# Batch process to fix missing EXIF data?



## scottburgess (May 17, 2014)

Hi,

I'm fiddling with a new pinhole cap lens. The obsessive-compulsive part of me wants to batch fix the EXIF data to show "Pinhole" under the lens information, and add in the correct approximate aperture and extension tube info too. I have or have access to the usual Canon software, Photoshop/Bridge, and a couple other tools. 

Does anyone have a quick batch workflow for patching EXIF data in multiple files? As far as I know the fields I want to modify exist automatically from the camera (though most viewing/editing software will ignore fields with blank data by default).

Of course, if someone is knowledgeable about adding an identifier chip to the pinhole cap, that could be a fun project, though I don't know if those can be programmed to take into account the use of extension tubes.


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## ahab1372 (May 17, 2014)

What operating system do ypou use?

For Mac OS I would recommend trying GraphicConverter http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/products/graphicconverter/
There is a free trial. It has an image browser which lets you modify EXIF data (and more) for selected images, and also has a batch convert with tons of options.

I don't use it a lot since I got Aperture, but for converting and browsing images which I do not want in Aperture, it is still my preferred choice.


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## scottburgess (May 17, 2014)

ahab1372 said:


> What operating system do ypou use?



Sorry, no, I use Win 7. I don't currently have Lightroom, but I don't know if Lightroom can batch process EXIF data anyway, so that may or may not be relevant as well.


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## Valvebounce (May 18, 2014)

Hi Scott.
I have used a batch processor for resizing / cropping pictures for time lapse, it is called FastStone Photo Resizer. I know it can do a hell of a lot more than I use it for, including renaming but I don't remember if it does exif editing.I cannot check at the moment as I am on my iPad and pc is off! It is quite small and seems quite light on resource use and is free for home use. Don't know if this will help! 

Cheers Graham.



scottburgess said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm fiddling with a new pinhole cap lens. The obsessive-compulsive part of me wants to batch fix the EXIF data to show "Pinhole" under the lens information, and add in the correct approximate aperture and extension tube info too. I have or have access to the usual Canon software, Photoshop/Bridge, and a couple other tools.
> 
> ...


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## scottburgess (May 18, 2014)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Scott.
> I have used a batch processor for resizing / cropping pictures for time lapse, it is called FastStone Photo Resizer. I know it can do a hell of a lot more than I use it for, including renaming but I don't remember if it does exif editing.I cannot check at the moment as I am on my iPad and pc is off! It is quite small and seems quite light on resource use and is free for home use. Don't know if this will help!


No, FatStone apparently doesn't do general EXIF editing.


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## Valvebounce (May 18, 2014)

scottburgess said:


> Valvebounce said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Scott.
> ...



Oh ok sorry. Just had a bit of a google, exiftool is usefull, I use it within a geotagging software but it is command line based so I hesitate to recommend it for standalone use until now, I just found exiftool GUI, may make a good piece of software great unless you really prefer command line, then it probably makes a great piece of software good! ;D :

Cheers Graham.


G.


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## Marsu42 (May 18, 2014)

scottburgess said:


> Does anyone have a quick batch workflow for patching EXIF data in multiple files?



Most likely you'll end up using exiftool which does everything you can imagine and then some, but its command line only and the help page is nearly as long as the bible :-} ... try searching the net for sample command line arguments, copy/pasting or modifying some exif data is usually rather easy.


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## scottburgess (May 18, 2014)

I am aware of Exiftool, which does have a Windows GUI, but it is not clear whether batch editing of EXIF data is possible within this tool. There are many similar free tools out there which I found while searching. My goal in asking was to avoid installing ten programs to find the one that permitted batch EXIF editing.

I understand that folks have favorite alternative software packages they use for other purposes, but it would be helpful to have suggested software which the user knows will solve the problem at hand. 

Has anyone used Exiftool or a similar program for the intended purpose?


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## Valvebounce (May 18, 2014)

Hi Scott. 
I'm not sure of the mechanics of the software interaction between the gps and exiftool program's. The gps software is used to add location info to a batch of pictures, and requires exiftool to work, therefore I thought that exiftool was doing the batch adjustment of the exif data, however following your request for only people who have used programs in the specific maner you intend to use it I suppose the tagging software could be running exiftool sequentially through hundreds of single iterations making the gps software the batch processor!

