Decoding Panasonic camcorder models from mts-files

[linuxuser]

I am not sure, if this decodes the model no. of Panasonic camcorders, but maybe it helps to decode 2 models. If you need a file sample, let me know.

Exiftool shows:

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[H264]          0x0000 Make                            : Panasonic

But I can see too in a mts-file from a Panasonic HC-V700 EG-K

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  | 6)  FocalLengthIn35mmFormat = inf (28/0)
  |     - Tag 0x00a9 (4 bytes, rational32u[1]):
  |         0000: 00 1c 00 00                                     [....]
  | 7)  MakeModel (SubDirectory) -->
  |     - Tag 0x00e0 (4 bytes):
  |         0000: 01 03 03 42                                     [...B]
  | + [BinaryData directory, 4 bytes]
  | | Make = 259
  | | - Tag 0x0000 (2 bytes, int16u[1]):
  | |     0000: 01 03                                           [..]
  | 8)  MDPM_0x00e6 = .
  |     - Tag 0x00e6 (4 bytes):
  |         0000: 00 01 00 00                                     [....]


and later again:

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  | 6)  FocalLengthIn35mmFormat = inf (28/0)
  |     - Tag 0x00a9 (4 bytes, rational32u[1]):
  |         0000: 00 1c 00 00                                     [....]
  | 7)  MakeModel (SubDirectory) -->
  |     - Tag 0x00e0 (4 bytes):
  |         0000: 01 03 03 42                                     [...B]
  | + [BinaryData directory, 4 bytes]
  | | Make = 259
  | | - Tag 0x0000 (2 bytes, int16u[1]):
  | |     0000: 01 03                                           [..]
  | 8)  MDPM_0x00e6 = .
  |     - Tag 0x00e6 (4 bytes):
  |         0000: 00 01 00 00                                     [....]



A Panasonic HC-V727EG-T shows:

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  | 6)  FocalLengthIn35mmFormat = inf (41/0)
  |     - Tag 0x00a9 (4 bytes, rational32u[1]):
  |         0000: 00 29 00 00                                     [.)..]
  | 7)  MakeModel (SubDirectory) -->
  |     - Tag 0x00e0 (4 bytes):
  |         0000: 01 03 03 45                                     [...E]
  | + [BinaryData directory, 4 bytes]
  | | Make = 259
  | | - Tag 0x0000 (2 bytes, int16u[1]):
  | |     0000: 01 03                                           [..]

But there is _no_ 2nd part  containing "model" with a Panasonic HC-V727EG-T.

So can there be the conclusion, that "01 03 03 42" means the model is a "HC-V700" and "01 03 03 45" means, it is a "HC-V727"?

[Phil Harvey]

This is what I get for a bunch of samples:

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> exiftool ../pics/Pana*.m*ts -U -h264_makemodel_0x0001 -filename -T
1044 PanasonicAG-AF100.mts
- PanasonicDMC-FX70.mts
1425 PanasonicDMC-FZ100.mts
1425 PanasonicDMC-GF3.mts
- PanasonicDMC-GH1.mts
1425 PanasonicDMC-GH2.mts
1425 PanasonicDMC-GX1.mts
1523 PanasonicDMC-TZ20.mts
2051 PanasonicDMC-TZ30.mts
- PanasonicDMC-ZS7.mts
837 PanasonicHC-V727.mts
787 PanasonicHDC-HS100_hx.m2ts

Sometimes this value changes, and sometimes it doesn't.  So it isn't a reliable indicator of the model.

- Phil

[linuxuser]

Thanks, so the number is not unique. Do you have an idea for a workaround? In my case it is unique. Maybe there could be an option with a warning, which shows the models you know in clear text.

[Phil Harvey]

I don't think it is worth the bother decoding this.  Other makes also store this information, but generally store the same "model" value for all different models.  I'm not convinced that it should even be related to the model.  A patent I found indicated that there was model information stored in this tag, but then it was incorrect about other tags, so the spec was changed after the patent was filed.

- Phil

[linuxuser]

Ok, so maybe you have any idea how to identify a video made by a camcorder. Imagine you use more than 1 camcorder and then you have a lot of video-files from different camcorders and you want to know which model was used. It gets more complicated, when you have camcorders of the same model.

[Phil Harvey]

I would suggest using a format other than M2TS if you are interested in metadata.  The M2TS container doesn't support metadata.  MOV or MP4 should contain model information.

- Phil