"SONY DSC" embedded in caption field

[freewolf]

<p>Quick question from a real newbie. I'm shooting with a Sony DLSR-A350 and doing limited post-production in Lightroom 2. I find that when converting file formats I get "SONY DSC" placed in the Caption metadata field of the new file, and I can't seem to find where it's coming from or how to control it, other than to delete it from the field manually. Am I overlooking something completely obvious? Is there a reason (ie legal Sony-ese or some such) to leave it in the metadata???? I know it doesn't seem terribly important, but it is an ongoing annoyance.<br>

Side note: being near the bottom of the learning curve, I definitely appreciate any comments that will help speed up the process regarding dslr and photography in general. I hope to upload some images in a few days, and I am literally begging for comment and critique!! Thanks in advance to all who take an interest...<br>

Kevin L. Freeman, rank beginner</p>

[peterblaise]

<p>.</p>

<p>It looks as the Sony ARw file is newer than your Lightroom / Adobe Camera Raw software, and the software it is "slightly" misreading only some of the data as if it is only as smart as the earlier Sony Alpha cameras - A100, A700 ...</p>

<p>So, update your Lightroom / Adobe Camera Raw and report back if it fixes it. What versions are you using versus what versions are available at the Adobe web pages for update patches? If you are current, get Adobe to help -- maybe remove and reinstall from fresh masters?</p>

<p>The "Caption" field often gets confused with Headline, Title, Object Name, or filename, but never camera maker!</p>

<p>Let us know how it fixes.</p>

<p>.</p>

[peterblaise]

<p>.</p>

<p>Kevin,</p>

<p>Capture a Raw+JPG and see if the JPG version is just fine, "caption" description wise, and it's only the Raw that's messed up. If it is, then it's merely your old Raw interpreter at fault -- an un-updated Adobe Camera Raw.</p>

<p>Let us know -- details, details, details!</p>

<p>.</p>

[derek_kennedy]

<p>My SOny A100 does the same thing. Before I post an imgae, I edit it in Photoshop and I *always* edit the caption field, even if leaving it blank (assuming we are talking about the A100). My Canons do not put anything in this field.</p>

<p>I dont know why this happens, but I just checked a photo I took with the Sony A100, and in the unedited photo (jpg and the RAW file), SONY DSC is placed in the EXIF. If you do not remove this, or change it, the caption will read 'SONY DSC'.</p>

<p>Yeah it can be a pain but I always change/add the description to what I want anyway, before posting the image(s) on my site. Even if all Im doing is removing the SONY DSC text. I go in and add a caption, usually, and while Im there add my © 2009 Derek Kennedy.</p>

[howardstanbury]

<p>I see something like this (the Sony DSC caption) in Elements, with ACR 5.2, using A100 RAW files. When I import pictures I select the entire batch and change the caption to nothing for the entire batch in one go (in Organizer Edit > Change caption). I don't know if ACR 5.3 (currently at RC stage) will address this?</p>

[freewolf]

<p>Thanks for the replies so far. I'm running all my shots thru LR2 and CS4, brand new install w/most recent (to my knowledge) updates, but I suppose it still bears investigation. Will explore your suggestions and report back. As is, I also do a batch delete on the field, as I don't always have a caption decided for each as I'm doing first run post-process. <br>

The wife says I'm OCP, but the devil is always in the details!</p>

[strocchia]

<p>It's not the update that will fix this (although it's good to make sure your software is always up to date), just head to bridge and right click on the files you want to rename and click on "file info." Tab through the window until you see "SONY DSC" written in one of the fields and then rename it whatever you like.</p>

[peterblaise]

<p>.</p>

<p>Argh -- and Sony is a member of the Metadata Working Group along with Adobe, and if THEY can't speak the same metadata language to each other ...</p>

<p>http://www.metadataworkinggroup.org/</p>

<p>Read their own instructions to themselves:</p>

<p>http://www.metadataworkinggroup.org/pdf/mwg_guidance.pdf</p>

<p>.</p>

[freewolf]

