Importing exif data to Bridge issue

[adolby_surroundsound]

Hi y'all,

This question stems from my finding that when I take burst photos on my GH5 I create an Mp4.  Unfortunately, the exif data isn't displayed in the metadata view for MP4's.  I'm primarily interested in fnumber, ISO, white balance, and color profile (V-Log, Standard, Portrait etc.).  I would actually like to keep using burst and would like to view exif data for photos I already have taken.

I was able to download and install Phil Harvey's ExifTool, and also successfully installed and used pyExifToolGUI to obtain the embedded exif data.  Now I have this output csv that looks like it has everything I want.  However, even after combing through these forums I'm having a hard time figuring out the best way to import these values.

I installed the VRA Core Metadata Script in an attempt to import metadata, but I can't see a field that reflects the aforementioned fstop/fnumber, ISO, white balance, and color profile values.  Is there any way I can use the spreadsheet above to import values so they are reflected on my Bridge metadata quickview display?  I'm thinking I might fundamentally misunderstand something here.  I'm new to this, so thank you in advance for the hand holding.

Running on Mac OS.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Metadata support for video files can be limited.

A hint on the VRA tool:

Re: Can you import metadata from an excel database to images (JPG, PSD, TIF) in bulk?

You first have to export to have the correct format for importing… The same concept applies to ExifTool, detailed here for exporting:

Re: Need a script to update keywords for 20000 images in Bridge

And here for importing:

Re: Need a script to update keywords for 20000 images in Bridge

[adolby_surroundsound]

Hi Stephen,

Thank you so much for such a prompt response!  Pretty amazing to me I can get such expertise so quickly.

It looks like I neglected to mention that I did export from VRA Core Metadata Script beforehand.  It didn't (and on this second attempt still doesn't) provide the fields and values that I want/expect.  I'm experiencing issues with the exiftool in Terminal, in the pyexiftoolGUI I mentioned, and using the VRA Core Metadata Script.

Using exiftool I inputted the below information to Terminal:

Nameredacted-Mac:~ usernameredacted$ exiftool -csv -r -subject /Users/usernameredacted/Desktop/test > /Users/usernameredacted/Desktop/test/meta_out.csv

    1 directories scanned

    1 image files read

Nameredacted-Mac:~ usernameredacted$

I received the resulting file in tab three of this Google sheet.  Obviously I'm missing something, as it's only exporting the source file.  So I'm not clear on how to progress to Part B.  I used the below file, so I know it has the exif information I'm after.

I also exported the VRA Core Metadata with both custom and default fields.  Results are in tab 2 of the previously linked Google sheet.  However, in the case of the exiftool terminal approach and the VRA Core Metadata export I'm not seeing the fields that I'm looking for.  Again, these are fnumber, shutter speed, ISO, and ideally profile (e.g. Natural, V-Log, Cine-D).  I'm considering if this is due to not understanding the spec for this output format.  However, since there are fstop, ISO, and other values in the file I used, I imagine I would recognize them in the exported file.

Tab 1 of the previously linked Google sheet is the export from pyexiftoolGUI, and it seems to give me everything I want (except profile).  However I can't figure out how to either import the resulting file so these metadata fields are viewable in Bridge for MP4's, nor can I map to a VRA Core Metadata template.

Hopefully it's clear to you what I'm doing wrong here.  Thanks in advance for your direction.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

To begin, the ExifTool command line example that you used was only exporting subject/keyword metadata, simply remove the -subject shorthand metadata tag argument in red:

Nameredacted-Mac:~ usernameredacted$ exiftool -csv -r -subject '/Users/usernameredacted/Desktop/test' > '/Users/usernameredacted/Desktop/test/meta_out.csv'

This will list “all known metadata” in the output file…

That being said, I personally would use a slightly different command to ensure that you have exactly what you need for the import. Note the addition of the three arguments in black, I would hold off on adding the -u or -unknown argument unless it was really required:

Nameredacted-Mac:~ usernameredacted$ exiftool -a -G1 -s -csv -r '/Users/usernameredacted/Desktop/test' > '/Users/usernameredacted/Desktop/test/meta_out.csv'

Also note that I am wrapping the input and output path names in straight single quotes for good form (NOTE: Win OS uses straight double quotes).

_________

To import the modifed CSV data:

exiftool -sep ',' -r -csv='/Users/usernameredacted/Desktop/test/meta_out.csv' '/Users/usernameredacted/Desktop/test' -r

P.S. I don’t have time to test, so I don’t know why I originally used two separate -r recursive commands, not sure if this was user error or if there was actually a good reason, it can’t hurt to double up, or you could test removing one or the other to see if it makes a difference.

[adolby_surroundsound]

Hi Stephen,

I just want to extend my sincerest gratitude to you for such a quick and thoughtful response.  As someone just venturing into photography and exif/metadata manipulation it is pretty amazing to me that someone would take the time to so quickly give me expertise!

I was able to run both of those processes successfully, but I'm confused by the results.  I'm finding that I can export then import the resulting csv, but it does not immediately reflect the fnumber, ISO, and other values on the Bridge metadata placard.  However, if I move the files into a subfolder the fnumber, ISO, White balance etc. show up on the metadata placard as well as in the file info view.  Below are images of the files I'm moving into subfolders.

I felt like I was taking crazy pills when I discovered this.  Does this sound familiar at all to you?  I'm also confused as to why exporting exif data then reimporting the same data to the same file would change Bridge's display of the exif data.

I also realize I'm missing a major component of what I'm looking for.  I would also like to display and be able to sort by the Panasonic Lumix Camera Profile that I used at the time of the shot (e.g. "VIVID," "V-Log," or "Portrait").  I have identified the column header from the exiftool export to be "PhotoStyle" but I'm not seeing anything similar even after the exif data updates in Bridge.

Anyway, thank you for your help so far.  If I have to export/import then drag .mov/.mp4 files to a subfolder to view fnumber/ISO/other exif data that's not the end of the world.  I'm just trying to establish a consistent workflow.

Happy holidays!

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Adobe Bridge has a cache of the metadata, so if you update the metadata from other software you need to force bridge to update. This can be done as you have been by moving the files, or you can just use the Tools > Cache > Purge Cache for Folder… or select files and use the contextual menu option “Purge Cache for Selection”.

As for the  -Panasonic:PhotoStyle  tag, not all readable tags can be written by default. There may be a less obvious way to write this tag:

0 = Auto

1 = Standard or Custom

2 = Vivid

3 = Natural

4 = Monochrome

5 = Scenery

6 = Portrait

EDIT: As this is a “maker notes” tag, I don’t think that it will be “simple” – a fallback could be to write the tag to a different field, such as a keyword.

I’d suggest that you make a post over at the ExifTool forum for help.

EDIT 2: If you are writing to MP4 files, then I believe that the only writable tags are XMP, not Panasonic.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

ExifTool offers the ability to copy tags directly from one image to another, so it may be possible to copy the required tags from a .jpg or .rw2 image to a batch of .mp4 images, bypassing the whole export/import process...

Example 1: Copy all tags from raw source image to destination jpeg image –

exiftool -tagsFromFile 'path/to file/source.rw2' 'path/to file/destination.jpg'

Example 2: Copy only the ISO tag from raw source image to destination jpeg image –

exiftool -tagsFromFile 'path/to file/source.rw2' -ExifIFD:ISO 'path/to file/destination.jpg'