Smallest file format with EXIF data

[nickjohnson]

I've been shooting film for a while now, but just got myself a DSLR.

I have been saving my files, after minor ajustments, as an 8-bit

super.png file, but that file format does not support much EXIF

data. What is the most highly compressed format that supports EXIF

data if I choose to shoot in JPEG? Or should I just keep the JPEGs,

write protect them, and make any modifications to a different file?

The goal is to keep a handle on the shooting data.

[johnlund]

I wouldn't put emphasis on shooting data at the expense of image quality. Why not keep the original jpeg (or raw file)? If you want, you can extract the EXIF into its own file (e.g., via imagemagick).

[oskar_ojala]

EXIF is designed as an extension to the JPEG format and thus EXIF only works with JPEG. PNG supports many user comments, so if your application supports it, all the data in the EXIF-header can be stored in PNG - there's no technical obstacle to this.

 

Your best bet, in my opinion (I do this myself), is to use software to extract the EXIF headers and write them all into a separate file - that way you can open the EXIF data conveniently, eg. in a web browser.

[nickjohnson]

I guess I'll have to change this do a new question about the easiest way to access EXIF data from a backup and browsing point of view.

[johnlund]

It sounds like you want bulk image browsing software that displays the EXIF. Look for programs that support the formats you intend to use and try a few. You didn't specify an OS, but ThumbsPlus is a decent option for Windows users. There are lots of alternatives. ExifReader is free and nice for single JPEG drag-and-drop inspections.

 

Whether or not you should keep the EXIF embedded in your edited files really depends on your usage/preferences. (I presume this is what you mean by "backup".) I like to keep the originals RAW/JPEG files so I can make different editing choices later if I like even though that takes considerably more disk space. Consequently, I don't bother preserving the EXIF in any edited files. Besides, some programs don�t preserve the EXIF when editing/saving.

 

Whatever approach you choose, you should give some thought to how you want to organize your files.