Modern digital cameras store metadata in addition to the image data within the image file. The standard for storing such meta data is named EXIF and published by the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA).
The EXIF information contained within your images contains valuable information, like the date and time the photo was taken, the lens, exposure and shutter settings. In addition, the EXIF record in the image file contains about 30 or fields. For a complete list of these fields, see the standard document at the JEIDE web site, or the IMatch online help.
Maker Notes
The EXIF standard allows camera vendors to store proprietary information (information that does not follow the EXIF standard) in a special EXIF maker note field within the EXIF record. Most camera vendors use this field to store valuable information, like camera settings, flash and exposure modes, or detailed shooting data.
Unfortunately, most camera vendors don't publish the format and meaning of this special maker note entry, which makes it very hard to display these fields in applications not developed by the camera vendor.
Even worse, some camera vendors don't use the "official" EXIF fields anymore to store information like shutter speed or ISO settings. Instead they "hide" this information within the proprietary and undocumented maker note fields.
IMatch currently supports over 400 maker note fields from all major camera vendors. You can view these special fields, in addition to all standard EXIF fields, in the EXIF editor in IMatch, and in one of the Quick EXIF displays next to your images.
 The IMatch EXIF Editor
IMatch contains an EXIF editor that allows you to edit selected EXIF fields in your images. You can, for example, modify the date and time information in the EXIF record if the internal clock of your camera was incorrect at the time you took your photos.
The EXIF editor also allows you to view all standard EXIF fields and the proprietary maker notes (as far as IMatch "knows" these fields). You can copy the information to the Windows clipboard to use it in other applications.
Using EXIF Data in IMatch
IMatch allows you to automatically import selected EXIF fields into your IMatch database. Once the EXIF data has been imported, IMatch allows you to search for EXIF data or use EXIF data to sort your images. You can use EXIF data in the Contact Sheet Builder, the Batch Processor, the Smart Rename feature, and in the Web Photo Gallery Creator.
You can also access EXIF information from the built-in scripting language in IMatch. This allows you to create custom scripts that use EXIF data in a variety of ways.
Setting Date and Time
IMatch allows you to update the date and time stored in your image files either absolute, or relative to the date and time already stored in the file. This is a great feature if you have forgotten to set the correct date and time in your camera.
IMatch variables give you access to EXIF maker notes in web galleries, batch processing and contact sheets. |
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