Canon Embedded EXIF Data

[J.A.S.]

Hi,

Using Photo Mechanic build 18980 on Mac OS Sierra 10.12.6

We are having a small issue regarding embedded EXIF info in JPG files from Canon 1DX and 1DX Mark II cameras.

Our desk is set up to automatically route images to specific folders depending on the text in the 'Author' field of the Canon EXIF data.

When sending directly from camera, the images are correctly routed at the desk end.

However, if sending the same identical file via Photo Mechanic this part of the EXIF data seems to be removed and the images are not routed to the correct folders.

No captioning or other processing is taking place in Photomechanic, just browsing then uploading via FTP.
The 'Add IPTC Stationery to Photos' is unchecked in the ingest window, and the FTP dialog is set to upload the original photos and the 'Apply IPTC Stationery' button is unchecked.

If I open the original images in Photoshop the Canon EXIF data is visible on the original image at my end, in the 'Creator' field of the IPTC Contact section of File Info, but seems to appear nowhere in any of the IPTC fields in Photo Mechanic  - which I'm guessing may be the source of the issue.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

John

[Kirk Baker]

John,

Using Photo Mechanic build 18980 on Mac OS Sierra 10.12.6

We are having a small issue regarding embedded EXIF info in JPG files from Canon 1DX and 1DX Mark II cameras.

Our desk is set up to automatically route images to specific folders depending on the text in the 'Author' field of the Canon EXIF data.

When sending directly from camera, the images are correctly routed at the desk end.

However, if sending the same identical file via Photo Mechanic this part of the EXIF data seems to be removed and the images are not routed to the correct folders.

No captioning or other processing is taking place in Photomechanic, just browsing then uploading via FTP.
The 'Add IPTC Stationery to Photos' is unchecked in the ingest window, and the FTP dialog is set to upload the original photos and the 'Apply IPTC Stationery' button is unchecked.

If I open the original images in Photoshop the Canon EXIF data is visible on the original image at my end, in the 'Creator' field of the IPTC Contact section of File Info, but seems to appear nowhere in any of the IPTC fields in Photo Mechanic  - which I'm guessing may be the source of the issue.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

PM doesn't map EXIF data into the IPTC dialog.  To investigate this further, please provide a link to an image sent directly by the camera and a similar image sent by PM and I'll take a look at the EXIF data.

-Kirk

[J.A.S.]

Thanks for the super quick reply Kirk.

Looking more closely, it appears that Photo Mechanic is stripping the 'Author' field from the original image on my hard drive when the FTP action is selected.

Images that I import into Photo Mechanic that are not sent by FTP retain the data and those that are uploaded by FTP lose it.

Do you have an email address or FTP server I could send two examples to ?

Thanks

John

[Kirk Baker]

John,

May not be necessary.  Are you sending originals?  If not, are you telling the FTP uploader to "Preserve EXIF information when possible"?

If either of your answers to those questions is no, then I expect PM to omit some EXIF info on upload.

-Kirk

[J.A.S.]

Hi Kirk,

FTP Uploader is set to 'Send Originals' so the 'Preserve EXIF info when possible' check box is also hidden.

Thanks

John

[Kirk Baker]

John,

FTP Uploader is set to 'Send Originals' so the 'Preserve EXIF info when possible' check box is also hidden.

OK, I'll send you a private message with our server details.

-Kirk

[J.A.S.]

Uploaded two files and sent you a PM with the details.

Thanks.

[J.A.S.]

Hi Kirk,

Just done some more testing and think I may have worked out the issue.

It's not the action of FTPing the file that clears the embedded EXIF data but instead the action of tagging the image.

Just worked out that I automatically tag each image just before FTP to mark it permanently and make it easy to locate after.

Is it normal behaviour for Photo Mechanic to clear these fields as it doesn't read them, or is it a glitch ?

I can easily work around this by tagging the image after FTP upload - which solves the issue either way.

Thanks

[dennis]

John,

The issue is that because you have no IPTC metadata defined for the photo (e.g. during ingest), then any subsequent update of IPTC metadata will attempt to "synchronize" certain fields.  If your camera is writing out the old-style TIFF "Artist" tag (which actually predates Exif), and for some reason the IPTC "Byline" (or Creator / Photographer) field is different, then the assumption is that the IPTC/XMP value is correct and PM will attempt to update the TIFF "Artist" tag to match.  In your case this means clearing the Artist because you did not set the IPTC/XMP Creator field (e.g. during ingest with the IPTC Stationery Pad).  It is even possible to enter {artist} into the IPTC/XMP "Creator" field to automatically transfer the value written by your camera into the standard IPTC/XMP location.

Typically photos are well captioned (at least credited) in IPTC/XMP prior to FTP.

I will make a change in PM to default the Creator to be the Artist field and this should fix your problem.  But I suggest applying your info including copyright using the IPTC Stationery Pad during ingest.  The other option is to FTP prior to tagging.

HTH.

--dennis

[J.A.S.]

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for your explanation.

The issue isn't a major one. Typically my workflow is either sending unedited original files direct from camera to our desk for cropping/caption/toning or sending captioned, cropped images from Photo Mechanic.

The only time this issue crops up is when I have a remote camera connected by ethernet to my Mac, for example behind a goal or net, and then use PM to browse and select specific images to forward to our desk for cropping/captioning and processing.

Now I understand what is happening, as you suggest, the simple solution is to tag the image after uploading which solves the problem.

However, if you are able to tweak the code in a future version it will be great.

Just wanted to say thanks to you and Kirk for your usual superb support and for making Photo Mechanic the best available software for working photographers out there.

John

[dennis]

John,

I've added a fix to PM that will solve your problem so you don't have to worry about tagging afterwards.  Its been tested and will be in the next update.

--dennis