Exif Info

[jabtas]

Hi guys just found a great program for viewing pics and EXIF info

http://home.pacbell.net/michal_k/exif_v.html

I previously used IfranView but that can only display the EXIF for the selected photo but this little gem cam display the info for every pic at the same time. I found this very handy for comparing how different settings affect different images.

Hope this comes in handy.

Tim

[BillDrew]

I also like that program for viewing pictures straight out of the camera. It is really fast since it uses a thumbnail that is built into the header of the JPEG so it doesn't have to load the entire image file.

That is also its major disadvantage: when a photo is edited, the thumbnail in the header doesn't change so the thumbnail it shows does not reflect the editing that has been done. So after editing, I prefer IrfanView.

EXIF Viewer does not get all of the metadata from my camera (Casio 3000) such as focus distance, white balance, ... Likely the case for other cameras as well so it is worth looking for an EXIF viewer for your specific camera.

[voxmagna]

Thanks, nice little prog, runs under Win98SE OK. The histogram is an interesting feature, as is the table layout to give brief EXIF data on pics in a whole directory.

I didn't find a 'save Exif data'' feature which would be useful, particularly as the table format looks an easy format to export, so it could be filed in Excel. It doesn't get all the metadata from my Fuji 602 either - but most of it is there.

That is also its major disadvantage: when a photo is edited, the thumbnail in the header doesn't change

Bill, I'm just thinking about this. After editing, the EXIF data is a bit meaningless so the fact that the metadata stays with the original image is right isn't it? After all if you crop,re-size, re-sample, you don't change the Exif header data do you? BUT what you do need is a warning flag that says 'this image has been edited'.

[BillDrew]

Originally Posted by voxmagna

Bill, I'm just thinking about this. After editing, the EXIF data is a bit meaningless so the fact that the metadata stays with the original image is right isn't it? After all if you crop,re-size, re-sample, you don't change the Exif header data do you? BUT what you do need is a warning flag that says 'this image has been edited'.

Agree - I wouldn't want the EXIF data changed other than perhaps adding a note. My comment was using that viewer program as a thumbnail viewer - because it doesn't show the cropping, editing, ... that has been done in the thumbnail, it isn't as usefull as a thumbnail viewer of edited pictures. For that, I use IrfanView. The thumbnails don't load as fast, but they do reflect any editing that has been done.

[jhallgren]

Not sure just WHERE on this forum site I found out about EXIF Image Viewer, but I'm really happy I did! When one is trying to locate a particular image, it is VERY quick (even on my old Dell)...

It doesn't show all the EXIF data for my Coolpix but the vital items, it does...

I ESPECIALLY like the way I can see a "report" format of most common fields for a whole folder of pix...have not seen this ability/feature in other free software that I have tried...

[Jurgen Eidt]

jhallgren schrieb:

It doesn't show all the EXIF data for my Coolpix but the vital items, it does...

There are two reasons for this. For one, the newer camera models use EXIF 2.2 and for the second, lots of information is stored in the undocumented "MakerNote" field. The vital items are covered by EXIF 2.1 which is the standard for most EXIF viewers.

Its quite interesting to see really all the info thats in the meta data. I guess not so many know that there is more than one thumbnail image in the meta data for new camera models. Modifying the EXIF-Thumbnail along with the main image is rather common, but it leaves the second (or third) one untouched which reveals the original image.

cPicture shows for example this in the picture structure mode. In the EXIF display the complete set of EXIF 2.2 is shown. This program is used by Europol and the german police for picture investigation. Its small andonly one .EXE, but very precise for the data representation.

[Alan T]

Jurgen Eidt wrote:

lots of information is stored in the undocumented "MakerNote" field. The vital items are covered by EXIF 2.1 which is the standard for most EXIF viewers.


cPicture shows for example this in the picture structure mode. In the EXIF display the complete set of EXIF 2.2 is shown. This program is used by Europol and the german police for picture investigation. Its small andonly one .EXE, but very precise for the data representation.

Interestingly, I find that cPicture LE, which says it's using EXIF 2.2, and seems quite comprehensive, *doesn't* display the focus distance; onlya digit for the 'focus mode' on my Casio QV5700. Does the full edition of cPicture display a focus distance?

'Exifer', (www.exifer.friedemann.info) does show this focus distance. It's a useful facility because the camera often gets it wrong, especially when I think it should be focusing near infinity.

Incidentally, 'exifer' also has the facility for comparing the data from 2 images (all/same/different) as mentioned as desirable earlier in the thread.

[Jurgen Eidt]

The documentation I have for the Casio MakerNotes specify a "Object distance". I checked the sample 05070031.JPG on http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_...0_samples.html

MakerNotes:
Quality : Fine
Focusing Mode :Spot AF
Flash Mode : Auto
Flash Intensity : Normal
Object distance : 5.00 m
White Balance : Auto
Digital Zoom : Off
Sharpness :normal
Contrast : normal
Saturation : normal
Enhancement : Off (default)
Filter : Off (default)
Focus Frame Location : Center (default)


Do you think it should be called "Focus distance"?


Edit: Just noticed that the new Casio models use a slightly different schema for the MakerNotes than described in the docs (for the older models). The above output sample is from the next beta release.

[Alan T]

Jurgen,

Thanks for your post. Yes, it's down as "Object distance" in cPicture Lite, so I failed to look hard enough for the field. The only difference is that I have "Focusing mode : 7" in cPicture Lite, and in your last post you have "Spot AF" whichthe same asin 'exifer' v2.1.5.

Sorry to mess you about (again)

Alan T

[jhallgren]

I have also now noticed that EXIF Image Viewer sometimes does not show the correct time that pix was taken...in a series of shots, it show the exact same time...oh, well...given that it's not been updated for LONG time, it still helps for what I need...but now you guys have pointed out yet another viewer that I must look at! How many more will I find via this forum? Hopefully not that many...Thanks!