Reconyx MakerNotes?

[StripyDonkey]

Hi,

I'm attaching an image taken with a Reconyx Trail Camera in the hope that a future version of exiftool might be able to interpret the MakerNotes.  I use a Mac and version 8.43 of exiftool.  As you'll see, Reconyx have chosen to butcher the standard selection of tags stored in their files, with much of the usual data transferred (or so I've been told) to the unreadable MakerNotes.

I realise that the demand for supporting this manufacturer may be low, but such functionality in exiftool would make my life a LOT easier... and if it helps at all, you'll be doing your part in helping to protect and conserve a very endangered species in the process.

many thanks,

Rob

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the sample.

Unfortunately these maker notes are not in standard EXIF format, and seem to be an unformatted binary data record.  There are various numbers stored, but decoding these would require many more samples with known camera settings.  However, there are 2 strings I can see:

1) "#H500BD03000117"

2) "OZONJANGA"

Any idea what these mean?

Also unfortunately the camera doesn't write EXIF Make and Model tags, so recognizing images from this camera may be problematic.  For this reason also, more samples would be necessary.

- Phil

[StripyDonkey]

Hi Phil,

Thanks for the quick reply

I'm not sure about the first string, but it may be the camera's serial number.  I can check this tomorrow when I'm next out there.  The second one is a user-definable string that can be set to anything - in this case the location of the camera.

I have a number of these cameras deployed around a nature reserve and they take thousands of pictures every few days, so additional samples would not be a problem.  I could tell you some of the camera settings, but many are automatic.  All of the data that is strung along the top of the image must be stored somewhere however, i.e. creation date, creation time, sequence number (the cameras take 1-10 images on each trigger depending on settings), moon phase and ambient temperature, and to be honest it is this stuff that I really need access to.  Reading it from the image is fine for the first few hundred, but it gets decidedly wearisome after a few thousand, let alone tens of thousands!

many thanks,

Rob

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Rob,

If the information printed on the picture exists in the maker notes, I am sure I can decode it.  If you could zip up 20 or so images with a variety of settings and send this to me that will be a good start.  If it is covenient for you, please email them to me (philharvey66 at gmail.com) instead of posting them here.

Also, if you could confirm the serial number that would be great.

- Phil

[PropRocks]

Rob,

Sent a pm.  I've decoded some of the data before and might be able to help.

[PropRocks]

Rob,

I sent a couple of personal messages but haven't gotten a response.  If you still need help email me at rocktheprop@gmail.com.  I might be able to tell Phil where to look for the data.

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the samples.  I have decoded what I can from the makernotes in these images, and released ExifTool 8.44 with this new feature.

- Phil

[StripyDonkey]

Hi Phil and Proprocks,

Sorry for my rather slow responses.  I've had a few issues here and am still not back at work, or even in the right country! I'm about to look at 8.44 however and I'll get back to you both.

many thanks again,

Rob