Lenstype does not display correctly

[acnomad]

I am running PM Version 6.0, build 3331 on Mac Mojave 10.14.5

When EXIF data has been modified using a plugin called lenstagger and EXIFtool in LightRoom, the "lenstype" appears correctly for one of my camera bodies but not for the other. The lenstype should appear as Helios 44-2. Other fields appear correctly in PM. All fields appear as expected in LightRoom and using the Preview application in Mac.

Screenshot of two examples as they appear in PM and Preview are attached.

[Jerry H]

In both sample JPEG files I'm seeing '58mm Helios 44-2' for the lens type. I'd like to look at the NEF file shown in your screenshot. I'll send you a personal message with the credentials for our FTP server so that you may send us the NEF file in question.

-Jerry

[acnomad]

Thanks, Jerry.

FTP upload initiated. Please note that the issue only occurs while viewing the image in PhotoMechanic. Specifically, the value associated with the variable lenstype is "AF 0mm f/0" when I view it in Photo Mechanic. Meanwhile, the same image viewed in LightRoom yields the correct info for lens as "58mm Helios 44-2" and when exported as a jpg and viewed in Mac Preview, pressing command-I results in the lens model showing "58mm Helios 44-2" as well.

Andy

[Jerry H]

Hi Andy,

Thank you for the NEF file.

ExifTool version 11.53 isn't showing the updated lens data for your NEF file either:

Code: [Select]

$ exiftool -lens "Helios 44-2 20190624_14003780_19C_8650.NEF"
Lens                            : 0mm f/0
I recommend that you update the lens data again and include the aperture spec for your lens. It's quite possible that the missing aperture data caused a failure to update the lens tag in the NEF file, but this is just a guess. A quick test on my end using Exiftool to set the lens tag on your NEF file to '58mm f/2' worked for me, and Photo Mechanic was able pick up the change.

HTH,
-Jerry

[acnomad]

I just made two more test shots and manipulated EXIF data (including the max aperture value as well as the actual aperture setting) in one while leaving the other alone. Same problem. Again, LightRoom sees the change, but Photo Mechanic doesn't. Another interesting point - I never have this problem with ORF files (from the Olympus E-M1). Also, any files exported as jpgs, regardless of which camera, carry the proper EXIF data.

One more detail which might be relevant:

Before changing the EXIF data, lenstype comes up as "0mm f/0" and focal length is nil. But after changing it with lenstagger/EXIFtool, lenstype becomes "AF 0mm f/0" and focal length correctly registers as "58mm"

Is this a quirk that is peculiar to NEF files?

[Jerry H]

But after changing it with lenstagger/EXIFtool, lenstype becomes "AF 0mm f/0" and focal length correctly registers as "58mm"

What does Exiftool say is in the lens tag?

From a Terminal window run the command below to have Exiftool print out the lens data in your NEF file. Replace "filename" with the path and name of your NEF file.

Code: [Select]

exiftool -lens filename.NEF
-Jerry

[acnomad]

Exiftool yields this:
exiftool -lens /Users/andy/EXIF\ Test\ 20190628_17454188_19C_8686.NEF
Lens                            : 0mm f/0

Attached is a screenshot of the metadata panel from LightRoom of the same file.

[Hayo Baan]

As I'm always very interested in metadata (and exiftool), the fact that exiftool doesn't list the data but e.g Lightroom does makes me very curious. Would you be willing to share a nef file with me so I can investigate? You can use e.g. wetransfer if the file is too big to send via email.

[acnomad]

I just sent the NEF to you.

[Hayo Baan]

Thanks! I looked at the file with Exiftool and the lens information is indeed available, but it's not fully complete; the LensInfo and LensMake exif tags are not filled in. What's worse though is that the Lens tag inside the makernotes is also not filled in (all 0). This is what causes exiftool not to find the right info (when used without e.g. the -a option), and also why PM lists it incorrectly.

@Kirk, if you use the exif tag LensModel or the XMP tag Lens instead of the makernote tag Lens, you'll get the info you're after. Both tags are a string.

[acnomad]

The EXIF data were modified by a LightRoom plugin called lenstagger, which in turn uses EXIFtool in the background to make the changes. I suppose the developer of lenstagger tailored his code to be sufficient for LR users without consideration for how it looks outside of that environment. As a side note, this issue does not seem to affect files from the Olympus E-M1 when modified by lenstagger in the same manner. Those files’ EXIF data appears correctly in both PM and LR. I can FTP an example if you like.

Perhaps it is time I modify The way I make EXIF data changes. The only time I need to do so is when using non-native lenses on a given camera, where I wish to add (beyond the camera-generated EXIF data) the lens type, focal length, and actual aperture used for each exposure. Is there a user-friendly way to do this in PM? (i.e., a method that can batch process multiple images to update all information at once)?

[Hayo Baan]

The ORF file is listed correctly by PM since the ORF file doesn't have a makernote called Lens (and thus has PM use a different tag for getting the information, probably the one from the XMP).

I think I know what lens tagger does: it zeros out all “difficult” (non string) details that are in (especially) the makernotes and exif. This is actually quite bad since it makes the metadata inconsistent, but also understandable since it would probably require non-straightforward calls to exiftool to get this right.

There is no way in PM you can make changes like this, but instead of using lens tagger, you might want to have a look at using exiftool directly and fill in the missing bits as well.

Code: [Select]

$ exiftool -a -G0:1 "-lens*" "Helios 44-2 20190627_075813_P6270012.ORF" "EXIF Test 20190628_17454188_19C_8686.NEF"
======== Helios 44-2 20190627_075813_P6270012.ORF
[XMP:XMP-aux]   Lens                            : 58mm Helios 44-2
[MakerNotes:Olympus] Lens Type                  : None
[MakerNotes:Olympus] Lens Serial Number         : 83319510
[MakerNotes:Olympus] Lens Model                 : 58mm Helios 44-2
[MakerNotes:Olympus] Lens Firmware Version      : 0
[MakerNotes:Olympus] Lens Properties            : 0x0
[EXIF:ExifIFD]  Lens Info                       : ?mm f/?
[EXIF:ExifIFD]  Lens Model                      : 58mm Helios 44-2
[EXIF:ExifIFD]  Lens Serial Number              : 83319510
[Composite]     Lens ID                         : None
======== EXIF Test 20190628_17454188_19C_8686.NEF
[XMP:XMP-aux]   Lens                            : 58mm Helios 44-2
[MakerNotes:Nikon] Lens Type                    : AF
[MakerNotes:Nikon] Lens                         : 0mm f/0
[MakerNotes:Nikon] Lens F Stops                 : 0.00
[MakerNotes:Nikon] Lens Data Version            : 0800
[EXIF:ExifIFD]  Lens Info                       : 0mm f/?
[EXIF:ExifIFD]  Lens Make                       :
[EXIF:ExifIFD]  Lens Model                      : 58mm Helios 44-2
[EXIF:ExifIFD]  Lens Serial Number              : 83319510
[Composite]     Lens Spec                       : 0mm f/0 AF
    2 image files read


[acnomad]

@hayo, Thanks for taking the time to understand and explain the issue. All that you have said makes perfect sense!

I am a little reluctant to start down the path of using EXIFtool to make changes, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try...

Do you know of any solutions (apart from lenstagger) that allow batch modification of EXIF data?

[Hayo Baan]

You're welcome!

I know one other tool: exiftool
Other than that, no. Besides, my guess is that – like LensTagger – they will be using exiftool underneath.

If you need help with exiftool, have a look at the exiftool forum. I frequent that place too