Nikon Software not EXIF 2.2 compliant

Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 4:47 pm

Examples of non-compliance:

When editing an .NEF (RAW) data file in Capture NX/NX2, some EXIF tags are altered/deleted. While some tags may need to be altered such as, UserComments, ADL (Active D- Lighting 0 = Off, 1 = Low, 3 = Normal, 5 = High, 7 = Extra High, 65535 = Auto), or sharpening, etc. There are some items that are static and should only be copied over. Some examples are Lens data, Focal Distance, Date and Time to name a few.

However Nikon software has and will edit the lens data for example. Nikon software has and will remove/delete the lens data for 3rd parties lenses. This is against the EXIF 2.2 standards for EXIF writers as quoted below.

Sources, Resources and Information:

EXIF 2.2 - Specification by JEITA, April 2002.

7.4.4 Exif IFD，Primary Image (pg.143-144)

Quote:

The following tags should be copied unchanged.

－ExposureTime; ID= 33434
－Fnumber; ID= 33437
－ExposureProgram; ID= 34850
－SpectralSensitivity; ID= 34852
－ISOSpeedRatings; ID= 34855
－OECF; ID= 34856
－ExifVersion; ID= 36864
－DateTimeOrginal; ID= 36867
－DateTimeDigitized; ID= 36868
－ComponentsConfiguration; ID= 37121
－ShutterSpeedValue; ID= 37377
－ApertureValue; ID= 37378
－BrightnessValue; ID= 37379
－ExposureBiasValue; ID= 37380
－MaxApertureValue; ID= 37381
－SubjectDistance; ID= 37382
－MeteringMode; ID= 37383
－LightSource; ID= 37384
－Flash; ID= 37385
－FocalLength; ID= 37386
－MakerNotes; ID= 37500
－SubSecTimeOriginal; ID= 37521
－SubSecTimeDigitized; ID= 37522
－FlashPixVersion; ID= 40960
－ColorSpace; ID= 40961
－RelatedSoundFile; ID= 40964
－FlashEnergy; ID= 41483
－SpatialFrequencyResponse ; ID= 41484
－FocalPlaneX-Resolution; ID= 41486
－FocalPlaneY-Resolution; ID= 41487
－FocalPlane-ResolutionUnit; ID= 41488
－ExposureIndex; ID= 41493
－SensingMethod; ID= 41495
－FileSource; ID= 41728
－SceneType; ID= 41729
－CFApattern; ID= 41730
－ExposureMode; ID= 41986
－WhiteBalance; ID= 41987
－DigitalZoomRatio; ID= 41988
－FocalLengthIn35mmFilm; ID= 441989
－SceneCaptureType; ID= 41990
－GainControl; ID= 41991
－Contrast; ID= 41992
－Saturation; ID= 41993
－Sharpness; ID= 41994
－DeviceSettingDescription; ID= 41995
－SubjectDistanceRange; ID= 41996
－ImageUniqueID; ID= 42016

Sources:
http://www.exif.org/specifications.html
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/TagNames/Nikon.html