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jonasflanken
Participating Frequently
March 18, 2016

P: Lens metadata field missing on import

  • March 18, 2016
  • 142 replies
  • 2663 views

Since updating Photoshop and Lightroom, I've noticed that the aux:lens metadata field is being deleted from my images on import, such that there is no lens listed after import. I've determined that it's Camera Raw 9.5 that seems to be the culprit, as lens metadata is retained if I use an older version of the DNG Converter v8.8 to import the same images.

For example, I had an image shot on a Sony RX100 III at 8.8mm. If I import this image with the old version of DNG Converter, and then open the converted DNG in Photoshop, the lens is reported with the full-frame equivalent focal lengths, i.e., 24-70mm F1.8-2.8, and the raw metadata has the correct aux:Lens field (24-70mm F1.8-2.8).

Conversely, if I import the same image directly into Photoshop or Lightroom, the metadata will display the correct focal length, but will not display the lens information; Lightroom reports this only as "unknown lens," and in Photoshop the aux:Lens field is missing completely.

For now, I will use the old version of DNG Converter as a workaround, but this is inconvenient, and really should be fixed.

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    142 replies

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    Victoria Bampton LR Queen
    Community Expert
    Victoria Bampton LR QueenCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 28, 2016
    You'll be able to recover the data. Just go to Metadata menu > Write Metadata to Files and then Metadata menu > Read Metadata from Files (with the applicable photos selected, of course).  That'll work in 2015.4, or in the update they release to stop it happening to future photos.
    Victoria - The Lightroom Queen
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMember
    Inspiring
    March 28, 2016
    The library module database is somehow broke in 2015.5.  Reverting to 2015.4 alone does not fix the faulty data base entry. , even though the info is in the xml sidecar file.
    Fortunately caught the problem soon enough so only had to fix a couple days of work using the method stated a few posts previous after reverting back to 2015.4.

    They claim it is being worked on?  Still not fixed!  Still had to pay for my subscription!!!!
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMember
    Inspiring
    March 28, 2016


    The lateset edition, 2015.5, does not transfer lens data to metadata list, only focal length. Bummer when you want to know what lens you used. (It does allow renaming the files though after creating a second copy. That's an improvement.)
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMember
    Inspiring
    March 28, 2016


    In importing photos from an SD card, LR version CC 2015.5 [ 1067055 ] does not recognize the lens used although it correctly recognizes the camera, e.g. in my case Nikon D7000.  I reinstalled version CC 2015 [1014445], and this older version correctly recognize both the camera and the lens as D7000 and 16.0-85.0 mm f/3.5-5.6.  Anyone experiencing similar problems with version CC 2015.5 [ 1067055 ]?
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMember
    Inspiring
    March 28, 2016

    J
    jonny76
    Participant
    March 28, 2016


    Lenstype dont show as infotext or metadata in library/develop-module. In the developmodule its shown in the lenscorrection but dont show up as infotext. In the librarymodule I cant find it at all, its an unkonwn lens... Nikon 70-200 VRII...on Nikon D800E. Its been working before...!?!
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMember
    Inspiring
    March 25, 2016
    The process does work to re-add the data to the library database.  The first step, the save, is paramount.  Doing the read without doing the save will reset all history and can't be undone, although it does restore lens data.  
    johnrellis
    johnrellis
    Genius
    March 25, 2016
    Here's a possible way to roll back: In CC 2015.4 / 6.4, select the affect photos and do Metadata > Save Metadata To File. This will save the catalog metadata back into the file (the .xmp sidecar for raws or directly into the DNG / TIFF / JPEG).  Then do Metadata > Read Metadata From File.  This will reread the metadata from file.

    I haven't verified this (since I don't have 2015.4 running at the moment).  So if you try this, be sure to make a backup of your catalog and the photos you're experimenting with.
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMember
    Inspiring
    March 25, 2016
    I have seen the same.  It is mucking up the metadata stored in the library database.  The lens data simply is not loaded into the library database.  That is why simply rolling back doesn't get the info to re-appear.
    F
    FeedbackCommunityMember
    Inspiring
    March 25, 2016
    it's important to note that images imported before the upgrade to 6.5 DO show the lens data. Images imported after the 6.5 upgrade don't show the info. So this leads me to believe it's not just "not showing up in the display." Reverting to 6.4 doesn't make the post 6.5upgrade image lens info visible. I had to revert to 6.4 then delete and re-import the post 6.5 upgrade images in order to get LR 6.4 to see the lens data. Clearly 6.5 is mucking up the mettadata.
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