Exif data for Nikon Z6

[Pipa]

I am writing a simple Windows program (MS VC++) that lists some Exif tags of photos taken with a Nikon Z6. An example of the output is as follows:

DSC_0255.JPG NIKON Z 6 Mode Not-defined 1/250 f5.6 bias 0 ISO 125 Meter Multi-segment Fl 66
DSC_0262.JPG NIKON Z 6 Mode Program 1/320 f4.5 bias 0 ISO 100 Meter Spot Fl 70
DSC_0266.JPG NIKON Z 6 Mode Speed 1/100 f4 bias -1 ISO 25600 Meter Centre-weighted Fl 70
DSC_0267.JPG NIKON Z 6 Mode Speed 1/100 f4 bias -1 ISO 25600 Meter Other Fl 70
DSC_0269.JPG NIKON Z 6 Mode Speed 1/80 f4 bias 0 ISO 11400 Meter Spot Fl 70

This works as hoped but much Nikon/Z6 information seems to be missing from the standard Exif tags. For example, the metering mode "highlight" gets the value 255 ("Other") and "Auto" shooting mode has value 0 ("Not defined"). I also see no tags showing values for "AF-mode" or "AF-area-mode".

I am sure this information is present somewhere in the JPG files as it is all presented by ViewNXi. Maybe it is held in the "Nikon Makernote" section of the Exif data? If so, is there a specification of this information for the Z6?

I have been using the Exif description in the following:

https://www.exiftool.org/TagNames/EXIF.html

This gives a description of Nikon specific tags but not those I've mentioned above.

Thanks in anticipation ...

[Phil Harvey]

Send me a small JPEG shot in each of the modes and I'll see if I can find where this information is stored.  My email is philharvey66 at gmail.com

- Phil

[jcharmon]

A related question about the Z6: https://exiftool.org/TagNames/Nikon.html lists FocusDistance as one of the Nikon LensData0800 Tags. However when I try using the latest version of exiftool -a on a NEF file, the FocusDistance tag isn't included in the data dump. (From my experience with other Nikon cameras, I know distance tags aren't very accurate, but I wanted to see if this is still true for the Z6/Z7.)

Am I missing something, or is this information not being picked up by exiftool after all?

[Phil Harvey]

There is a lot of variation between Nikon models in how the information is stored.  Often it is still there, but in a different yet-to-be-discovered location.  I can't say specifically for the Z6 FocusDistance.

- Phil

[Phil Harvey]

Apologies for the delay - I'm new to forums and took a while to detect the response.

I took a few pics which can be accessed from:

[URL deleted]

The information I'd like to be able to find from these is as follows:

File-name Exposure-mode Focus-mode Focus-area    Metering-mode
DSC_0021  Auto          AF-S       Pinpoint      Matrix
DSC_0022  Program       AF-S       Single-point  Centre-weighted
DSC_0023  Speed         AF-C       Dynamic-area  Spot
DSC_0024  Aperture      AF-S       Wide-S        Highlight-weighted
DSC_0025  Aperture      AF-S       Wide-L        Matrix
DSC_0026  Aperture      AF-S       Auto-area     Matrix
DSC_0027  Manual        MF         Single-point  Matrix

My simple program lists standard Exif information as follows:
DSC_0021.JPG NIKON Z 6 mode Not-defined 1/200 f4 0EV ISO 400 meter Multi-segment fl 70
DSC_0022.JPG NIKON Z 6 mode Program 1/80 f4 0EV ISO 160 meter Centre-weighted fl 70
DSC_0023.JPG NIKON Z 6 mode Speed 1/100 f4 0EV ISO 140 meter Spot fl 70
DSC_0024.JPG NIKON Z 6 mode Aperture 1/80 f4 0EV ISO 160 meter Other fl 70
DSC_0025.JPG NIKON Z 6 mode Aperture 1/80 f4 0EV ISO 180 meter Multi-segment fl 70
DSC_0026.JPG NIKON Z 6 mode Aperture 1/80 f4 0EV ISO 160 meter Multi-segment fl 70
DSC_0027.JPG NIKON Z 6 mode Manual 1/100 f4 0EV ISO 220 meter Multi-segment fl 70

Missing from this is the Highlight-weighted metering mode and all info relating to focus-mode and focus-area.

It would be great if you could tell me where to find it.

Thanks and
Good luck,
Colin

Hi Colin,

I got the samples.  This command with ExifTool 11.31 gives you almost everything you are looking for:

Code Select Expand

> exiftool tmp -exposuremode -variprogram -exposureprogram -focusmode -afareamode -meteringmode -csv
SourceFile,ExposureMode,VariProgram,ExposureProgram,FocusMode,AFAreaMode,MeteringMode
tmp/DSC_0021.JPG,Auto,Auto,Not Defined,AF-S,Pinpoint,Multi-segment
tmp/DSC_0022.JPG,Auto,,Program AE,AF-S,Single,Center-weighted average
tmp/DSC_0023.JPG,Auto,,Shutter speed priority AE,AF-C,Dynamic,Spot
tmp/DSC_0024.JPG,Auto,,Aperture-priority AE,AF-S,Wide (S),Other
tmp/DSC_0025.JPG,Auto,,Aperture-priority AE,AF-S,Wide (L),Multi-segment
tmp/DSC_0026.JPG,Auto,,Aperture-priority AE,AF-S,Auto,Multi-segment
tmp/DSC_0027.JPG,Manual,,Manual,Manual,Single,Multi-segment
    1 directories scanned
    7 image files read

You can use the ExifTool -v3 command to see where this information is stored in the file.

The only thing it doesn't give is the Highlight metering mode.  I have dug into this, and have found this information at 0x5a0c in the ShotInfo data.  So, you can extract the NikonMeteringMode with this command:

exiftool -U -Nikon_ShotInfo_0x5a0c FILE

where 0=Matrix, 1=Center, 2=Spot, 3=Highlight.

I don't want to add decoding of this to ExifTool now because it doesn't give consistent results for other Z6 copies (eg. it doesn't work for other Z6 samples I have, even though the firmware is also Ver.01.00).

- Phil

[Pipa]

Hi Phil - many thanks! That's just what I wanted.