[funktionsfrei]

As exiftool is updated quite frequently (the latest version was released just this tuesday), it is to be presumed that additional data structures will find their representation quite fast. And the documentation on what Pentax tags are being supported is quite extensive: Pentax Tags

And though I don't know offhand how exiftool handles data it doesn't understand, I'm pretty certain that it would not silently drop this unknown data.

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Last edited by funktionsfrei; 06-04-2016 at 10:00 AM. Reason: typo

[Tan68]

ExifTool is the standard for the industry ...

I also use Bogdan's quite excellent ExifToolGUI. ...

I use these two to change the camera model of my Olympus EP-L6 to EP-L7
My raw editor supports EP-L5 & L7.. The EP-L6 model has very few changes and it is overlooked as a redheaded chimney sweep. These two tools allowed me to use the raw files from the camera.

[stevebrot]

And though I don't know offhand how exiftool handles data it doesn't understand, I'm pretty certain that it would not silently drop this unknown data.

Undefined locations in the makernotes are ignored.* Don't quote me, but it is my recollection that undefined/out-of-range/invalid values for defined tags/fields are displayed as such.


Steve

* While the core EXIF and XMP metadata are tag(name):value pairs as plain text, the makernotes section is free-form with few or no human-readable labels. Makernotes, after all, is intended to be proprietary for use by the "maker". The team of ExifTool developers have done an exceptional job of deciphering the structure of the makernotes for the many manufacturers, with the labels being their best-guess estimate of what a number represents.

[Oakland Rob]

The OP should direct a gripe to Pentax. Their software kinda stinks.

But that's true with other manufacturers as well.

And it mightily peeves me that although all these digital cameras are rather useless without computer software, the manufacturers don't exactly cover themselves in glory when it comes to software. RAW converters essentially have to reverse engineer the files, since hardly anyone uses the junk that came on the DVD (they are STILL including those with cameras...). And it's essentially also a volunteer effort to figure out the lens info and so on. Would it be so hard for them to lend a hand???

Meanwhile, support exiftool and similar projects with your donations and patronage.

[Adam]

Exiftool does support all of the latest Pentax lenses, so it's quite handy in that regard.

[rawr]

+1 for exiftool and exiftool GUI (even though the latter project is inert). I've been using both routinely for several years now. The Pentax support in exiftool is exemplary.

I very much agree with Oakland Rob's general point about camera makers, unfortunately, not putting as much effort into their software as they do their hardware. Both are important to a good camera experience nowadays.

Pentax is certainly improving on the software front, with the development of it's Image Sync app, Lightroom plugin, Image Transmitter etc. But some of the basics are still lacking in the main software tool (PDCU) that comes with an advanced camera like the K-1 - like better EXIF/IPTC editing, better batch support, and being able to see the focus points used in an image.

[Tan68]

...being able to see the focus points used in an image.

hmmm.. that jogs a memory..

Maybe 2009 or 2010, I thought there was some utility that could show focus point used. This would have been a thing compatible with K20. Perhaps PhotoME does this if EXIFTool does not..?

I know is little help to you because you wish for identification of focus point in your editing software. But, does anyone remember the thing I think exists or existed?

[rawr]

Perhaps PhotoME does this

PhotoMe used to for some Pentaxes, up until the K-5 I think.

Showing the active focus point(s) used is great for improving your AF settings and AF technique, or just figuring out what went wrong in an image sometimes. Nikon's Capture NX-D (a Silkypix derived 'sister' product to Pentax's Digital Camera Utility) has this feature, so it's hard to understand why PDCU itself lacks it.

There is a Lightroom plugin that does show the focal points used in images, but it is Canon and Nikon only:
http://www.lightroomfocuspointsplugin.com/

[Schraubstock]

Thanks to all who answered with useful replies.

An extra thank you to beholder who's retort was particularly useful as I had never heard of "GOOGLE" before. Now when forum members ask questions here we can just tell them "GOOGLE" it. Problem solved. Cool

Some kind soul created "exiftool gui"...

Thanks for that. I had run this years ago and struck some compatibility problems with it and never looked at it again. Given it another go and it does work but Pentax's new lenses 28-105, 15-30 and 150-450 are not listed reliably. Other third party glass is listed where info is available.

Phil Harvey's Exifviewer with the Exifgui linked above does about everything you need and is updated frequently.

Thanks
Unfortunately it does not. Pentax cameras have some unique advanced functions, among others PixS, (as well it would be nice to have identification of focus points and similar stuff) and all of these are unsupported.

Exiftool does support all of the latest Pentax lenses, so it's quite handy in that regard.

Adam, I am afraid, as mentioned above the new Pentax lenses are not reliably listed.

And it mightily peeves me that although all these digital cameras are rather useless without computer software, the manufacturers don't exactly cover themselves in glory when it comes to software. RAW converters essentially have to reverse engineer the files, since hardly anyone uses the junk that came on the DVD (they are STILL including those with cameras...). And it's essentially also a volunteer effort to figure out the lens info and so on. Would it be so hard for them to lend a hand???

Pentax is certainly improving on the software front, with the development of it's Image Sync app, Lightroom plugin, Image Transmitter etc. But some of the basics are still lacking in the main software tool (PDCU) that comes with an advanced camera like the K-1 - like better EXIF/IPTC editing, better batch support, and being able to see the focus points used in an image.

