Another CameraName Question

[Nyet_Banya_2]

I recently imported two video files into my IMatch database.  One of these files was automatically populated with a value in the CameraName tag (photools.com::IMatch\1520\cameraname\0).  The second file did not populate a value into this same tag.

The two video files are somewhat different in that the first video was created by an Apple iPhone 6s.  The second video file was created by a Google Pixel 6a.

I have had no luck trying set the CameraName tag via a Metadata Template.  Instead, this tag value seems to be automatically set by IMatch when the files are imported into the database.

This second file does contain the camera information I want to populate the CameraName tag.  The information  is stored in these two tags...
-   QuickTime::ItemList\android.manufacturer\AndroidManufacturer\0
-   QuickTime::ItemList\android.manufacturer\AndroidModel\0

Any hints how I can force-fill the CameraName tag in this second file?  Thank you.

[Mario]

There is no camera name tag. This is a custom tag IMatch creates based on standard metadata make/model information.
IMatch combines the official EXIF/XMP make/model tags into one virtual tag, trying to remove redundancy and spelling variations to create a unified camera name tag. Over the years, I've added more sources to fill this tag from, but device manufacturers invent new metadata fields to store the information all the time - for reasons unknown.

The XMP and EXIF metadata standards specify a "make" (camera vendor) and "model" (device model) tag. None of these are mandatory and device/camera vendors may support these tags - or not. If they don't, you're effed. Burying the information in some volatile QuickTime maker note is probably not a good idea.

The IMatch camera name tag is read-only for users and filled by the system from the official EXIF/XMP make and model tags and some other metadata values I've added over the years.

By the sounds of your post, the maker of your device decided to not provide the make/model information in any of the standardized tags. Shame on them.

If ExifTool knows about them, you can access them via their unique tag name and corresponding variables as usual. This also allows you to access the data your device writes in metadata templates  and variables.

IMatch does not try to use or care about the dozens of schemes device makers come up with to store (hide) the device name / device model in some undocumented, volatile, custom and proprietary metadata tag.

If the maker of your device is not supporting the the official and standardized EXIF male/model tags and neither the XMP make/model tags, you may want to contact them and ask them why - you're a paying customer, after all.

Hah-ha- just kidding. 
You probably won't get an answer or maybe something along the line of "Apple/Google knows best",
Still, metadata standards exist and provide standardized tags to store this kind of information.
Not supporting these standards is just lazy, stupid or a just another way for a device vendor to lock you into their proprietary "walled garden.

You can use an IMatch metadata template to copy the contents of the proprietary tags your deice stores the male and model in into e.g. the description or keywords.

If you want me to add yet another source to check for data h´when filling the camera name tag, send me some sample images documentation links  to support email address.

[Uwe]

I know this problem too. For example, my scanner does not write make and model tags when I select the output format TIF. But it does with JPG. Furthermore, depending on the format, the make tag is filled differently for cameras or certain software "modifies" these tags by not transferring the tags 1:1 from the RAW file to the output formats. In these cases, I write/correct the values in the EXIF/XMP tags using the Exiftool command line.
Regards, Uwe

[jch2103]

As the OP likely knows, .jpg files from a Pixel 6 (presumably also a 6a) do document the make/model in standard ways so IMatch captures that information. But video data (.mp4) from the same camera doesn't (as Mario has said elsewhere, video is the wild west in terms of metadata). I can confirm that IM imports Pixel 6 video with the same tags as reported by the OP:

Code Select Expand

[Keys]          Android Manufacturer            : Google
[Keys]          Android Model                   : Pixel 6
I'll send a very short sample video to the IM support email address in the near future.

[Mario]

When producing the unified photools.com camera name, IMatch probes a set of tags, e.g. EXIF/XMP make/model, QuickTime make/model, H246 make/model etc.

John, thanks for sending a sample move. I have added it to my test suite. I already have a range of pixel images and videos.

I have added support for these two tags to IMatch 2025.
After installing IMatch 2025, select the affected videos and press Shift+Ctrl+F5 and then use Reload Metadata to reload the metadata from these files, which then fills the photools.com CameraName tag.


I just wonder why device manufactures make up their own tags (Android Manufacturer / Android Model) when they just could use the existing and (more or less) widely supported make/model tags for the very same purpose.

[Nyet_Banya_2]

Thank you forum participants for your responses!  As usual, I remain impressed.

Once I read that it is the Wild West out there and the only way I could resolve my particular issue was to lobby the fine folks at Google I knew I was truly effed as Mario succinctly put it.

Yet, by the time I finished reading this thread I learned a heckuva lot from the detailed explanations.  And, surprising bonus, a solution was now in the works to help me un-eff myself!  Amazing.

Perhaps Photools.com should consider adding a second marketing blurb to their website.  I think it has easily earned the right to brag about their ability to address the continuing chaos of the  Wild West.  Something like:  "We are here to herd the DAM cats at your next goat rope"! 🤠

Thanks again!

[Mario]

I usually sum this up as Metadata Mess.

And, compared to the metadata mess we see in digital images, the metadata data we see in video files is, indeed a Wild West and an even bigger metadata mess. The device makers don't care. And Apple cases only for their own users and software.

@All Users

Since I cannot test any device on the market, download sample images etc.: If the IMatch camera name is empty for some of your images, let me know. Maybe use the ExifTool Command Processor with the "List Metadata" preset and then search the results for term like make, manufacture and model. Or search for the name of the device vendor and the name of the device. This way we can find other tags were vendors bury this data and I can integrate it.