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Known Participant
July 4, 2024
Question

Changing EXIF data when adjusting capture times

  • July 4, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 3909 views

Hi, 

Running Windows 11 v23H2

Lightroom Classic v 13-3-2

 

Recently took multiple photos in a new location without adjusting camera for 8 hour time difference.

 

New to Lightroom but following tried to adjust and the time and date shown in the EXIF data for the images does NOT change whilst if I go back into the Edit Capture Time Dialog Box it seems to have recorded the change.

It may be a simple fix but I haven't found it yet so HELP!

 

{Moved from Lightroom Cloud to Lightroom Classic Forum by Moderator} 

1 reply

Community Expert
July 4, 2024

there are many different date and time fields within EXIF data so it depends which one you are talking about. For example, if you use the Edit Capture Time that will change some but others may still (deliberately) preserve the original date/time which the camera had recorded. Also there will be some manufacturer proprietary info fields which will not have been updated. Provided the right result then happens, e.g. so far as the "Date Taken" info reported within JPGs that you export, these other unmodified date fields simply do not matter.

 

Separate issue: for example the Edit Capture Time dialog updates the info in the Catalog DATABASE. This action is not the same thing as updating the EXIF data that is held by the imported image FILE. So if you inspect that, it may not have changed (and to repeat, if does matter which particular metadata field you are looking at). However, you can manually tell the Catalog to update (write out) its metadata to the external file. Also you can turn on an "automatically write XMP" option which makes this happen for each new change made (after turning the option on). 

 

Finally: neither the file creation date nor the file modification date has any necessary relation to the "date taken" - as originally, or as corrected - nor to the date imported, nor to the date edited.

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 4, 2024

To build on this: Lightroom Classic has the option to change the capature time in the file, even if that is a proprietary raw file, without having to write all metadata to the file (and into an XMP sidecar file in case of proprietary raw files). This option is here: Catalog Settings > Metadata > EXIF > Write Date Or Time Changes Into Proprietary Raw Files.

 

-- Johan W. Elzenga
JohanElzenga
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 11, 2024

You have to WRITE the XMP to change the Capture Time in the RAW file.  If you do not it only records it in the catalog.

 

Write Time/Date to files in RAW in preferences in ON

 

Original RAW file Dates

 

Changed Date to the year 2000 for both

Saved XMP ONLY for 423

 

Removed the two files from LrC

 

Deleted the XMP for 423

Reimported into LrC.  Only 423 has the date changed in the RAW file

 

To have the date changed in the file you must save XMP

     


quote

You have to WRITE the XMP to change the Capture Time in the RAW file.  If you do not it only records it in the catalog.


By @Bob Somrak

 

You should not have to do that. The dialog is perfectly clear, it even warns you that the raw file will be changed. If Lightroom Classic does not really write the date to the file despite this setting being checked, then that would be a bug in my opinion. I just did a quick test, and it does indeed look like there is such a bug.

 

 

BTW, I just tested it and the 'Time' field that the OP is looking at in the metadata panel is the file modification time, not the capture time. That explains why he does not see any change after changing the capture time.

 

-- Johan W. Elzenga