Gopro video, and google photos time zone problem

[disconnect]

I'm having the known timezone problem with google photos, now in summer time, google photos detects gopro video times +2 hours, +1 in winter. But it's correct for gopro image files.
Why is that? Is it it possible to add timezone information to gopro video files, or something instead of adding -2 hours to all times in gopro video files? Looking at metadata, both gopro images, and videos contain the same time information, not difference in time zone. Yet google photos detects video times differently.

[StarGeek]

I still haven't been able to figure out what Google Photos uses as the default time zone.  I've had it set to east and west coast us, even though I'm located on the west coast.

But for images, you can add the timezone to EXIF:OffsetTimeOriginal and it will show up correctly.  Also, setting the GPS coordinates for images and videos will give it the correct time zone.

For videos, you would set the GPSCoordinates.  For example
exiftool -GPSCoordinates="40.6892, -74.0445, 0" /path/to/files

[disconnect]

That's not worked, still +2 hours in google photos

[jonno]

I'm having same issue (GoPro videos display utc time for the "Date" metadata value - photos display local time). Running GPS co-ordinates over the file didn't work either, and GoPro is set up to use GPS.

I attach a text files for before and after running the proposed command.

I also attach what is displayed on my Windows 10 machine (Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.18363.1256]). The photo timestamp is correct, the video is not.  Both were taken the same day.

Any suggestions welcome - I'm not sure whether it is a Windows problem or a GoPro one, but it sure is frustrating.  I use the "Date" metadata value is used for putting photos and videos in chronological order.

Thanks!

J

[StarGeek]

The output you list shows that the CreateDate is 2021:02:23 18:32:13.  Just to verify, you are in timezone +13:00?  As the Windows output is showing that much of a shift.

The video timestamp is supposed to be in UTC and Windows understands this and shifts the time according to the timezone set on the computer.  So it appears that the GoPro is writing the local time to the file instead of UTC time.  This is common for cameras that don't know what timezone they are in.

Test it out, but I think you can fix it like this
exiftool -GlobalTimeShift -13 -api QuickTimeUTC -TagsFromFile @ -Time:all /path/to/files/

[jonno]

Thanks StarGeek, that works to change various time stamp values to UTC (versus local).

Maybe File Explorer uses the [QuickTime] timestamp for the "Date" timestamp value (with local time adjustment). Refer snip attachment (My computer set to NZ time +13, but photos taken in +12).

Odd that Windows does not have a problem with GoPro photos (refer attachment) versus videos.

The changes after running ExifTool +12 are adjacent to ExifTool output items below, CAPS are my comments, no entry means no change. Note new timestamp values match UTC GPS entries (which I guess are not used by Windows 10?).
[ExifTool]      Now                             : 2021:02:23 23:22:58+13:00
[System]        File Modification Date/Time     : 2021:02:23 20:17:10+13:00 :: UPDATED IN LIGHT OF FILE BEING MODIFIED
[System]        File Access Date/Time           : 2021:02:23 22:59:13+13:00 :: UPDATED IN LIGHT OF FILE BEING MODIFIED
[System]        File Creation Date/Time         : 2021:02:23 22:59:13+13:00
[QuickTime]     Create Date                     : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [QuickTime]     Create Date                     : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[QuickTime]     Modify Date                     : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [QuickTime]     Modify Date                     : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Track1]        Track Create Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 ::[Track1]        Track Create Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track1]        Track Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track1]        Track Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track1]        Media Create Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track1]        Media Create Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track1]        Media Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track1]        Media Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Track2]        Track Create Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track2]        Track Create Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track2]        Track Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track2]        Track Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track2]        Media Create Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track2]        Media Create Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track2]        Media Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track2]        Media Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Track3]        Track Create Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track3]        Track Create Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track3]        Track Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track3]        Track Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track3]        Media Create Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track3]        Media Create Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track3]        Media Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track3]        Media Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Track4]        Track Create Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track4]        Track Create Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track4]        Track Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 ::  [Track4]        Track Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track4]        Media Create Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track4]        Media Create Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
[Track4]        Media Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 18:32:13 :: [Track4]        Media Modify Date               : 2021:02:23 06:32:13
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Doc1:Track4]   GPS Date Time                   : 2021:02:23 06:32:13.830
[Doc2:Track4]   GPS Date Time                   : 2021:02:23 06:32:16.085
[Doc3:Track4]   GPS Date Time                   : 2021:02:23 06:32:17.075
[Doc4:Track4]   GPS Date Time                   : 2021:02:23 06:32:18.065
[Doc5:Track4]   GPS Date Time                   : 2021:02:23 06:32:19.055
[Doc6:Track4]   GPS Date Time                   : 2021:02:23 06:32:20.045
[Doc7:Track4]   GPS Date Time                   : 2021:02:23 06:32:21.090
[Doc8:Track4]   GPS Date Time                   : 2021:02:23 06:32:22.080

