CR3 to MPEG Converter
Initializing... drag & drop files here
Supports: CR3
Advanced Options - Our defaults are optimized for the best results. We recommend you keeping the defaults unless you have a specific need.
Reset to defaults
Need help?How to Convert CR3 to MPEG Online
- Upload Your CR3 Files: Drag and drop or click "Add Files" to select Canon RAW (.cr3) photos from an EOS R, R5, R6, RP, M50, or compatible body. Batch upload is supported — drop the whole shoot in at once and the tool will keep them in filename order.
- Pick Merge Strategy and Image Duration: Default is "Merge images" with 5 seconds per frame. Switch to "Video per image" if you want one MPEG per photo. Image Duration accepts values from 1/60 second (for time-lapse at 60fps) up to 10 seconds per frame (for a relaxed slideshow). Pick Background Color (Black by default) for any letterboxing where the photo's aspect ratio doesn't match the video frame.
- Set File Compression and Video Resolution (Optional): File Compression defaults to "Very High (Recommended)" Quality Preset. Switch the mode to Target file size %, Specific file size, Constant Bitrate, Variable Bitrate, or Constant Quality (CRF) for finer control. Video Resolution toggles between "Keep original" and "Fixed Resolutions" — pick 2160p for 4K, 1080p for Full HD, 720p for upload-friendly slideshows, or enter custom width and height with aspect ratio locked.
- Convert and Download: Click Convert. CR3 demosaicing and MPEG-2 encoding run on our servers — no Lightroom export step needed, no watermark, no sign-up.
Why Convert CR3 to MPEG?
CR3 is Canon's RAW image format, introduced in 2018 with the EOS M50 and now standard across the EOS R line. It is based on the ISO Base Media File Format (the same container family as MP4) and uses Canon's "crx" codec, supporting both lossless RAW and lossy C-RAW (roughly 40% smaller with minimal quality loss). A single CR3 from an EOS R5 carries 14-bit sensor data and runs 25-45 MB, which is great for editing but useless for sharing as a video slideshow. Converting to MPEG (MPEG-1 or MPEG-2, ISO/IEC 11172/13818) demosaics the RAW data and packages it into a playback-ready video stream.
- DVD authoring and legacy playback — MPEG-2 is the codec specified for DVD-Video, so a CR3→MPEG slideshow plays in any standalone DVD player, in-car DVD head unit, or older smart TV without re-encoding.
- Long-running gallery loops — Trade-show kiosks, retail-display TVs, and digital signage controllers often have firmware that only decodes MPEG-1/MPEG-2 reliably. An MPEG slideshow at 5 seconds per frame plays on commodity hardware that chokes on H.265.
- Time-lapse from sequential Canon shoots — Drop in a 600-image interval set, set Image Duration to 1/24 or 1/30 second, and you get a 20-25 second time-lapse at cinema or NTSC frame rates without touching DaVinci Resolve.
- Sharing photo shoots with non-photographers — Family members who won't open a Lightroom catalog or a Google Photos album will press play on a video file. MPEG plays in VLC, Windows Media Player, QuickTime, and on every Apple TV / Roku / Fire TV without sideloading codec packs.
- Archival format with broad decoder support — MPEG-2 has been a stable standard since 1996 (ISO/IEC 13818-2, first edition) and is jointly maintained by ITU-T and ISO/IEC MPEG. A CR3→MPEG export will still play in 2046; CR3 requires demosaicing software that may or may not.
- Submission to TV broadcast or training systems — MPEG-2 at 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) is still requested by some local broadcasters, corporate training platforms, and aviation-style in-flight entertainment pipelines.
CR3 vs MPEG — Format Comparison
| Property | CR3 (Canon RAW) | MPEG (MPEG-1 / MPEG-2) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Still RAW image | Video container + codec |
| Standard | Canon proprietary, ISOBMFF-based | ISO/IEC 11172 (MPEG-1), ISO/IEC 13818 (MPEG-2) |
| Introduced | 2018 (EOS M50) | 1993 (MPEG-1), 1995 (MPEG-2) |
| Codec | Canon crx (lossless RAW or lossy C-RAW) | MPEG-2 Part 2 / H.262 by default, optional MPEG-1 or MPEG-4 |
| Bit depth | 14-bit per channel (mechanical shutter), 12-13 bit in fast bursts/electronic shutter | 8-bit per channel |
| Typical size | 25-45 MB per still | 4-9 Mbit/s for DVD-quality video |
| Cameras / use | EOS R, R5, R6, R7, R8, RP, M50, M50 II, M6 II, SX70 HS, PowerShot | DVD-Video, ATSC broadcast, kiosk/signage, archival |
| Editing | Lightroom, Canon DPP, Capture One, darktable, ON1, DxO PhotoLab | Premiere, Resolve, FFmpeg, MPEG Streamclip, ffWorks |
File Compression Modes Quick Guide
| Mode (xconvert UI) | Best for | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Quality Preset | Most slideshows | Maps to a fixed quality target — "Very High" is the safe default for photo-heavy MPEG output. Drop to "High" or "Medium" if file size matters more than fidelity. |
| Target file size (%) | Matching the source set's footprint | Encodes to a percentage of the combined input size. Useful when you want the slideshow to be roughly the same weight as the photo folder. |
| Specific file size | Hard upload caps | Forces an exact output ceiling — pick this if you must stay under, say, a 500 MB Discord Nitro or 25 MB Gmail attachment cap. |
| Constant Bitrate (CBR) | DVD authoring, broadcast | Holds bitrate steady regardless of scene complexity. MPEG-2 DVD typically targets 4-9 Mbit/s CBR for video. |
| Variable Bitrate (VBR) | Mixed-detail slideshows | Allocates more bits to detailed frames (e.g. high-detail landscape stills) and fewer to plain backgrounds. Better quality per megabyte than CBR. |
| Constant Quality (CRF) | Quality-locked output | Targets a perceptual quality level and lets file size float. Lower CRF = higher quality, larger file. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the converter actually process the CR3 RAW data, or does it need a JPEG first?