I think you have the spirit of my post just about right. Ricoh/Pentax trying to carve out a place for themselves in a crowded market and by all accounts it looks like they are slowly succeeding. In a crowded market every one tries to come up with that little bit extra. As far as I can tell, no universal EXIF Viewer is likely to incorporate Pentax's unique features or at least not for a long time. This is why I think it would be neat for Ricoh's software department to develop a PENTAX EXIF viewer and make it available to their customers. And come up with a clean configurable easy to use GUI, I know they can do it the K-1 menu is proof of it. I am sure Pentaxians would be grateful for it. I would.

Too much to ask ?

Cheers

[stevebrot]

Maybe 2009 or 2010, I thought there was some utility that could show focus point used. This would have been a thing compatible with K20. Perhaps PhotoME does this if EXIFTool does not..?

ExifTool does... "AFPointsInFocus" and "AFPointselected" and several other related fields in the makernotes, though there appears to be some ambiguity.

ExifTool:Pentax Tags


Steve

[stevebrot]

An extra thank you to beholder who's retort was particularly useful as I had never heard of "GOOGLE" before. Now when forum members ask questions here we can just tell them "GOOGLE" it. Problem solved. Cool

Google is our friend and it is often obvious when a user prefers to have forum members do the work for them. Other times, the Google results are not very useful and forum members experience can help clear the fog. I believe your question/rant falls into the latter category and thought the response was a little abrupt. That being said, the short answer regarding comprehensive EXIF support for the K-1 is simply ExifTool. As for support from Ricoh/Pentax, they expose the stuff they believe is useful to end users in the PDCU in the image properties box.

Thanks for that. I had run this years ago and struck some compatibility problems with it and never looked at it again. Given it another go and it does work but Pentax's new lenses 28-105, 15-30 and 150-450 are not listed reliably. Other third party glass is listed where info is available.

'8 59' = HD PENTAX-D FA 150-450mm F4.5-5.6 ED DC AW
'8 61' = HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR
'8 63' = HD PENTAX-D FA 15-30mm F2.8 ED SDM WR

Are your lenses reporting codes other than these? The result would be listed under the "Maker" tab in ExifToolGUI as "LensType". Pentax (as with other makers) does not write textual lens information to exif:LensModel or exif:LensInfo. If you need a lens name and info written to those fields, ExifToolGUI has a neat feature under "Modify" on the menu bar called, "EXIF:LensInfo from makernotes". Using that feature will read the numeric codes from the makernotes and write the text from ExifTools lens name table into the standard EXIF. I use the feature all the time for lenses that Lightroom is too dumb to ferret out for display purposes.

The list of Pentax-compatible lenses (KAF, KAF2, and KAF3) supported by ExifTool is extensive (see link below).

ExifTool:Pentax LensType Table

Thanks
Unfortunately it does not. Pentax cameras have some unique advanced functions, among others PixS, (as well it would be nice to have identification of focus points and similar stuff) and all of these are unsupported.

PixS is supported in ExifTool as is focus point information.

Edit: To be fair, ferreting out information from the Pentax maker notes may be frustrating. For example, the focus point information may be found in two different locations with the same being true for LensType. Which location or both may depend on the camera model. In defense of Pentax, the metadata written to the makernotes is not intended for end users. The format is proprietary with the intent of providing tool support and clues for service diagnostics. From what I can tell, the most recent version of PDCU (5.5.1) does a very good job of exposing the available metadata of practical importance to the end user.


Steve

[Oakland Rob]

As a bit of a side note, I had some misadventures with lens ID (especially with the variants of the Pentax kit lens, which IIRC has WR, DA-L designations). So I started using LensTagger which is a Lightroom plugin that essentially uses exiftool to write in lens info. I carefully copied in the official names and thought I was brilliant. Only to discover it completely hosed DxO's ability to find and identify the lens? Whaaaa?

Turns out DxO has as much trouble as we do IDing lenses. They use more than just the ID at times, and writing into the exif can muck up their algorithm's ability to do the ID.

Moral? I use keywords to ID lenses now. Messing with IPTC is easier than messing with exif, since IPTC is meant to be messed with by end users.

[RockvilleBob]

Finding an easy to use EXIF tool that will work on windows or mac seems like a trip back into programming an 1960 era DEC PDP 11 from console switches in binary code and using 8 bit chadless punched paper tape. Is there a simple program you can install with a GUI that views EXIF data? Some of the links earlier in the post trigger virus warnings. The GUI link seems to be unsupported.
Any help appreciated. Thanks

[stevebrot]

PixS is supported in ExifTool

Current support is limited to "on", "off", and the value "7" (RAW pixel shift enabled). Any values associated with motion control are not yet supported.


Steve

[stevebrot]

Finding an easy to use EXIF tool that will work on windows or mac seems like a trip back into programming an 1960 era DEC PDP 11 from console switches in binary code and using 8 bit chadless punched paper tape. Is there a simple program you can install with a GUI that views EXIF data? Some of the links earlier in the post trigger virus warnings. The GUI link seems to be unsupported.
Any help appreciated. Thanks

Using ExifTool from the command line is much easier than my memories of the PDP-11 (made by DEC from 1970 until about 20 years ago...encountered by me via TTY in 1973). As explained in the comments above, ExifToolGUI is has been "officially" retired by the developer, but evidence is that he continues to provide bug fixes with the most recent being in 2015. To make things easier, here are the pertinent links again:

ExifToolGUI home page

ExifToolGUI current version download page (ExiftTool Forum "sticky")

ExifToolGUI 5.16 (Current Version) zip


Steve