drivers : Canon RAW Codec Software

 

[KmH]

Raw image data files aren't images until they are processed in a Raw converter.

A JPEG Basic thumbnail is embedded in the data file for display before a Raw file is run through a converter.
Irfanview is a Raw converter.

 

[ElectroSpotlight]

Raw image data files aren't images until they are processed in a Raw converter.

A JPEG Basic thumbnail is embedded in the data file for display before a Raw file is run through a converter.
Irfanview is a Raw converter.

is that entirely true? because i can view RAW images on my Mac without converting or downloading any Canon Codec

 

[KmH]

Draw your own conclusions:
Raw image format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Raw image files are sometimes called digital negatives, as they fulfill the same role as negatives in film photography: that is, the negative is not directly usable as an image, but has all of the information needed to create an image. Likewise, the process of converting a raw image file into a viewable format is sometimes called developing a raw image, by analogy with the film development process used to convert photographic film into viewable prints. The selection of the final choice of image rendering is part of the process of white balancing and color grading.

 

[ElectroSpotlight]

wikipedia is not a reliable source -_-

 

[Edsport]

I use Microsoft's Raw Image Viewer. It shows thumbnails and you can also open it up and show the picture the same as a jpg would open in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer...

 

[HughGuessWho]

I use Microsoft's Raw Image Viewer. It shows thumbnails and you can also open it up and show the picture the same as a jpg would open in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer...

Yes, you can view them... after the viewer "converts them".

 

[Big Mike]

A JPEG Basic thumbnail is embedded in the data file for display before a Raw file is run through a converter.
Irfanview is a Raw converter.

It is really a Raw converter? I believe that it's just able to read the embedded jpeg.

 

[Benco]

This isn't much of an answer because it's still a third party program but Picasa can view the JPG snapshots of raw files straight out of the box (yeah I know, Picasa doesn't come in a box but you know what I mean).

 

[Buckster]

wikipedia is not a reliable source -_-

But a stranger on a forum is.

 

[Dao]

After I installed this codec pack from Microsoft, I was able to see the thumbnails of the 7D CR2 files in Windows Explorer just like JPEG files (I use Windows 7)
Download Microsoft Camera Codec Pack from Official Microsoft Download Center

 

[KmH]

wikipedia is not a reliable source -_-

It's pretty much as reliable as any other encyclopedia.

Peruse the 50 references listed on the Wikipedia page I referred you to - Raw image format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - before you reject the information on the page out of hand.

You could read this - http://www.adobe.com/digitalimag/pdfs/understanding_digitalrawcapture.pdf

A key point is that raw files from color filter array cameras are grayscale.

Scroll down to all the references listed with the following Wikipedia entry -
Reliability of Wikipedia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Edsport]

I use Microsoft's Raw Image Viewer. It shows thumbnails and you can also open it up and show the picture the same as a jpg would open in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer...

Yes, you can view them... after the viewer "converts them".

I'm not sure what you mean.
The raw files can be viewed the same as a jpg would. I can download the raw files to a folder and go into the folder and view thumbnails or open them up in the raw image viewer...