Batch-process to change date/time back to DateTaken EXIF MTP

[yetanotherlogin]

Hello

The camera I got (Canon PowerShot SX240HS) uses MTP to connect to Windows (7).

Unfortunately, after files are copied in Windows, the date/time is today's date instead of the date/time the pictures were originally taken ("Date taken" column in Windows Explorer).

I was wondering if there were an add-on to TC that can batch-process a bunch of files and change their date/time back to when they were taken?

Thank you.

[milo1012]

Quite a common problem, I wonder which people made that decision to throw away the time stamp in that mode...stupid.

I was wondering if there were an add-on to TC that can batch-process a bunch of files and change their date/time back to when they were taken?

Yes, you can use e.g. the Exif-Plugin.
Just mark your files, start the mulit-rename-tool and use the plugin field as the rename mask, for example:

[face=courier][=exif.DateOriginal.D.M.Y][/face]

Another plugin which also works is ShellDetails, the date format is not as controllable though.

[yetanotherlogin]

Thanks for the tip.

It seems like Exif-Plugin is able to read the date/time from the file and use this to rename the filename... but I'd like to change the current date/time with the date/time the picture was actually taken, just like MTP should do if it weren't f*ed up.

I found no help file in the ZIP file nor a wiki/help page in the plug-in's page, so before I settle for renaming the files with "[N]_[=exif.DateOriginal.D.M.Y]_[=exif.TimeOriginal.h.m.s]", I'd like to make sure.

Thank you.

[milo1012]

Yes, you can. Sorry, I misinterpreted it.

Just select the files, use the command Files -> Change Attributes,
select the Plugin:

tc -> writedate

(make sure the checkmark for "Change plugin attributes" is set)
and fill the field with:

exif -> DateOriginal

Now the file modification date should be the exif date when the process is done,
but you need to do the same again with the time first,
since it's independent from the pure date, so use another plugin field:

tc -> writetime -> exif -> TimeOriginal

[yetanotherlogin]

I'm not sure how to fill the date field with "exif -> DateOriginal":

http://postimg.org/image/yrpmcz2nb/

[milo1012]

Don't use the arrows, this means do not fill the field manually.
Just click on the [+] button on the very right and you can select several plugin fields, including the exif DateOriginal.

[yetanotherlogin]

Thanks, it worked.

In case other newbies happen on this thread looking for the same info, here's another screenshot:

http://postimg.org/image/79nin6bld/

[milo1012]

Good idea, but the checkmark for "Change plugin attributes" is not set

[yetanotherlogin]

Oops. What happens if it's not checked?

[milo1012]

Nothing. If you didn't alter anything above the plugin fields, the files stay unaltered.

The mark is always unset when you re-open the dialog, just like in the search dialog (Alt+F7), for "sanity" reasons,
i.e. not accidentally using plugins where you don't want to.
Might be a little distracting, but you get used to it.

[yetanotherlogin]

Makes sense. Thanks.

[Tony4324]

I have had this issue with several other brands of cameras plus several versions of Windows.

Rather than having to correct the Time/Date stamps, I remove the SD card from the camera and then use a Card Reader and TC to copy the files with the original Time/Date stamp.

Regards

Tony Christian
Australia

[damjang]

I have had this issue with several other brands of cameras plus several versions of Windows.

Rather than having to correct the Time/Date stamps, I remove the SD card from the camera and then use a Card Reader and TC to copy the files with the original Time/Date stamp.

Same here. I find also that when you download images from camera with mtp also exif data in image got changed and/or updated...

[Sir_SiLvA]

Same here. I find also that when you download images from camera with mtp also exif data in image got changed and/or updated...

Can you prove that bold claim?

[Phred]

Same here. I find also that when you download images from camera with mtp also exif data in image got changed and/or updated...

Can you prove that bold claim?

I believe your implication is right, Sir Sil - Exif data is unlikely to change.


Seeing that this is the only thread with both writedate and dateoriginal in it, I'll expand the matter a little - if you're going to change the writedate with the dateoriginal like this, does anyone know of a way to find files where writedate and dateoriginal differ?

That is, where writedate and dateoriginal within individual files differ from each other.

Then I'd know if it's worth bothering with the operation above on thousands of files, regularly.