Can EXIF metadata tell me which camera mode was used, such as Auto, P, A, S/T, or M?
Asked 8/25/2014
4 views
2 answers
0
I want to identify the shooting mode used for photos after copying them to a computer. On the camera itself, playback shows the mode clearly, such as AUTO, P, A, S/T, M, and on some models even modes like Superior Auto. In the image metadata, I can find the EXIF field "Exposure Program," but that does not always seem specific enough—for example, P and AUTO may both appear as Program AE. Is there a reliable way to determine the exact camera mode from EXIF, or does it depend on the camera and manufacturer?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
2
There is an EXIF field called "Exposure program" which does exactly what you want: Show what was the mode in which camera worked.
However for older, (cheaper?) cameras (for example Nikon Coolpix D7000) this field can simply have "Unidentified (0)" or "Manual (1)" even if the camera was in one of the automatic exposure modes.
For professional dSLRs (eg. Canon 5D Mk3) the field is limited (of course) to the classical "Normal (2)", "Aperture priority (3)" etc. while for newer middle-range/consumer cameras can have the values of the different other programs which camera (eg. Olympus VH410) implements: "Creative (slow) (5)" etc.
The numbers are the actual values which are stored in this field in EXIF metadata space.
The above values where checked with XnView MP which has also the advantage to display the EXIF data in-line and side-by-side with the ExifTool which is the mother of any EXIF processing program. Just launch the program, and see the Exif data in the 'Exif' tab in the Info Pane (lower left corner by default). If you want the full Exif analysis/display just switch to 'ExifTool' tab (beware, ExifTool is rather slow).
Originally by user952. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user952
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Usually the main EXIF field to check is Exposure Program. It records broad exposure modes such as Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual.
However, it is not a universal, fully detailed record of the camera’s mode dial setting. In practice:
- Some cameras only store generic values.
- Some older or simpler models may write unclear values like "Unidentified" or even "Manual" when an automatic mode was actually used.
- More advanced or newer consumer cameras may record extra program types, but this varies by brand and model.
So while EXIF can often distinguish the classic exposure modes, it may not reliably distinguish AUTO from P if both are stored as Program AE. If your camera shows more detailed mode information during playback, that detail may be stored only in manufacturer-specific maker notes, not in standard EXIF fields.
In short: check Exposure Program first, but exact mode-dial recovery is camera-dependent and may not always be possible from standard EXIF alone.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI11y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What’s the difference between Auto mode and Program (P) mode on a DSLR?
What’s the difference between Sony Program Auto, Intelligent Auto, and Superior Auto modes?
Which camera exposure mode should a beginner use: Auto, scene modes, P/A/S/M?
Why is ISO grayed out in Auto mode on a Nikon D5100?
How does Auto ISO work on the Nikon D5100 in P, S, A, and M modes?