Great tool and thanks again for responding.

Regards,

J

[StarGeek]

Maybe File Explorer uses the [QuickTime] timestamp for the "Date" timestamp value (with local time adjustment). Refer snip attachment (My computer set to NZ time +13, but photos taken in +12).

Yes, Windows uses the Quicktime:CreateDate, adjusted to local time zone from UTC, as the "Date" property.

Odd that Windows does not have a problem with GoPro photos (refer attachment) versus videos.

Photos are assumed to be local time.  One of the differences between photo standards and video standards.

[jonno]

Thanks very much for clarifying.

I ran:

exiftool -GlobalTimeShift -12 -api QuickTimeUTC -TagsFromFile @ -Timeall file

on the mp4 files that needed to be changed after I had edited most (but not all) of them in Photos app. Looks like Photos may have altered the metadata, see attachment. Not sure what has happened with the others.

Each file errors with: "Warning: No writable tags set from file".
Other errors: "Warning: Truncated '\x08,.c' data" and "Warning: [minor] The ExtractEmbedded option may find more tags in the media data". These errors occur in conjunction with the "No writable tags..." error. "ExtractEmbedded..." is on files which have not been altered (in addition to "No writable tags..." error).

It appears no mp4 file was updated successfully:
0 image files updated
2 files weren't updated due to errors
1 directories scanned
0 image files updated
14 image files unchanged
0 image files updated
1 image files unchanged

I am a member of the Administrators group so not sure it's a permissions problem. Running Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19042.804]

Thoughts? I have a CreateDate tag?

Sorry, next time I'll run the above command on all the mp4 files before editing them. I expect that will prevent this issue as it should presumably retain the QuickTimeUTC change.

J

[Phil Harvey]

The "no writable tags" warning is because you have -timeall in your command instead of -time:all

For other errors, send me a link so I can download the video and I'll take a look:  philharvey66 at gmail.com

- Phil

[jonno]

Well, that's embarrassing.

I know what happened.

I tried to copy and paste the original command into a text file name (to use later) and windows stripped out the colon. It must remove from the clipboard? as I didn't try and copy the text again after colon was removed - didn't know it did that.

Sorry about that, I should have checked the command again.

Phil, I have sent you  links to files with errors - thank you so much.

Regards,

J

[Phil Harvey]

The "Truncated" warning is because there is some garbage (or an unknown trailer?) after the mov atom in the video.  I don't know what would add this.  Did you edit this with any software?  ExifTool won't edit this because as far as ExifTool is concerned the file is damaged, and it doesn't want to risk further damage.

- Phil

[jonno]

Hi, yes I had edited the MP4 with Microsoft Photos. I had done the same with most of the other files so not sure why that error occurs on only that file.  Perhaps the edit went wrong.

I have since run the Exiftool command on the original file (rather than the Microsoft Photos edited one), edited it again with Microsoft Photos and the "Date" value remains as changed from the original file.  I think that's called a win.

Many thanks again Phil, really appreciate it.

Regards,

J