Editing metadata for scanned film images

[LocalHero1953]

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In the last couple of years I have added a lot of film images to my Lightroom catalogue, with different cameras, lenses, film types and formats. I scanned older family prints and negatives using a flatbed scanner and a Minolta film scanner. Others have been scanned professionally. I am now adding 35mm and 4x5 negative scans using my SL2-S.

I would like to add metadata to the digital files to show the original camera, lens, film/print type and size, date of taking of the photo etc. I would like to do this for single images and batches. I would like to use these metadata fields for filtering in Lightroom.

I don't want to change the basic camera, lens and date fields: after all, the FINAL image WAS taken with a SL2-S, on the date it was scanned, not with a Leica M4, Summilux-M 50 pre-asph on Tri-X two weeks earlier. But I do want to record those details somewhere in the metadata.

I can't see an easy way to do this in Lightroom Classic, though perhaps I haven't looked hard enough. There doesn't seem to be the opportunity to create new custom fields and populate them (and it doesn't seem possible to edit the camera and lens info even if I wanted to).

How do others manage metadata of scanned negatives so it shows relevant information in a usable way? Is there a LR plugin that does the job? Is it only possible outside Lightroom?

Edited April 22, 2022 by LocalHero1953

[Ralf1960Mono]

There is a plugin for LRclassic, that adds many additional fields to your metadata section. All relating to scan issues. I think it‘s called Negative Lab. Maybe you‘ll give it a try. Trial is possible as far as I know. 

[LocalHero1953]

Just now, Ralf1960Mono said:

There is a plugin for LRclassic, that adds many additional fields to your metadata section. All relating to scan issues. I think it‘s called Negative Lab. Maybe you‘ll give it a try. Trial is possible as far as I know. 

Interesting - I have Negative Lab Pro for negative inversion. I now prefer to invert myself manually, so I haven't explored its options for editing metadata.
Thanks!

[Ralf1960Mono]

Gerade eben schrieb LocalHero1953:

Interesting - I have Negative Lab Pro for negative inversion. I now prefer to invert myself manually, so I haven't explored its options for editing metadata.
Thanks!

It creates a special section in your metadata selection box. 

[250swb]

I don't think you want to edit Metadata, that is the information from your scanner, but instead add keywords or 'tags'. If you use Adobe Bridge you can add your own keywords to files. The Keyword section already comes with basic categories Events, People, and Places, with appropriate subsections for date, who, what, where, etc., so all you do is create a new category for Camera Data, and in that add you keywords for Body, Lens, Film, etc. You can then search for photos that have common keywords. Bridge also shows your scanners metadata. Adobe Bridge is free.

Edited April 23, 2022 by 250swb

[LocalHero1953]

23 minutes ago, 250swb said:

I don't think you want to edit Metadata, that is the information from your scanner, but instead add keywords or 'tags'. If you use Adobe Bridge you can add your own keywords to files. The Keyword section already comes with basic categories Events, People, and Places, with appropriate subsections for date, who, what, where, etc., so all you do is create a new category for Camera Data, and in that add you keywords for Body, Lens, Film, etc. You can then search for photos that have common keywords. Bridge also shows your scanners metadata. Adobe Bridge is free.

Thanks, I was moving towards the same thinking. The drawback I saw was that all my pre-existing digital camera files would not have the same keywords (e.g. M9, M240 etc) in the same place, unless I added them; I would have to use different fields for filtering on. It's manageable, but I would prefer the same keywording/metadata fields for all files.

Edited April 23, 2022 by LocalHero1953

[evikne]

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I use a LR plugin called LensTagger. It has a section for analog film options that I think can do exactly what you want.

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[grahamc]

15 minutes ago, evikne said:

I use a LR plugin called LensTagger. It has a section for analog film options that I think can do exactly what you want.

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This looks extremely useful, thanks !

[evikne]

9 minutes ago, grahamc said:

This looks extremely useful, thanks !

I use the Lens Options section to correct the lens used (if I forgot to manually select an uncoded lens in the camera menu), and to set the correct f-number. I find it very useful, but it's perhaps even more useful for analog users.

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Edited April 23, 2022 by evikne

[grahamc]

9 minutes ago, evikne said:

I use the Lens Options section to correct the lens used (if I forgot to manually select an uncoded lens in the camera menu), and to set the correct f-number. I find it very useful, but it's perhaps even more useful for analog users.

 

That's great - very useful for 10-D users then as I don't currently correct any lenses or have exif in Lightroom 

Some discipline needed but will really pay off as I do like knowing what I used for later reference 

Edited April 23, 2022 by grahamc

[LocalHero1953]

10 hours ago, evikne said:

I use a LR plugin called LensTagger. It has a section for analog film options that I think can do exactly what you want.

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Thanks - that was one that caught my eye, but I couldn't find a recent review.

[Bobitybob]

If you use a Mac take a look at Exif Editor on the App Store.  I thing it's about £10 but it may be more now.

It allows you to edit/add to the exif data of the scanned file or digital image if you scan using a camera or use adapted lenses.  It has presets that you can set up for regularly used settings.  I have set mine up with prefixes so that all of the various cameras, lenses and films are collated together

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Worth a look

Edited April 24, 2022 by Bobitybob

[LocalHero1953]

2 hours ago, Bobitybob said:

If you use a Mac take a look at Exif Editor on the App Store.  I thing it's about £10 but it may be more now.

It allows you to edit/add to the exif data of the scanned file or digital image if you scan using a camera or use adapted lenses.  It has presets that you can set up for regularly used settings.  I have set mine up with prefixes so that all of the various cameras, lenses and films are collated together

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Worth a look

Thanks - who writes that app? I don't have a Mac, but I'll look to see if there's a windows version - but the name is too similar to others to be sure which is which!

Edited April 24, 2022 by LocalHero1953

[Bobitybob]

Sorry it’s a Mac only app but if you are interested then there is a very similar app on the Microsoft store https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/p/photos-exif-editor/9nr2jg31004j?activetab=pivot%3Aoverviewtab. Bonus is that it’s half the price. 

[LocalHero1953]

I have just checked out Negative Lab Pro, which I bought a few months ago. It has editable fields for all the metadata I want.. No need to try anything else.

NLP interfaces to the common Exiftool command line app, but it's seamless.

[Bobitybob]

1 hour ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I have just checked out Negative Lab Pro, which I bought a few months ago. It has editable fields for all the metadata I want.. No need to try anything else.

NLP interfaces to the common Exiftool command line app, but it's seamless.

That's how Exif Editor works.  I wouldn't be surprised if they all don't as Exiftool is widely regarded as the best Exif editor available.  Unfortunately as you say, it's command line only which is probably why so many people write GUIs for it, and of course the fact that it's free.

[LocalHero1953]

I should have added: thank you to everyone who made suggestions.🙂

[hirohhhh]

I use LenTagger for years for film photos and for some lenses that are not recognized automatically.

[jmahto]

+1 for Lenstagger 

But when I am lazy then simply keywords (for camera, lens, even f stops). It is equally useful for searching  

 

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[evikne]

30 minutes ago, Saussure said:

Hi,

 

I have a question about the software LensTagger under Lightroom Classic: I have by mistake created two incorrect lens presets in the LensTagger software (preset "4/35" and "8" under 1 on the screenshot below).

 

=> I want to delete these two presets: when I choose "Delete Preset" (under 2 on the screenshot below) nothing happens...

 

Does anyone know how to delete a preset in LensTagger?

 

Thanks in advance

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If you don't have other presets you want to keep, you can try to open the LR Plug-in Manager, go to the LensTagger plugin > Options, and choose "Delete All Presets".