Tranquillity Base > Photo Meta Edit > User Guide > TIFF Metadata
TIFF Metadata

Sorting Items

You can change the display order of metadata items by Tag Number, Tag Name, or Custom.
First, select a metadata type — TIFF, Exif, or GPS. Then, do one of the following:

If you choose Custom, you can reorder the items by dragging and dropping them.

Editing TIFF, Exif
  1. Editable item
    Click to edit its value.
  2. Addable item
    Click to add it to the file(s).
  3. Addable items pop-up menu
    Click to show the items, then choose an item to add it to the file(s).
  4. Remove selected items
  5. Toggle display mode
    Click to switch between the following two display modes:
    • Show only metadata items currently saved in the file
    • Show all supported metadata items

TIFF, Exif, and GPS metadata items use different data types depending on the tag. These types can be broadly categorized as follows.

Double-click a metadata item, or click or . This will open a data editing sheet, which provides an interface tailored to the data type, allowing you to edit values without needing to understand the underlying format.

♦ Rational Type (e.g., Exposure Time, F Number, Shutter Speed Value)

Rational type values are stored as a pair of integers:a numerator and a denominator.
Depending on the camera model or manufacturer, the same value (e.g., 2.8) may be recorded as 28 and 10, 280 and 100, or 2800 and 1000.

You can also enter values directly, either as decimals or fractions, as shown below.

♦ Integer Type (e.g., Focal Length In 35mm Film, Photographic Sensitivity)
♦ Character Type (e.g., Image Description, Copyright)

Most text items only support ASCII characters.

The User Comment tag (Tag #37510) supports not only ASCII, but also Unicode and JIS character encoding. However, JIS-encoded text is not recognized by most image viewer apps and should therefore be avoided.

♦ Text Corruption in Unicode
To ensure compatibility with Apple’s Preview app on macOS 10.11 and later, the Unicode encoding method was changed in Photo Meta Edit version 2.2.6 as follows:
・Version 2.2.5 and earlier: Always UTF-16BE
・Version 2.2.6 and later: UTF-16BE or UTF-16LE, depending on the endianness of the TIFF structure

Endianness (Byte Order) refers to the order in which bytes are arranged when storing multi-byte data. There are two main types:
・Big Endian: The most significant byte is stored first
・Little Endian: The least significant byte is stored first
Both endians are used in TIFF. A mismatch between the TIFF byte order and the UTF-16BE or UTF-16LE encoding can cause text corruption.

However, you do not need to worry about byte order when using Photo Meta Edit.

You can see the endian of the TIFF structure below.

In Photo Meta Edit version 2.2.5 and earlier, Unicode characters were always written using UTF-16BE. If you open a TIFF (LE) file saved by these versions using version 2.2.6 or later, the Unicode text will be interpreted as UTF-16LE, resulting in text corruption. The same issue occurs in Apple’s Preview app on macOS 10.11 and later.

♦ Fixing Text Corruption
If the corruption is caused by a mismatch between UTF-16BE and UTF-16LE, you can fix it by reversing the byte order of the character data using the method below. (This applies only to fields where Unicode is available as a character type.)

Up to Exif version 2.32, the specification does not define which encoding method should be used when Unicode text is stored, so the encoding method used may vary depending on the apps. Please note that Unicode text encoded using methods other than these (such as UTF-8 or UTF-32) may become corrupted and cannot be fixed in Photo Meta Edit.

Text corruption in ASCII character input fields also cannot be fixed.

♦ Predefined Value Type (e.g., Metering Mode, Light Source, Scene Capture Type)

Choose a value from predefined list.

Copy & Paste

Select the metadata item(s) you want to copy, then choose Edit > Copy.

Select the image file(s) you want to paste into, then choose Edit > Paste.

Batch Functions for Date-Time metadata

You can use batch functions to edit the following Date-Time metadata fields across multiple image files:
- Tag #306: Date Time (TIFF)
- Tag #36867: Date Time Original (Exif)
- Tag #36868: Date Time Digitized (Exif)

  1. Select the image files you want to edit, then select "TIFF" or "Exif" from the Metadata Type List.
  2. Double-click a Date-Time metadata item, or click button next to it to open the Batch editing sheet. Then, from the pop-up menu, choose the desired function: Backward, Forward, Intervals, or Date-Time.
♦ Backward, Forward

