Optimizing iPAD 3 with exif data

[SimonM]

Does anyone know what exif data is used by an iPAD3?

I know the iPADs use the exif tag date last 'modified' so when you import onto an iPAD (from my PC) the iPAD displays the photos in each folder in sequence order by 'modified'.

But is there anything better?  For example, there is mention that iPhoto and Aperture (which I don't personally use) can create 'events' and 'albums' and these can be exported to an iPAD3 and used.  So is this mechanism handled by exif data and if so can I make use of it?

Quick trawl on the web is full of people unhappy for the sort order of photos on there iPAD when this can be fixed within Exiftool really quickly (and incidentally people should be already managing the 'modified' tag). What other exif data can be used to make the iPAD a better experience?

[Phil Harvey]

If it helps, here is the ExifTool output from a sample iPad 3 image:

Code Select Expand

[ExifTool]      ExifTool Version Number         : 9.15
[System]        File Name                       : Apple_iPad3.jpg
[System]        Directory                       : ../pics
[System]        File Size                       : 1719 kB
[System]        File Modification Date/Time     : 2012:04:25 07:42:37-04:00
[System]        File Access Date/Time           : 2013:01:21 13:26:53-05:00
[System]        File Inode Change Date/Time     : 2012:06:13 14:10:39-04:00
[System]        File Permissions                : rw-r--r--
[File]          File Type                       : JPEG
[File]          MIME Type                       : image/jpeg
[File]          Exif Byte Order                 : Big-endian (Motorola, MM)
[File]          Image Width                     : 2592
[File]          Image Height                    : 1936
[File]          Encoding Process                : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
[File]          Bits Per Sample                 : 8
[File]          Color Components                : 3
[File]          Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling            : YCbCr4:2:0 (2 2)
[IFD0]          Make                            : Apple
[IFD0]          Camera Model Name               : iPad
[IFD0]          Orientation                     : Horizontal (normal)
[IFD0]          X Resolution                    : 72
[IFD0]          Y Resolution                    : 72
[IFD0]          Resolution Unit                 : inches
[IFD0]          Software                        : 5.1
[IFD0]          Modify Date                     : 2012:03:17 08:56:05
[IFD0]          Y Cb Cr Positioning             : Centered
[ExifIFD]       Exposure Time                   : 1/15
[ExifIFD]       F Number                        : 2.4
[ExifIFD]       Exposure Program                : Program AE
[ExifIFD]       ISO                             : 400
[ExifIFD]       Exif Version                    : 0221
[ExifIFD]       Date/Time Original              : 2012:03:17 08:56:05
[ExifIFD]       Create Date                     : 2012:03:17 08:56:05
[ExifIFD]       Components Configuration        : Y, Cb, Cr, -
[ExifIFD]       Shutter Speed Value             : 1/15
[ExifIFD]       Aperture Value                  : 2.4
[ExifIFD]       Brightness Value                : 0.4069974303
[ExifIFD]       Metering Mode                   : Spot
[ExifIFD]       Flash                           : No flash function
[ExifIFD]       Focal Length                    : 4.3 mm
[ExifIFD]       Subject Area                    : 778 886 484 484
[ExifIFD]       Flashpix Version                : 0100
[ExifIFD]       Color Space                     : sRGB
[ExifIFD]       Exif Image Width                : 2592
[ExifIFD]       Exif Image Height               : 1936
[ExifIFD]       Sensing Method                  : One-chip color area
[ExifIFD]       Exposure Mode                   : Auto
[ExifIFD]       White Balance                   : Auto
[ExifIFD]       Focal Length In 35mm Format     : 35 mm
[ExifIFD]       Scene Capture Type              : Standard
[ExifIFD]       Sharpness                       : Normal
[GPS]           GPS Latitude Ref                : North
[GPS]           GPS Latitude                    : 37.224500
[GPS]           GPS Longitude Ref               : West
[GPS]           GPS Longitude                   : 121.893333
[GPS]           GPS Altitude Ref                : Above Sea Level
[GPS]           GPS Altitude                    : 101.7727738 m
[GPS]           GPS Time Stamp                  : 15:55:54.81
[GPS]           GPS Img Direction Ref           : True North
[GPS]           GPS Img Direction               : 53.93359375
[IFD1]          Compression                     : JPEG (old-style)
[IFD1]          X Resolution                    : 72
[IFD1]          Y Resolution                    : 72
[IFD1]          Resolution Unit                 : inches
[IFD1]          Thumbnail Offset                : 904
[IFD1]          Thumbnail Length                : 8911
[Composite]     Aperture                        : 2.4
[Composite]     Base Name                       : Apple_iPad3
[Composite]     File Extension                  : jpg
[Composite]     File Type Description           : Joint Photographic Experts Group
[Composite]     GPS Altitude                    : 101.7 m Above Sea Level
[Composite]     GPS Latitude                    : 37.224500 N
[Composite]     GPS Longitude                   : 121.893333 W
[Composite]     GPS Position                    : 37.224500 N, 121.893333 W
[Composite]     Image Size                      : 2592x1936
[Composite]     Physical Image Size             : 36.0x26.9 inches
[Composite]     Scale Factor To 35 mm Equivalent: 8.2
[Composite]     Shutter Speed                   : 1/15
[Composite]     Thumbnail Image                 : (Binary data 8911 bytes, use -b option to extract)
[Composite]     Circle Of Confusion             : 0.003 mm
[Composite]     Field Of View                   : 54.4 deg
[Composite]     Focal Length                    : 4.3 mm (35 mm equivalent: 35.0 mm)
[Composite]     Hyperfocal Distance             : 2.52 m
[Composite]     Light Value                     : 4.4