Cheers Graham.



scottburgess said:


> I am aware of Exiftool, which does have a Windows GUI, but it is not clear whether batch editing of EXIF data is possible within this tool. There are many similar free tools out there which I found while searching. My goal in asking was to avoid installing ten programs to find the one that permitted batch EXIF editing.
> 
> I understand that folks have favorite alternative software packages they use for other purposes, but it would be helpful to have suggested software which the user knows will solve the problem at hand.
> 
> Has anyone used Exiftool or a similar program for the intended purpose?


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## Marsu42 (May 18, 2014)

scottburgess said:


> I am aware of Exiftool, which does have a Windows GUI, but it is not clear whether batch editing of EXIF data is possible within this tool.



What do you mean by "batch editing"? Running a program one time on multiple files? Yes, exiftool does this with the usual "*" wildcards so you can add or overwrite exif data in one go on a whole directory. As written, you will have to read the man page or find yourself a nice, cozy gui that helps you out.



scottburgess said:


> but it would be helpful to have suggested software which the user knows will solve the problem at hand.



I *know* exiftool works for your purpose because you can do all exif operations with it (add, delete, copy, ...). For modifying exif data you'll need to do some command line wizardry, i.e. read data, change it by some bash/... means and then write it back. I hope this information now is sufficient for your requirements.


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## scottburgess (Jun 2, 2014)

Since no one here knew of a reasonable workflow for editing EXIF data, I thought I should report back that there is a Lightroom Plugin called LensTagger built on top of the exiftool platform that allows one to edit data for groups of images while reviewing them. Was thinking about switching to Lightroom anyway, but this tool is the icing on the cake. The author of LensTagger asks for a small donation to support his project.


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## nubu (Jun 2, 2014)

I use ExifToolGUI ( http://u88.n24.queensu.ca/~bogdan/ ) to run ExifTool in a nice GUI environment. It is quite efficient for mass editing of EXIF data.

For corresponding renaming using e.g. exif info I use: http://www.advancedrenamer.com/ 

cheers
nubu


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## scottburgess (Jun 3, 2014)

nubu said:


> I use ExifToolGUI ( http://u88.n24.queensu.ca/~bogdan/ ) to run ExifTool in a nice GUI environment. It is quite efficient for mass editing of EXIF data.



ExifTool and its GUIs were previously discussed. From my perspective, when processing a thousand images per day it eats up time to go back and forth between multiple programs. That also introduces a greater likelihood of generating errors while editing the files and then having to correct them. My time is not cheap to expend long-term and is worth far less than the $ to buy Lightroom and donate a bit to support LensTagger. Which is why the OP asked about a quick batch workflow, not just EXIF editing software.

On the plus side, I liked this particular ExifTool GUI the best and it would probably be my choice if I didn't have concerns of workflow efficiency. It's probably a great choice for a lot of other readers here.

Ideally someone needs to write a plugin that works in both Photoshop and Lightroom. Perhaps I can talk some college CS majors into doing that as a project. If it ever happens, I'll post back about it here. For now, folks who have suggestions about any shortcomings of the ExifTool code can post about it here.


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## lintoni (Jun 3, 2014)

scottburgess said:


> nubu said:
> 
> 
> > I use ExifToolGUI ( http://u88.n24.queensu.ca/~bogdan/ ) to run ExifTool in a nice GUI environment. It is quite efficient for mass editing of EXIF data.
> ...


Seriouly, people that have suggestions about shortcomings if ExifTool SHOULD NOT post about it here, but should use the ExifTool forums that exist for precisely this reason.


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## scottburgess (Jun 3, 2014)

lintoni said:


> Seriouly, people that have suggestions about shortcomings if ExifTool SHOULD NOT post about it here, but should use the ExifTool forums that exist for precisely this reason.


This is for suggestions to replace it, not improve it. We're talking about developing a tool built in Lua or C++ instead of Perl that works as a plugin to Lightroom and Photoshop. Someone who wants to influence the development of ExifTool can post on Phil Harvey's forums, but that won't connect you to me--I don't work for/with Phil Harvey.


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## lintoni (Jun 3, 2014)

scottburgess said:


> lintoni said:
> 
> 
> > Seriouly, people that have suggestions about shortcomings if ExifTool SHOULD NOT post about it here, but should use the ExifTool forums that exist for precisely this reason.
> ...


Apologies, I hadn't realised you were planning something ifferent.


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## scottburgess (Jun 4, 2014)

lintoni said:


> Apologies, I hadn't realised you were planning something ifferent.


No problem, no doubt I could have been clearer initially.


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