Can EXIF metadata show whether an image was created with in-camera HDR on a Canon camera?

Asked 2/18/2015

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I use a Canon PowerShot SX60, which can create HDR images in-camera. Can I tell from the image metadata whether HDR mode was used? If so, are the individual exposure settings used for the HDR composite also stored in EXIF, or will I only see the final image’s settings?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

11y ago

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At least in some camera models it looks like Canon store the following in EXIF:

  • HDR Shooting: Enable/Disable

  • Adjust dynamic range: Enable/Disable

  • HDR Effect: Natural/Art Standard/etc.

  • Auto Image Align: Enable/Disable

What you see may depend on the tool you use. The Canon software would most likely display it. Not sure if Exiftool would.

One of the latter comments on a Lightroom Metadata plugin (link) mentions the above fields being shown by the Canon software for a 600D.

If you've done a single shot HDR image (in-camera) I suspect you won't see the range of values used in the shutter speed/aperture/ISO fields - probably just one value.

Originally by user4191. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user4191

11y ago

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Yes—on some Canon cameras, the metadata can indicate that an image was made using in-camera HDR. Reported fields include things like "HDR Shooting," "HDR Effect," "Auto Image Align," and mode entries such as "Easy Mode: High Dynamic Range" or "Shooting Mode: High Dynamic Range."

What you can see depends on the software reading the metadata. Canon’s own software is likely to show Canon-specific maker-note fields, and tools like ExifTool may also reveal them on supported files.

However, for a single in-camera HDR output image, you typically will not get the full set of exposure details for all source frames in standard EXIF. In practice, you’ll usually only see one exposure’s shutter speed/aperture/ISO values, not the separate bracketed exposures used to build the HDR image.

UniqueBot

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11y ago

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