- Phil

[SimonM]

Thanks Phil.

All my camera photos are stored on and edited on my PC.  I then create PC exports for different devices such as Windows Media Center and also a family iPAD.  At present i export and syn folders from my PC to the iPAD.  Problem is duplication of photos. Example: folder '2012 2+' (holds 2000 photos with ratings 2,3,4 or 5), and another folder '2012 3+' (holds 1000 photos with pictures rated from 3,4 to 5).  So I am downloading duplicates because I have no mechanism to filter. I then have another folder showing greate relative pictures (again duplication), etc.
The duplication problem isn't to apparent when viewing by individual folders. However if I wanted to view all photos by location (with geo tags) the iPAD shows all the duplicates.  [One obvious solution is to remove using exiftool any geo-tags for folders that contain duplication photos.]
So my challenge is to download photos to an iPAD and have the iPAD use it in multiple ways, e.g. can 1 photo in a folder be in 2 different albums etc...

Sorry for being a little wooly but I am not to sure what I precisely want - other than to have a great flexible workflow for viewing photos on an iPAD.

[Phil Harvey]

It sounds to me as if ExifTool isn't what you are looking for.  What you need are better apps on your iPad and PC for organizing your images.

- Phil

[SimonM]

Most photo viewing apps use exif tags - the iPAD uses the modified date for the sort order in a folder. 

My question.  Is an iPAD album grouped by (say) a specific exif tag keyword?  Or do the apps Apperture and iPhoto (which I don't use) use exif tags for implementing their 'events' and 'album' functionality?

I use ExifTool to organise my photos.  Hence all my photos have great consistant file names, complementary 'modified dates' (e.g. If I scan one of my childrens artwork i set the date modifed when the work was done rather than when it was scanned so it is displayed chronologically with my photos) etc.

If we collectively understand how software tools use exif tag data then we can use ExifTool to ensure all our photos are consistent.  It's a bit like how Windows media Player and iTunes both want to over-write music mp3tag.  I don't want an app messing with my photo exif data - without me knowing in advance why and what is the purpose.