ExifTool corrupts NEF files?

[Archive]

[Originally posted by fogcity on 2009-08-25 19:24:45-07]

exiftool seems to be corrupting my .NEF files!

any change exiftool makes leaves my NEF files in a state where they cannot be opened by the PhotoInfo utility that i'm using to verify the changes. PhotoInfo opens the files fine until changes are made, then crashes when attempting to open the modified versions.

1. tried copying date from one tag to the other

Code:

/Applications/EXIF/ExifTool-7.90/exiftool "-IFD0:DateTimeOriginal<ExifIFD:DateTimeOriginal" *.NEF -overwrite_original

2. tried removing the IFD0:DateTimeOriginal tag altogether:

Code:

/Applications/EXIF/ExifTool-7.90/exiftool -IFD0:DateTimeOriginal= *.NEF -overwrite_original

3. tried to simply copy the IFD0:DateTimeOriginal tag to itself:

Code:

/Applications/EXIF/ExifTool-7.90/exiftool "-IFD0:DateTimeOriginal<IFD0:DateTimeOriginal" *.NEF -overwrite_original

[Archive]

[Originally posted by exiftool on 2009-08-25 23:58:19-07]

I would bet on a problem with photoinfo rather
than exiftool, but send me a copy of a file
it can't open and I'll take a look. My
email is philharvey66 at gmail.com

- phil

[Archive]

[Originally posted by fogcity on 2009-08-26 00:50:07-07]

thanks phil. emailed you the before and after files.

btw, it's entirely possible that my command syntax is wrong:

Code:

exiftool "-IFD0:DateTimeOriginal<ExifIFD:DateTimeOriginal" *.NEF -overwrite_original

the intention is to overwrite the IFD0 copy of DateTimeOriginal with the timestamp in ExifIFD:DateTimeOriginal.

[Archive]

[Originally posted by exiftool on 2009-08-26 10:58:16-07]

Your command line is fine, and will move DateTimeOriginal from
the ExifIFD to IFD0.  If you want it in both, you must do this:

Code:

exiftool "-ifd0:DateTimeOriginal<exififd:datetimeoriginal" "-exififd:datetimeoriginal<exififd:datetimeoriginal" ...

This is because exiftool automatically prevents duplication of tags between
IFD0 and ExifIFD unless you write both at the same time.

I got your samples, thanks.  I can see nothing wrong with you exiftool-edited
image, and it opens fine in all the applications I have which can display NEF
images (Photoshop CS4, Apple Preview, dcraw).

If you have other software to display NEF images (especially Nikon software),
I suggest you try it to verify that the image is OK, then send a bug report
along with a sample image to PhotoInfo support.

- Phil