Nikon DSLR Tilt Data

[jcharmon]

Several of Nikon's DSLRs, including the D600 and D800, show two-axis tilt information to the user (via the viewfinder and LiveView). Is this information captured in the EXIF data?

I noticed a similar query re Sony https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php/topic,4024.0.html although apparently in that case the information was well-hidden by the manufacturer.

Tilt information would be quite useful, if available to users.

[Phil Harvey]

I was able to decode this information for Pentax, but so far I have failed for Sony.  I don't have any tilt samples for Nikon.  If you want to send me a set I'll see if I can decode this information.  Set the camera to the lowest resolution JPG and keep all other settings the same when shooting the tests.  Probably a dozen or so pictures in landscape orientation, and a few in portrait orientation should do it.  My email is philharvey66 at gmail.com

Thanks.

- Phil

[jcharmon]

I've sent a batch of tilt sample shots to your e-mail address. Let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks!

John

[Phil Harvey]

This is great, thanks!

I spent about 10 minutes searching, and didn't see anything obvious so it is probably buried in the binary data somewhere if it exists.  I will write a specialized pattern recognition algorithm to run through this data (it's too much to scan by eye), and let you know how it goes.  It may be a few days but I'll post back here.

- Phil

[Phil Harvey]

Hi John,

I had a good look for the tilt information but wasn't able to find it.  I haven't given up yet, but it's not looking so good right now.

- Phil

[jcharmon]

Thanks for checking. It may be that Ninon (and others) don't write tilt info to metadata because of the energy cost of the hardware module - writing tilt info to every image would consume more battery than the occasional triggering by users in the display.

[jcharmon]

I missed this thread in my earlier search: http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=5511

[Phil Harvey]

It is possible that the tilt information isn't digitized at the shutter release as you say.  This would be unfortunate.

That thread you referenced doesn't mean anything.  There is no standard EXIF location for this information, and Nikon isn't about to tell anyone if they put it in their proprietary maker notes.

- Phil