For Example: Forward 30 minutes


DSCN00672012:10:15 14:28:212012:10:15 14:58:21

DSCN00692012:10:15 15:47:03.252012:10:15 16:17:03.25

DSCN00702012:10:15 15:47:03.282012:10:15 16:17:03.28

DSCN00712012:10:15 16:03:512012:10:15 16:33:51

DSCN0072NoneNone

DSCN00732012:12:24 19:02:392012:12:24 19:32:39

♦ Intervals

For Example: 10 minute intervals


DSCN00672012:10:15 14:28:212012:10:15 14:28:21(unchanged)

DSCN00692012:10:15 15:47:03.252012:10:15 14:38:21.00

DSCN00702012:10:15 15:47:03.282012:10:15 14:48:21.00

DSCN00712012:10:15 16:03:512012:10:15 14:58:21

DSCN0072None2012:10:15 15:08:21(added)

DSCN00732012:12:24 19:02:392012:10:15 15:18:21

The top file’s date-time is used as the base, and the specified interval is added or subtracted for each subsequent file. You can drag and drop files to reorder them as needed before applying the interval.

♦ Date Time

Set the same date-time value for each file.

♦ NOTE

When using the Backward, Forward, or Intervals functions, the entered values are applied sequentially to each selected file’s original date and time, in the following order:
Years → Months → Days → Hours → Minutes → Seconds → Subseconds

Because of this order and the irregularities of the calendar, certain combinations may produce unexpected results. For example, the number of days in a month varies, and leap years add additional complexity. Here are some examples that often lead to confusion:

Examples:

It might be more appropriate to use day values when incrementing or decrementing. To calculate specific dates, click the 'Date Calculator…' button.

♦ Subseconds

Subsecond values (fractions of a second) are stored in Exif using separate tags from the main Date-Time metadata.

- Tag #37520: Subsecond of Date Time (#306 in TIFF)
- Tag #37521: Subsecond of Date Time Original (#36867 in Exif)
- Tag #37522: Subsecond of Date Time Digitized (#36868 in Exif)

In the Batch Editing sheet for Date-Time, subseconds can only be specified using 2 or 3 digits (centiseconds or milliseconds).

Photo Meta Edit always stores subseconds using at least two digits.
If a single-digit value is entered, it is automatically converted to two digits (centiseconds). Example: 2 → 20

Editing GPS

If GPS metadata already exists, select "GPS" from the Metadata Type list. When the list of GPS-related metadata appears, click the map (pin) button at the bottom of the window to switch to the map view.

You can edit the GPS Coordinates by clicking on the Map.

If GPS metadata does not exist, choose Metadata > Add > GPS and select a predefined entry, or choose "Custom..." to display a map as shown below.

You can edit the location by clicking on the map or by entering values directly into the coordinate fields.

♦ Showing a Direction on the Map

The following three types of GPS direction-related metadata are displayed on the map:


- Tag #15: Track
- Tag #17: Image Direction
- Tag #24: Destination Bearing

Enter a value (0.00 to 359.00) into the direction field or use the rotation dial to add or edit the direction.
North: 0.0, East: 90.0, South: 180.0, West: 270.0

You can choose how the direction is displayed - Line, Delta, or Camera—by clicking the three-gray-dot button to the left of the input field.

TIFF Tag List
Tag Number Title Editable Notes
DecHex
2560x0100Image Width

2570x0101Image Height

2580x0102Bits Per Sample

2590x0103Compression

2620x0106Photometric Interpretation

2690x010DDocument NameThe name of the document from which this image was scanned. ASCII code.
2700x010EImage DescriptionASCII code
2710x010FMakeASCII code
2720x0110ModelASCII code
2730x0111Strip Offsets

2740x0112Orientation
2770x0115Samples Per Pixel

2780x0116Rows Per Strip

2790x0117Strip Byte Counts

2820x011AX Resolution
2830x011BY Resolution
2840x011CPlanar Configuration

2850x011DPage NameThe name of the page from which this image was scanned. ASCII code.
2860x011EX Position
2870x011FY Position
2960x0128Resolution Unit
2970x0129Page NumberThe page number of the page from which this image was scanned.
Page Number/Total Number of Pages
3010x012DTransfer Function

3050x0131SoftwareASCII code
3060x0132Date Timeyyyy:mm:dd HH:MM:SS
3150x013BArtistASCII code
3160x013CHost ComputerASCII code
5290x0211YCbCr Coefficients

5300x0212YCbCr Sub Sampling

5310x0213YCbCr Positioning

5320x0214Reference Black White

334320x8298CopyrightASCII code
Exif Tag List
Tag Number Title Editable Notes
DecHex
334340x829AExposure Time
334370x829DF Number
348500x8822Exposure Program
348520x8824Spectral Sensitivity

