Apple Tag Selector {File.MD.Apple::Main\20\ImageCaptureType\0}

[kiwilink]

I am working with my Media and Folder Layout Editor and for this Apple tag I get the following returns:

1 (which is ProRaw)  Always a DNG file
2 Portrait
10 Photo
11 Unknown
12 Unknown

In my file layout window I am displaying this "Image Capture Type).  I'm mostly interested in my ProRes Images I shot with an Iphone 13 Pro Max.  In Marios Metadata Browser under the Metadata panel I see "Image Capture Type" under "Apple".  I'm trying to understand why some images return Portrait, Photo, ProRaw and other images return Unknown (11) and Unknown (12).  

My question is: What is the difference between an image I take that gives me "Photo" vs "Unknown (12)" or Unknown (11)?  

I went looking for Apple Metadata on Google and could not find anything on Image Capture Type.  I looked at the EXIFTOOL documentation but nothing there.

If someone can point me to where I can find this please let me know.

I have attached a screencapture of the sample five images with 1,2,10,11,and 12 as a return.  They were too large to attach each one so I just attached one (which returns Unknown (11).

Hope I explained this well enough to make sense.

Kiwilink

[Mario]

I guess ExifTool produces these text values based on an internal table that maps a "number" Apple stores in this tag. Usually these tables are build with the help of user feedback. Apple users reporting to Phil the phone settings they used and which number was written into the tag based on that.

Since you are an Apple customer, I suggest you contact Apple support and ask them to tell you the meaning of this tag and the available values. I'm sure they can do that.

[kiwilink]

Mario:

Thank you for the reply.  I had called Apple.  6 different Apple reps talked to me.  After 2 hours I was told they don't have the information.    

It really makes me appreciate the support we all get from you.  All of us users of Photools should be extremely grateful for your support.  Its why I will always be a be a customer.

I did a lot more digging and after a day of research I submitted the question on EXIFTool BB under Metadata just in case a photographer ran into the same problem.  In case others are wondering why I focused on this tag its because I started taking RAW pics with my Iphone 14 Pro Max and was searching for ProRaw photos. 

Thanks for the response as always.  Have a few weeks off so I plan on spending most of my time with IMATCH.

Kiwilink

[Mario]

It's one of those 'intentionally undocumented' things in metadata...

Vendor-specific metadata fields in images (maker notes) are used to hold camera-specific and vendor-specific data and are usually undocumented and non-standardized. Unlike standards like EXIF, IPTC or XMP.

ExifTool knows about a lot of maker notes and their meanings and makes them accessible. Which is awesome.
Maker notes are usually figured out by the ExifTool community, without any support from camera vendors

It's the same with lenses. The name of a lens is not stored as text in EXIF. Instead it is stored as a series of numbers in various EXIF tags. Together they describe the lens used.

The names ExifTool presents for lenses is based on internal lookup tables, where ExifTool stores the numerical values and the associated most likely lens name. Most likely because there is no standard or documentation from lens makers and the numbers they use are sometimes used for different lenses by different lens makers.

The known lenses are based on feedback from the ExifTool community, where camera owners report the numbers for the lenses they and camera bodies they use. Then Phil figures out how to map that into proper lens name.

All this could be easy when camera makers and lens makers would be required to publish such information.
They can use maker notes when they want, but they have to publish a documentation.