Apple Tag (Image Capture Type)

[kiwilink]

I'm using am Iphone ProMax 13. The Apple Tag called "Image Capture Type" under Apple returns the following in EXIFTOOL:

1 (which is ProRaw)  Always a DNG file
2 Portrait
10 Photo
11 Unknown
12 Unknown

I'm trying to understand why some images return Portrait, Photo, ProRaw and other images return Unknown (11) and Unknown (12). I don't know what unknown means and why some images show Photo and others don't.

My question is: What is the difference between an image I take that gives me "Photo" vs "Unknown (12)" or Unknown (11)? 

I went looking for Apple Metadata on Google and could not find anything on Image Capture Type.  I looked at the EXIFTOOL documentation and also checked Spotlight Metadata Attributes and the Apple Metadata Attributes Reference but found nothing.  I called Apple and after 2 hours could not find anyone at Apple that can answer the question.

If someone can point me to where I can find this please let me know.

Thank you.

[StarGeek]

The thing is, Apple, as well as nearly every other camera company, doesn't release specs on their MakerNotes.  It's up to the community to figure these things out.  If the value is unknown, then it is simply that, unknown.  No one has figured it out yet.

MakerNotes are rarely used by any programs and while they can be useful for figuring out some camera settings that aren't covered by the EXIF tags, they can otherwise be ignored.

[kiwilink]

I have not heard of MakerNotes but thanks to you I found this under MakerNote Types by Phil Harvey.  I had already discovered 1,2, and 10 (ProRaw, Portrait, Photo).  I can take several pictures and some retun 10 and many return 11 and 12 (unknown).  No idea why.  But thank you very much for the response.  I'll read up on MakerNotes. 

[greybeard]

There seems like a lot of work still to do with the Apple Makernotes.

On my iPhone I always get Image Capture of 12 when its shooting a still image and not in portrait mode or using the ProRAW format - I've never seen 10 or 11.

[kiwilink]

Thank You greybeard for the response.  Here you are.  A sample of 10 and 11.  I have found some 4 and 5's also (they also say Unknown (4) or Unknown (5).

IMG_5879.jpg is a Image Capture Type of 10 and IMG_6857.Jpg is a Image Capture Type 11.

[greybeard]

Thank You greybeard for the response.  Here you are.  A sample of 10 and 11.  I have found some 4 and 5's also (they also say Unknown (4) or Unknown (5).

IMG_5879.jpg is a Image Capture Type of 10 and IMG_6857.Jpg is a Image Capture Type 11.

Can you identify which specific settings on the camera generate the different image capture values?

[StarGeek]

Just posting pictures isn't enough to figure out what the unknown values are.  You have to figure out what was done to get those values and how to duplicate the result consistently. Record the settings, take a picture, check the value, change a setting, take a picture, did the unknown value change?  Over and over until you figure out what it does.

[Phil Harvey]

This is good.  If you can figure out which specific settings result in the unknown values for ImageCaptureType then I can add conversions for these values.  I don't have an iPhone so I can't do this myself.

It sounds like maybe 12 should be "Still Image" ?

- Phil

[greybeard]

This is good.  If you can figure out which specific settings result in the unknown values for ImageCaptureType then I can add conversions for these values.  I don't have an iPhone so I can't do this myself.

It sounds like maybe 12 should be "Still Image" ?

- Phil

Its a bit soon to come to any conclusions - I'll spend some more time on it - on my phone I can duplicate Image Capture 1 and 2 (Raw and Portrait) but Photo always generates a 12 - maybe its different depending on model.

The OP seems able to generate other values so hopefully can figure out exactly where those values came from.

There are also quite a few unknown MakerNotes tags.

Its a pain working with the iPhone because some settings are changed in the camera app and some you have to switch to the main system Settings.

[kiwilink]

greybeard, Phil, and Stargeek:

Thanks for the responses.  I am doing some testing on this and I will report back.  It appears so far that the return of this tag is dependent on the model of the phone.  I'll report back this weekend.

Kiwilink