Show me the EXIF!

[Lone Primate]

One of the things I've found most frustrating, and most inexplicably absent from PM, is the ability to view the EXIF. In order to do the things I want to do, I can't just depend on PM. I have to bail out to XnView in order to see things like when the photo was actually taken. For me, this is the biggest single hole in Photo Mechanic. I've looked high and low for a panel that will display this information like XnView does, but I haven't seen it, and I can't understand why a program like this would overlook something so vital. It's possible that I just haven't found it, but then again, it shouldn't be possible to miss it after using this program for two years and repeatedly looking for it if it is there... so if it is, it should be a lot more obvious.

Please see attached screen cap for example.



[attachment deleted by admin]

[FVlcek]

I am not sure if this will help if you want to see the whole EXIF data, but you can put as many EXIF variables into the infopanel as you like, and they will be displayed in the preview window's side info panel.

[Kirk Baker]

I am not sure if this will help if you want to see the whole EXIF data, but you can put as many EXIF variables into the infopanel as you like, and they will be displayed in the preview window's side info panel.

Yes, Frantisek is correct, setup your Info Text with the variables representing the EXIF data you want to see.  PM has a number of EXIF-specific variables that you can use in your Info Text.  See page 52 of the manual for the list of variables.  See page 61 for information about the Info Text (Info Variable) and how to set it up.

You can get the manual here:

http://www.camerabits.com/download/Photo_Mechanic_4.6.3_Manual.pdf

HTH,

-Kirk

[Lone Primate]

Hi, guys,

I had a look at this, but it's not immediately obvious what variable will bring this information up... because there's no EXIF panel in PM, there's no way to correlate the variables to the exact data, other than the descriptions that accompany them. Even then, it's not immediately apparent exactly what constitutes the variable string. For example, "capture time according to the camera" is keyed to "date, shot". Well, what's the variable here? {date}? {date, shot}? {shot}? The first was the default which wasn't getting me what I want; the second fails as a variable and is displayed verbatim rather than the information it's supposed to retrieve, and the last still displays the creation date of the file itself, rather than the capture date of the image recorded in the EXIF. So I'm back where I started.

I would still like to see a panel in Photo Mechanic that simply displays the contents of the EXIF, showing a user what's there (which varies from camera to camera), rather than the user having to guess what's there and then take shots in the dark with variables to try to bring it to the surface.

[Kirk Baker]

Hi, guys,

I had a look at this, but it's not immediately obvious what variable will bring this information up... because there's no EXIF panel in PM, there's no way to correlate the variables to the exact data, other than the descriptions that accompany them. Even then, it's not immediately apparent exactly what constitutes the variable string. For example, "capture time according to the camera" is keyed to "date, shot". Well, what's the variable here? {date}? {date, shot}? {shot}? The first was the default which wasn't getting me what I want; the second fails as a variable and is displayed verbatim rather than the information it's supposed to retrieve, and the last still displays the creation date of the file itself, rather than the capture date of the image recorded in the EXIF. So I'm back where I started.

I would still like to see a panel in Photo Mechanic that simply displays the contents of the EXIF, showing a user what's there (which varies from camera to camera), rather than the user having to guess what's there and then take shots in the dark with variables to try to bring it to the surface.

I'm sorry it doesn't meet your needs.  It is unlikely that we'll be able to implement such a feature in the next major release of Photo Mechanic.  I know that's not what you're wanting to hear, but we're deep in the middle of adding cataloging features to PM and won't have time for any other feature requests in the near term.  We'll certainly fix the {date, shot} problem though.

EDIT: The variables are listed as "date, shot" but you enter either {date} or {shot} and not {date, shot}.  {date} and {shot} will display the exact same information.  The fact that {date} isn't displaying correctly indicates that PM isn't parsing your EXIF data (or your file is somewhat malformed) and will need investigation.  Please post a sample file that you're having trouble with.  Use the 'Additional Options...' link when you're composing your reply to this message and there you'll be able to upload your sample image.

Thanks,

-Kirk

[Lone Primate]

I'm sorry it doesn't meet your needs.  It is unlikely that we'll be able to implement such a feature in the next major release of Photo Mechanic.  I know that's not what you're wanting to hear...

Hi, Kirk, thanks for getting back to me again. Heh, don't worry, I didn't expect you guys to jump right up and stick a whole new feature into the program. I just think it would be a useful addition at some point. If and when is up to you guys... but you don't ask, you don't get, as they say.

EDIT: The variables are listed as "date, shot" but you enter either {date} or {shot} and not {date, shot}.  {date} and {shot} will display the exact same information.  The fact that {date} isn't displaying correctly indicates that PM isn't parsing your EXIF data (or your file is somewhat malformed) and will need investigation.  Please post a sample file that you're having trouble with.  Use the 'Additional Options...' link when you're composing your reply to this message and there you'll be able to upload your sample image.

It's possible it's just me but then it would have to be something about my system, not my images. I've got images from nearly a dozen different digital cameras of several different makes (notably Kodak, Canon, and Fuji) and this behaviour is typical... so typical that I have to depend on XnView to confirm the capture dates of my photos. The example that I gave, above, was an MPO 3D image that was taken in November of 2009 but split into two JPGs in July 2010 (their CREATION date, which PM seems to zoom in on) -- each inheriting the EXIF, as you can see from the XnView panel. In fact, XnView even puts the correct capture date and time in its title bar for any JPG, TIF, or RAW file I have with EXIF information. I'm not sure what PM is keying in on, but whatever it is, it's not the same information that XnView is finding in the file. To be honest, I suppose I could live without the EXIF panel if only I could consistently see and sort by the capture date of the file, rather than its creation date.

Let me see if I can find a few examples from different cameras for you to look at.

[vAfotoriporter]

My Info panel looks like this in the editor and it always gives me the correct capture times and they sort well by capture time. I've used it with at least a dozen cameras but most of them were mainly Canon/Nikon semi/pro bodies and practically all of the photos ingested with PM.
Maybe the problem can be caused by any external program that touched the files and changed something in their EXIF?

Path: {folderpath}
Filename: {fbas}
Taken: {date} {time} by {owner}
Camera: {modl} Serial #: {snum} {firm}
Frame #: {fnum} Shot: {actuations}
Resolution: {width} x {height} ({cropwidth} x {cropheight})
{shut} {f} {qlty}  Lens {lenstype} @ {lens} mm ISO {iso} Flash {flash}

Head: {headline}

Caption: {caption}

Keywords: {keywords}

[Luiz Muzzi]

Just to give you another idea of the flexibility of the info panel, here goes mine:

Date: {date}
Time: {time}
Latitude: {glat}
Longitude: {glon}
Model: {modl}
Frame #: {fnum}
Program: {prgm}
Flash {flash}
Exp. Comp.: {comp}
Focus Mode: {fmod}
White Bal.: {baln}
ICC Profile: {icc}
{filesize}
{lenstype}
Lens (mm): {lens}
Aperture: {f}
Shutter: {shut}
ISO: {iso}
{keywords}

HTH,

-Luiz Muzzi