Interpreting MakerNotes for camera-trap

[RossTP]

Hi Phil,

I work for a conservation organisation (www.panthera.org) that focusses heavily on wildlife monitoring of endangered species. The majority of our monitoring efforts involve the use of camera-traps. ExifTool has been a huge help for us, particularly in data management and processing. The only issue is, ExifTool cannot interpret the MakerNotes of our cameras. We develop our own custom cameras (called PantheraCams), but which are used by hundreds of scientists around the world. To get around the MakerNotes issue, I've previously re-written all the metadata to every image, which sometimes fixes the problem, or had to completely delete the MakerNotes on every image. This worked, to an extent, but now I've got an even bigger problem...we now use a range of cameras (PantheraCams and Reconyx). Unfortunately, Reconyx appears to store important data in the MakerNotes (another user raised this issue here: https://exiftool.org/forum/index.php/topic,3017.msg13512.html#msg13512), which means I cannot delete them. This obviously leaves me between a rock and a hard place.

So, I'd like to know if you wouldn't mind including support for PantheraCams in your next release of ExifTool? I can provide as many sample images as you may require, and I can also get hold of additional information by the developers of the PantheraCam. If you let me know what information you require, I'll do my best to provide it.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,
Ross

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Ross,

I will see about adding support for Panthera maker notes.  It would be helpful if you can get me as much information as you can about the Panthera maker notes (ie. their makernotes format specification) and samples from as many different models as possible.

- Phil

[RossTP]

Thanks Phil,

I've sent you an email to philharvey66 at gmail.com. Assuming this is still the correct address?

Regards,
Ross

[Phil Harvey]

I got the samples, thanks.  It is going to be a problem writing metadata for Model_V4 because there is a serious error in the EXIF that will prevent ExifTool from writing these files.

I took a quick look at the makernotes and didn't recognize anything obvious so it will be very helpful if you can get that documentation from the developer.

Another problem is that model identification may be tricky.  All models store a Make of "Panthera V4" in the metadata, and EXIF Model seems to be a serial number instead of a model number (it varies for all the Model V4 images you sent) -- can you confirm that this is a serial number?

- Phil

[RossTP]

Hi Phil,

Would the serious EXIF error in Model_V4 cameras be fixable by re-writing the image metadata? This approach has allowed me to work with V4 images, so I may just have continue re-writing the metadata?

It's weird that all models have the "Panthera V4" tag, I never noticed that before. A better identifier would be "Camera Model Name", which is prefixed with "CAM4", "CAM5", or "CAM6" (numbers referring to the model version). Would this be useful?

I'm not entirely sure about the "EXIF Model", are you referring to numbers similar to "0220"? I'll contact the developer.

Will respond soon.
Regards,
Ross

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Ross,

Would the serious EXIF error in Model_V4 cameras be fixable by re-writing the image metadata?

If by rewriting you mean deleting then rebuilding (a-la FAQ 20), then this will have the effect of deleting the maker notes because of this corruption.

It's weird that all models have the "Panthera V4" tag, I never noticed that before. A better identifier would be "Camera Model Name", which is prefixed with "CAM4", "CAM5", or "CAM6" (numbers referring to the model version). Would this be useful?

I'm not entirely sure about the "EXIF Model", are you referring to numbers similar to "0220"? I'll contact the developer.

This is what I meant:

Code Select Expand

> exiftool -r -T -make -model -directory -filename Panthera/
Panthera V4 CAM44217 Panthera/Model_V4 ES13_left.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM44280 Panthera/Model_V4 ES13_right.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM44182 Panthera/Model_V4 ES14_left.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM44209 Panthera/Model_V4 ES14_right.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM42043 Panthera/Model_V4 ES15_left.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM52343 Panthera/Model_V5 G1778509.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM52343 Panthera/Model_V5 G1875202.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM52343 Panthera/Model_V5 G1885322.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM52343 Panthera/Model_V5 G1985616.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM52343 Panthera/Model_V5 G2078137.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM52343 Panthera/Model_V5 G2078573.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM52343 Panthera/Model_V5 G2085449.jpg
Panthera V4 CAM63828 Panthera/Model_V6 H1139093.JPG
Panthera V4 CAM63828 Panthera/Model_V6 H1139096.JPG
Panthera V4 CAM63828 Panthera/Model_V6 H1139100.JPG
Panthera V4 CAM63828 Panthera/Model_V6 H1139102.JPG
Panthera V4 CAM63828 Panthera/Model_V6 H1220477.JPG

Ideally, the Make should be "Panthera", and the Model should be "V4", "V5" or "V6".  But I see now (since you point it out) that the model is taken from the first digit of the "CAM" number.  That's different.

- Phil