Our converter demosaics the CR3 directly — you do not need to export to JPEG in Canon DPP or Lightroom first. The crx-encoded sensor data is decoded, debayered, white-balanced with the camera's recorded settings, and gamma-mapped to 8-bit before MPEG-2 encoding. If you want manual exposure or white-balance control (e.g. tone-curve adjustments, highlight recovery, custom WB), edit in DPP or Lightroom, export as TIFF or JPEG, and use JPG to MPEG instead.
Why does my CR3 slideshow look softer than the original photos?
Two reasons. First, CR3 is typically 14-bit per channel from the sensor while MPEG-2 outputs 8-bit-per-channel YCbCr 4:2:0 — that's a real reduction in tonal range and chroma resolution. Second, MPEG-2 was designed for motion video at DVD bitrates (4-9 Mbit/s), so a 45-megapixel R5 still gets heavily compressed when rendered at 1080p or 4K. For maximum fidelity, raise the resolution preset, switch File Compression to Constant Quality (CRF) with a low CRF value, or convert to a modern codec via CR3 to MP4 (H.264/H.265) instead.
Should I pick MPEG or MPEG-2 specifically? Is there a difference?
In this tool, "MPEG" output uses MPEG-2 Part 2 video (H.262) inside an MPEG program stream — the codec used by DVD-Video and ATSC broadcast. The dedicated CR3 to MPEG-2 page produces the same output with an explicit .mpeg2 extension if your downstream tool requires it. Pick MPEG when the receiving system expects .mpg/.mpeg; pick MPEG-2 when it expects .mpeg2 or .m2v. Codec-wise they're equivalent.
Why is the Trim option hidden?
Trim is a video-to-video operation; for image-to-video conversions it doesn't apply. To control slideshow length, change the Image Duration (1/60 second to 10 seconds per frame) and the number of input CR3 files. Total runtime = duration per frame x number of images. For a 30-second slideshow at 5 seconds per frame, upload 6 photos.
Can I build a time-lapse from CR3 interval shots?
Yes — that's the main reason to set Image Duration to 1/24 or 1/30 second. A 720-frame interval set at 1/30 second renders as a 24-second time-lapse at 30fps. Note that MPEG-2 is not ideal for high-motion time-lapse at low bitrates; the spec is not optimized for sub-1 Mbit/s SD output. If the time-lapse looks blocky, raise the bitrate (VBR mode, higher target) or convert to MP4 (H.264) for cleaner motion at the same size.
My EOS R5 RAW files are 45 megapixels — what resolution should I pick?
The MPEG video does not need to match the photo's native pixel count. For modern playback, pick 2160p (3840x2160) or 1080p (1920x1080) — the converter downsamples cleanly. 720p is a good upload-friendly size for messaging. Avoid asking for 4320p (8K) for slideshows; MPEG-2 was never designed for that and most decoders refuse the resulting stream. If you specifically need DVD-compatible output, pick a custom 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) resolution.
Will the lossy C-RAW variant of CR3 convert correctly?
Yes. The crx codec supports both lossless RAW and lossy C-RAW (roughly 40% smaller), and the converter handles both transparently. C-RAW retains 14-bit depth in most cases with sub-perceptible compression artifacts at the sensor level — by the time the image is downsampled and 8-bit-quantized for MPEG, you will not see the difference between RAW and C-RAW source.
What about audio — can I add a music track to the MPEG slideshow?
This tool produces a video-only MPEG stream by default; the slideshow ships silent. To add music, convert the CR3 set to MPEG here, then mux in an audio track (MP2 or AC3 for DVD-compatible MPEG-2; MP3 or AAC for general playback) using a tool like ffmpeg or a video editor. For an all-in-one workflow with synced audio, consider exporting to MP4 instead via CR3 to MP4, which makes audio attachment more straightforward in modern editors.
How do I get a DVD-Video-compliant MPEG-2 file?
Set Video Resolution to a custom 720x480 (NTSC, ~30fps regions) or 720x576 (PAL, 25fps regions), File Compression to Constant Bitrate at 4-9 Mbit/s, and Image Duration so total runtime is a multiple of your DVD authoring chapter size. Then author the resulting .mpeg in software like DVDStyler or Apple Compressor. Note that strict DVD compliance also requires conforming audio (MP2 or AC3) and a specific GOP structure; if your authoring tool complains, run the file through a DVD-spec checker before burning.