Panasonic Makernote 0x0038

[Klaus_Homeister]

Hi Phil,
Tag 0x0038 is an very old unknown Tag.
It is simply the remaining Batterypower.

Cams with lower Batterypower have only 3 Options. (like my GX8)
Some Cams with higher Batterypower have 4 Options.

1:("full")
2:("medium")
3:("low")
4:("near empty")

The new S-Series Cams have 6 Options.
Here the new values 7 and 8 are following on 1 and 2.

7:("near full")
8:("medium low")

Values 0, 5 and 6 are never used.

regards
Klaus

[Klaus_Homeister]

Hi Phil,

I forgot the Cellphone-Camera 'DMC-CM1'.
This one uses the cellphone-battery and the metadata shows always a '256' here.

Klaus

[Phil Harvey]

Great.  This will appear in ExifTool 12.02

- Phil

[Klaus_Homeister]

Hi Phil,

ok there is something more.

0x0037 is not always '257'

On old DMC-L1/10 it is always '256'
And then Tag 0x0038 is always '256'

regardles of whether DMC-L10 uses it's simple Batterypack or external DC both Tags give always '256'.

The newer CM1 gives always '257' in Tag 0x0037 and '256' in Tag 0x0038

Looks like Tag 0x0037 gives information about the Powermanagement.
'257' = Advanced (more compex info => in 0x0038)
'256' = Simple ('power good' or not)

Depending on that info
Tag 0x0038 gives said several 'powerstates' or always '256' <power good! why ever...>

And in case of CM1 <power good! why ever...>  means cellphone-battery.
And in case of L10 <power good! why ever...>  means every possible powersource.

I can not check it, but I'm sure that modern G-Cams with that funny external DC to put into the 'Battery-Bay' gives the same Info like the Cellphone CM1 '256' .


Klaus

[Phil Harvey]

Thanks.  I'll add a note about this in the code.

- Phil