348550x8827ISO Speed RatingsUp till Exif ver. 2.21 (maximum value 65,535)
Photographic SensitivityExif ver. 2.3 or later (maximum value 65,535)
348560x8828Optoelectric Conversion Factor

348640x8830Sensitivity TypeExif ver. 2.3 or later
348650x8831Standard Output Sensitivity
348660x8832Recommended Exposure Index
348670x8833ISO Speed
348680x8834ISO Speed Latitude yyy
348690x8835ISO Speed Latitude zzz
368640x9000Exif VersionCannot change to previous version
368670x9003Date Time Originalyyyy:mm:dd HH:MM:SS
368680x9004Date Time Digitized
368800x9010Offset TimeExif ver. 2.31 or later
±HH:MM
368810x9011Offset Time Original
368820x9012Offset Time Digitized
371210x9101Components Configuration

371220x9102Compressed Bits Per Pixel
373770x9201Shutter Speed ValueAPEX value
373780x9202Aperture Value
373790x9203Brightness Value
373800x9204Exposure Bias Value
373810x9205Max Aperture Value
373820x9206Subject Distance (meter)Unknown: 0/1, Infinity: 4294967295/1
373830x9207Metering Mode
373840x9208Light Source
373850x9209Flash
373860x920AFocal Length
373960x9214Subject Area

375000x927CMaker Note

375100x9286User CommentUnicode, ASCII code
375200x9290Subsecond Time
375210x9291Subsecond Time Original
375220x9292Subsecond Time Digitized
378880x9400Temperature (℃)Exif ver. 2.31 or later
Unknown: 0/4294967295
378890x9401Humidity (%)
378900x9402Pressure (hPa)
378910x9403Water Depth (meter)
378920x9404Acceleration (mGal)
378930x9405Camera Elevation Angle (°)
409600xA000Flashpix Version

409610xA001Color Space
409620xA002Pixel X Dimension
409630xA003Pixel Y Dimension
409640xA004Related Sound File

414830xA20BFlash Energy
414840xA20CSpatial Frequency Response

414860xA20EFocal Plane X Resolution
414870xA20FFocal Plane Y Resolution
414880xA210Focal Plane Resolution Unit
414920xA214Subject Location

414930xA215Exposure Index
414950xA217Sensing Method
417280xA300File Source
417290xA301Scene Type
417300xA302CFA Pattern

419850xA401Custom RenderedExif ver. 2.2 or later
419860xA402Exposure Mode
419870xA403White Balance
419880xA404Digital Zoom Ratio
419890xA405Focal Length In 35mm Film
419900xA406Scene Capture Type
419910xA407Gain Control
419920xA408Contrast
419930xA409Saturation
419940xA40ASharpness
419950xA40BDevice Setting Description
419960xA40CSubject Distance Range
420160xA420Image Unique ID
420320xA430Camera Owner NameExif ver. 2.3 or later
ASCII code
420330xA431Body Serial Number
420340xA432Lens SpecificationExif ver. 2.3 or later
420350xA433Lens MakeExif ver. 2.3 or later
ASCII code
420360xA434Lens Model
420370xA435Lens Serial Number
420800xA460Composite ImageExif ver. 2.32 or later
420810xA461Source Image Number of Composite Image
420820xA462Source Exposure Times of Composite Image
422400xA500GammaExif ver. 2.21 or later
GPS Tag List
Tag Number Title Editable Notes
DecHex
00x0000GPS VersionCannot change to previous version
10x0001Latitude ReferenceNorth / South
20x0002Latitude
30x0003Longitude ReferenceEast / West
40x0004Longitude
50x0005Altitude Reference
60x0006Altitude
70x0007Time StampUTC
80x0008Satellites
90x0009Status
100x000AMeasure Mode
110x000BDegree of Precision
120x000CSpeed Unit
130x000DSpeed
140x000ETrack Reference
150x000FTrack
160x0010Image Direction Reference
170x0011Image Direction
180x0012Map Datum
190x0013Destination Latitude Reference
200x0014Destination Latitude
210x0015Destination Longitude Reference
220x0016Destination Longitude/td>
230x0017Destination Bearing Reference
240x0018Destination Bearing
250x0019Destination Distance Reference
260x001ADestination Distance
270x001BProcessing MethodGPS ver. 2.2 or later
Unicode, ASCII code
280x001CArea Information
290x001DDate StampGPS ver. 2.2 or later (UTC)
300x001EDifferentialGPS ver. 2.2 or later
310x001FHorizontal Positioning ErrorGPS ver. 2.3 or later