Author Topic: Can I Add EXIF Make and Model Metadata in Photo Mechanic?  (Read 2915 times)

Offline treetreetree

  • Newcomer
  • *
  • Posts: 9
    • View Profile
Can I Add EXIF Make and Model Metadata in Photo Mechanic?
« on: June 26, 2019, 09:37:30 AM »
I am evaluating PM to support a home archive scanning project. Both the Epson V800 and Nikon 9000 scanners add information to the Camera Make and Model metadata fields. However, the Kodak PS80 photo scanner does not. I can use an external app to capture this information, but for the sake of efficiency, can I use PM to populate this metadata field?

I know the scanners are not cameras, but I want to capture how the negatives/prints were digitized.
Or is there a better metadata field for this information?

Thank you.

Offline Kirk Baker

  • Senior Software Engineer
  • Camera Bits Staff
  • Superhero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24756
    • View Profile
    • Camera Bits, Inc.
Re: Can I Add EXIF Make and Model Metadata in Photo Mechanic?
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2019, 10:18:42 AM »
I am evaluating PM to support a home archive scanning project. Both the Epson V800 and Nikon 9000 scanners add information to the Camera Make and Model metadata fields. However, the Kodak PS80 photo scanner does not. I can use an external app to capture this information, but for the sake of efficiency, can I use PM to populate this metadata field?

No.  Photo Mechanic will not create EXIF tags.

I know the scanners are not cameras, but I want to capture how the negatives/prints were digitized.
Or is there a better metadata field for this information?

I think what you're wanting to do (create the EXIF tags) is the best place for that information.  ExifTool can do this for you and do it in bulk, but while it is free, it is a command-line application and isn't the most user-friendly application but once you learn it, ExifTool is invaluable.

https://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/

HTH,

-Kirk

Offline treetreetree

  • Newcomer
  • *
  • Posts: 9
    • View Profile
Re: Can I Add EXIF Make and Model Metadata in Photo Mechanic?
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2019, 10:45:48 AM »
Kirk,

Thank you very much for your reply. I understand that EXIF data is not really meant to be modified as it represents the actual parameters under which an image was captured. So, is understandable why PM does not affect most EXIF data.

I used exiftool to batch update the camera make and model successfully, and it is an amazingly powerful tool. Thank you for recommending it.  I just wanted to use PM's ingest functionality and modify these parameters as a means to streamline this workflow.

Again, many thanks!
Kate