storing time in Create Date

[dwilliams3]

Hi! This is the exif data for a picture that was obtained from icloud. I need to confirm if the create date is stored in UTC or local time.  I believe from reading the website that it is stored in local time? Is there a way to confirm this is correct?  Is that fact that it doesn't have the time zone indicator an indication that it was stored in local time?

[StarGeek]

I need to confirm if the create date is stored in UTC or local time.

There is no way to confirm it one way or the other.  It depends upon the source camera, if the time was properly set in the camera, and if the file has been otherwise edited.

I believe from reading the website that it is stored in local time?

Time stamps in image files, other than any GPS time stamps, are supposed to be set to local time where the image was taken.  In modern camera phones, the time stamps are very likely to be correct, as phones will set their time by reading the time from cell towers.

It other cameras, such as DSLR or older Point & Click, it is entirely dependent on whether the time was properly set in the camera.  Some people don't care and I'm currently dealing with several thousand pictures from 2 people who didn't set the time properly.  Some people who travel a lot just set the camera to UTC and leave it at that.

Is that fact that it doesn't have the time zone indicator an indication that it was stored in local time?

No, it's not.  The time zone tags were added to the EXIF spec in July 2016 and really didn't appear in camera images until about 2019-2020.  Camera phones are likely to have them, but I'm not sure if any other cameras have them.  But DSLR cameras usually have a setting for time zones and will save this data to their MakerNotes.