What software can batch-edit EXIF data on scanned slide images?
Asked 3/23/2012
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I’m scanning a large number of old slides, and my scanner writes an unhelpful description into the image metadata. I want to remove or replace that text and add more useful information, such as the original capture date, across hundreds of files at once. What tools can batch-edit EXIF/IPTC metadata for this kind of cleanup?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
6
Exif has two fields to store an image description: XPTitle and ImageDescription. What field your scanner use?
The below command line (via ExifTool) will erase all of your Exif:Description and Exif:XPTitle fields of the images in the specified directory:
exiftool.exe -exif:ImageDescription= -exif:XPTitle= "YOURDIR"
Although any decent photo management tools like our free Daminion or Lightroom can do this job.
Originally by user4365. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4365
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Several tools mentioned can do this in batch:
- ExifTool: the most powerful option for editing metadata fields in bulk. It can remove description fields such as ImageDescription and XPTitle, which are common places scanners write unwanted text. It’s command-line based but very flexible.
- jhead: good for simple JPEG EXIF tasks. It can delete or replace comment fields and also adjust date/time metadata. It’s also command-line based and useful for scripting repetitive fixes.
- GeoSetter: a free graphical interface that uses ExifTool underneath, making bulk metadata edits easier if you prefer not to use the command line.
- Photo management apps such as Lightroom were also noted as capable of batch metadata editing.
If your scanner is writing to a specific field, first identify which one it uses (for example ImageDescription vs XPTitle), then edit or clear that field in bulk. For maximum control, ExifTool is the strongest choice; for a GUI, GeoSetter may be the easiest.
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