<p>Nick: Thanks for the suggestion, but it seems to have led to further anguish. After going into Bridge and looking in the Metadata panel, I find "SONY DSC" embedded in not only Caption, but also in the Description field under IPTC (IIM, Legacy), which I can edit in Bridge, and the Image Description field under Camera Data (EXIF), which I CANNOT edit in Bridge. </p>

<p>Going into File Info, as you suggested, I find it in the Description field under the Description tab, and the Description field in the IPTC Content section under the IPTC tab. (I find <em>only</em> "DSC" in the File Source field in the Camera Data 2 section under the Camera Data tab, but that seems to be where this info belongs to begin with!)</p>

<p>Further, in going to the Raw Data tab in File Info, I ran a search for the string DSC, and find only one occurence, near the end of the code, that reads (in quotes for visibility's sake):<br>

"<rdf:li xml:lang="x-default>SONY DSC</rdf:li>"</p>

<p>Even further (but apparently related to the last), under the Advanced tab, I find the following:<br>

"►Schema (<a href="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/</a>)<br>

►dc:description (alt-text container)<br>

►SONY DSC (language: x-default)"<br>

Following the url link out of curiosity, I am taken directly to a file named dcelements.rdf from dublincore.org, which means almost nothing to me (I'm not sure off the top of my head what application will open .rdf, but I'm getting a headache!!)<br>

<br>

This last is well beyond my level of code "expertise", so I'm not sure where it fits into this whole mess!<br>

My Sony A350 firmware is up to date, as is all of my Adobe software (which is CS4 and LR2.2). Editing it out may not be a problem, although it is an extra little bump in the workflow road, but my real question is why it's getting into these fields in the first place, particularly into at least one field that I can't easily edit, if at all?????<br>

Any thoughts, anyone???....</p>

[freewolf]

<p>BTW to Peter:<br>

Just followed the links you posted above to mdwg, and see plenty of references to the "mysterious" Dublin Group (sounds like an IRA front to me!!) However, none of it seems helpful in determining why Sony wants its little tag put in all my metadata fields.</p>

[freewolf]

<p>One more PS:<br>

Not to be too off-topic, but since I'm asking about editing metadata fields, is there a way to manually enter info into the lens field in EXIF if my camera won't put it there for me? Just curious.</p>

[peterblaise]

<p>.</p>

<p>Google Search for [edit EXIF] -- hundreds of tools for every operating system.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=edit+exif">http://www.google.com/search?q=edit+exif</a></p>

<p>Sony wants "SONY" in the title/description field to brag when their pictures land on sites where metadata comes to the fore -- Flickr and Google Images and so on all start to advertise "SONY" on as many images as possible. Idiots. Smart idiots!</p>

<p>The links I share are background. The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative was a starter, and the whole world is running behind crying "me first" at setting standards.</p>

<p><a href="http://dublincore.org/">http://dublincore.org/</a> </p>

<p>You can read this stuff 'til you're blue in the face. The only thing that matters is reverse engineering the programs we use over the files we use. </p>

<p>It's an endless fight. Let us know what you find that resolves it.</p>

<p>.</p>

[freewolf]

<p>Peter... thanks as usual! I too suspect that Sony is just trying to get their name into what most casual photogs would consider obscure metadata fields for the reason you state, and I suppose that would have to be one thing I dislike about them (as if they didn't have enough name recognition as it is!)<br>

I have done a few searches for EXIF editors and such, and still find nothing that allows editing of ALL fields. I have found one (<a href="http://www.photome.de">www.photome.de</a> -- what is it with the Germans and exif editing, 'cuz there are a bunch of them???) that indicates that my lens info is indeed being put into metadata, but for some reason it is not reflected in LR2 or Bridge, which show an empty lens field. Also, I'm a bit disappointed that LR2 does not display ALL metadata when the "All" option is selected, thus forcing me into Bridge to get to some of the fields. Oh, well... I'll keep searching, and for the present just accept that a somewhat convoluted workflow is just a necessary evil.</p>

[sherijohnson]

<p>I just wanted to add, I also find this very annoying. Whenever I upload images online that is always in there on mine too. I have to change all of them.</p>