Nikon Z RAW Files Include Lens Serial Number

I read on the web that the Nikon Z6 and Z7 NEF files now include the lens serial number, in addition to the camera body serial number. I just checked some of my Z6 RAW files, and that is indeed the case.

 

However, this feature is available only for native Z-mount lenses, presumably from Nikon. My images captured with F-mount lenses via the FTZ adapter do not show this lens serial number field. I assume only Z-mount lenses are communicating its serial number to the camera.

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by ShunCheung

"It always feels like... somebody's watching meee."

You don't have to share the EXIF data unless you choose to.

 

I have heard that at some weddings, there are multiple photographers, e.g. a pro and 1 or 2 assistants, and they use the same camera model. Having the body serial number for each image can easily help them distinguish who has captured which image.

 

By the same token, in case one has two of the same lens model, having the serial number may help identify which lens maybe defective. And in case your lens is stolen, having the serial number may, in some rare cases, help you track it down.

Edited January 2, 2019 by ShunCheung

The only situation where Nikon 'makes' you include a serial number is if you need to share NEF files from many of their dSLRs. For reasons best known to itself, Nikon encrypts some metadata (including 'as shot' white balance) using various keys, with a scheme that has long since been cracked. One of these keys is the camera serial number embedded in the NEF. You can delete the serial number from the raw file using something like ExifTool, but then your raw processor can no longer recover the white balance.