Removing camera data from metadata

[mopperle]

I have many repros of paper slides made with a DSLR. Now the camer data (maker, model, ISO, aperture etc.) appear under metadata (e.g. Camera Dashboard) which is somehow nonsense. Is there an easy way to remove those data? All files in question are organized in a category.

[Mario]

Now the camer data (maker, model, ISO, aperture etc.) appear under metadata (e.g. Camera Dashboard) which is somehow nonsense.

I don't understand. What do you mean by that?
IMatch extracts metadata from files when they are indexed, and then shows this metadata in the Metadata Panel, in the File Window (depending on the layout you) etc.

Where comes the nonsense into this?
What specific part of the Dashboard do you mean?
You want to remove what and where?

Keep in mind that we cannot see what you see, and if you don't provide enough details, we cannot help you.
Screen shots are usually very helpful. You can easily attach them, just make one, save it as JPG and drag it into your reply.

[jch2103]

I have many repros of paper slides made with a DSLR. Now the camer data (maker, model, ISO, aperture etc.) appear under metadata (e.g. Camera Dashboard) which is somehow nonsense. Is there an easy way to remove those data? All files in question are organized in a category.

This is to be expected if you use a camera to copy existing prints, slides, etc. If you use a dedicated scanner to reproduce those kinds of things, you'll likely get metadata from the scanner. 

I think the question you'll need to answer for yourself is what information you want to show for such images. For myself, one thing I usually want to set is the original date {File.MD.XMP::photoshop\DateCreated\DateCreated\0}, the date/time that the original was created, which is of course different from the date/time that the image was digitized. I suspect you would also want to set the Description/location/etc. and other metadata to match what is appropriate for the original image. That's what I do with thousands of scanned/digitized images, but you'll need to decide what fits your needs. 
 

[mopperle]

Now the camer data (maker, model, ISO, aperture etc.) appear under metadata (e.g. Camera Dashboard) which is somehow nonsense.

I don't understand. What do you mean by that?

Sorry Mario, for not being more specific.

As John correctly assumed, I made copies of prints with a DSLR. And of course all exif camera data are written into the file. And of course iMatch uses these data. But it is useless, "nonsense", to see ISO, aperture, camaera model, focal length etc. for the copy of a print in the Camera Dashboard, see Screenshot below.


So my question is, is there a way to remove all these data with a script or soemthing else for a bunch of files which are are organized in a category?

[Mario]

You can remove EXIF data completely with the ExifTool Command Processor, if the file format allows it and ExifTool can do it. Use a preset like

Code Select Expand

# im-warn
-overwrite_original_in_place
-exif:all=
-charset
filename=UTF8
{Files}


as a starting point and pay attention to warnings or error messages ExifTool reports.
Make sure to write-back before if the file has pending metadata (pen icon in the File Window).

When IMatch re-imports the file afterwards, the existing EXIF data in XMP will also be removed, other data (keywords, titles, headline etc.) will be unchanged.

TEST with some copies first!

[mopperle]

Thanks Mario. The code above did not remove everything. There were still data displayed in the Camera Dasboard Window. After adding the line
-xmp=
eveyrthing was gone with all other relevant metadata still in place.

[Mario]

Please double check that all the data you need is still there.

[mopperle]

Yes, fortunately those files do not have much additional data, only categories, keyword stuff, dates and those are still in place.
For the future I will make sure that in this special situation camera data will not be in place. This can be done using the appropriate export options in Lightroom.