Which EXIF tag should store the original capture date: Exif.Photo.DateTimeOriginal or Exif.Image.DateTimeOriginal?

Asked 3/28/2026

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2 answers

I want to store the date and time a JPEG was actually captured by a digital camera. Some software and tag lists show both Exif.Photo.DateTimeOriginal and Exif.Image.DateTimeOriginal. What is the difference between these two tags, and which one is the correct standard tag to use for the photo’s original capture timestamp?

metadata software workflow exif jpeg

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

Flux

2mo ago

2 Answers

Usually they have (if present) the same value, Photo is the contemporary tag, Image is used mainly for compatibility with legacy software.

(Adding this as an answer here where it should be because the original poster chose to place it as a comment where it should not be.)

Originally by Michael C. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Michael C

2mo ago

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Use Exif.Photo.DateTimeOriginal for the original capture date/time. It maps to the standard EXIF field ExifIFD:DateTimeOriginal, which is the proper place to record when the image was taken.

Exif.Image.DateTimeOriginal is a non-standard placement of the same idea in the Image/IFD0 area. Some software may duplicate the value there for compatibility with older or legacy tools, so you may sometimes see both tags with the same timestamp.

In short:

Exif.Photo.DateTimeOriginal = standard, correct tag for capture time
Exif.Image.DateTimeOriginal = non-standard/legacy compatibility location

If you are writing metadata for interoperability, write the capture timestamp to Exif.Photo.DateTimeOriginal. If older software support matters, some tools may also mirror it elsewhere, but the standard field is the one to rely on.

Which EXIF tag should store the original capture date: Exif.Photo.DateTimeOriginal or Exif.Image.DateTimeOriginal?

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