Are there any free-to-use libraries for .NET so that I can read Canon's raw format, CR2, into my image processing application, retaining the full color depth? I believe it is a linear 14-bit/channel integer format, however some processing is required due to the layout of the image sensor array.
I don't want it in crappy 8-bit/channel precision, I want the highest possible color depth for my internal 32-bit/channel floating point format.
Have you considered the Canon SDK? It's free to download, apparently, but you have to fill out a request form and agree to the license before getting a copy. (Disclaimer: I haven't used it.)
There's a site with a set of forums for SDK users that might have some useful information. Good luck!