Exif data lost on import from photos from a Canon 6D

[TillySolstice]

Hi there - not sure if I am doing something wrong (I am very much a novice) but all my camera’s meta data is lost when I import from Photos when the picture was taken on my Canon 6 d. It does not happen to photos taken on my iPhone.  Thus when I export back to Photos, all my photos are out of sync and the geo tagging is lost. 

Please help! 

Thanks. 

[Dan C]

Hi TillySolstice,

Welcome to the forums

I've tried to replicate this but unfortunately have not yet been able to. Could you possibly provide a sample file from your Canon 6D so that I can test this please?

[TillySolstice]

Hi there:  on trying a few photos it seems to be intermittent.  It only seems to be the iPad version of affinity photo - the desktop version seems ok, but I have only tried it with a few files.  I have included a screen shot on the iPad to show there is no data with the image.  I have also included the original RAW Canon 6D file here to see it you can replicate the problem.  

to confirm when I edit this on the desktop version, all the exif / metadata is there; on the iPad it isn't.

 

IMG_3103.CR2

[Dan C]

Thanks for the file and confirming that.
I've loaded this file through Dropbox to my iPad and it has retained all EXIF data, see below:


I've also imported the image into my Apple Photos Camera Roll and I get the same results, EXIF data and all, both pre and post develop.

Could you please confirm what version of iOS you are running, and check that the Affinity Photo app is fully updated in the app store?

[TillySolstice]

Dear Dan - thanks for the quick response;  iPad software unto date - 11.4;  affinity photo version 1.6.7.76 I think that is the version nos - doesn't say an update is pending in the App Store.

thanks again

[Dan C]

They're both up to date, thanks for that

Could you explain your workflow to me in how you transferred your images from your camera to your iPad, or are you opening the file from a cloud service?
We have seen a few irregularities when opening files from a Google Drive etc.

Besides this, I'd recommend uninstalling and re-installing the app, provided you do not mind losing a few settings and custom brushes. We use Apples RAW engine and EXIF reader on the iPad app, which would lead me to believe your app specifically is not 'playing well' with Apples reader, as we cannot control or change it from within the app.

If you don't wish to uninstall and re-install, you could perhaps download a free EXIF reader on your iPad that also uses Apples reader to see if the problem persists across programs, such as EXIF Wizard or EXIF Viewer LITE (Fluntro)

[TillySolstice]

Ok - I don't mind uninstalling etc as I am completely new to this and have not really changed Affinity photo settings at all.  Workflow:  I loaded using a wired connection all the RAW photos from camera to iPad.  These were then automatically uploaded to the cloud over wifi.  Then I went into Affinity photo and loaded the file from Photos.  I couldn't find a way to go from Photos to Affinity photo as you can on the desktop version (should I be able to do that?  In settings I have got 'read / write to photos' switched on).  Then I exported the photo back to photos (again when you do this on the desktop it retains the CR2 extension and I assume RAW status whereas on the iPad it converts to a JPEG - couldn't find a way to export in original form).  

thanks

[Dan C]

Please let me know if this solves the issue.

No immediate issue with your workflow here, we haven't yet implemented an 'edit in' feature from Photos and for the same reason a save as original option, as you can on the desktop yet, but I believe it is something we are looking into  

 

[TillySolstice]

Hi there.  Have rebooted iPad and reloaded the app and unfortunately this has not resolved the issue.  I have also noticed something odd;  when the RAW photo loads with the data intact, if I do nothing and go back to home screen, it doesn't create a thumbnail which I then have to manually close; it goes back to the various import options.  When the photo loads without the data, and I do nothing, go back to the home screen, it creates a file that is saved which I do have to manually close by picking that option from the burger menu button.  I don't know if this means anything.  

Grateful for any other advice or options.  

[Dan C]

Thanks for trying that, is the photo loading in the develop persona? If you open a RAW image it should automatically start in the develop persona, regardless of EXIF data, if the photo is not developed and you click the back arrow, it should take you back to the import screen without creating an open .afphoto file. When you bring the photo in and there is no EXIF data, does it start in the develop persona? If so, are you developing the image before clicking the back arrow, or not?
See video below for further explanation:

[TillySolstice]

right - I think we might be getting to the problem (but not necessarily how to fix it!)

when I load a RAW file complete with EXIF and metadata it opens correctly in the develop persona - hence why when shutting it and having done nothing, the app goes back to the import screen. However when the files are loading without the data, they are not loading in the develop persona but in the 'photo' persona.  When then pressing the back arrow, and having done nothing, it automatically creates an af.photo document which I then have to close.  So something seems to be preventing the RAW photo loading correctly into 'develop'.  What is unknown, is which comes first - the loss of the data and hence loading in 'photo' or that loading into 'photo' is somehow stripping the data.

thanks

[Paul Mudditt]

By any chance is your camera set to RAW+JPG when you shoot ?

[TillySolstice]

No it is set for RAW only - also it wouldn't explain why some RAW photos load correctly and others don't?

 

[Dan C]

If the image is opened incorrectly and placed directly in Photo persona, rather than the develop persona, this would cause the loss of EXIF data as well as the creation of the open document.
I've tried to replicate this with your source file however and have yet been unable to. Does this happen when you are only opening 1 image, or a batch of images?

Our devs are aware of this occasional bug, when importing images skips the develop persona, but we are yet to find a guaranteed workaround. How often does this happen for you?

[TillySolstice]

Dear Dan

I have now played about with a number of test files and I can confirm the following;

1.  import a RAW file to photo (doesn't seem to matter if this is via that desktop or via the iPad)

2.  this is automatically uploaded to the cloud

3.  do nothing with it and load it into Photo for ipad - all data lost;  this happens for all files managed in this way

4.  do nothing again

5.  all data still lost, and it creates an AF file which I have to physically close: if import back to photos, no data included.

however:

1. import RAW file into photo and edit it in photo somehow - has to be an edit of some kind

2. save that edited version to the cloud

3. import into Photo on the iPad and all the data is preserved

4.  do nothing

5. going back to home screen and back at import screen, no AF file created.

6.  or further edit and export back to photo and all data preserved.

 

So the problem seems to be somewhere between Apple's photo app and the Affinity app as long as no edits have been made to the photo.

Thanks

Sarah

 

 

[Dan C]

3 minutes ago, TillySolstice said:

3.  do nothing with it and load it into Photo for ipad - all data lost;  this happens for all files managed in this way

Could you possibly send me a screen recording of this process? No matter how I imported the file, I could not effectively 'lose' the EXIF data, and where and how it is being imported may be the root of this issue.
I appreciate your in-depth testing though, it is certainly useful and I plan on resolving this for you!  

[TillySolstice]

sorry how do you do that?

s

[Dan C]

See here: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/ht207935  

[TillySolstice]

Dear Dan

please find screen recording as requested.  

I was wrong in my previous post - it does make a difference whether the original picture was loaded on the desk top or the iPad first.  

you can see in this recording that photo loaded directly onto the iPad retains the info, but ones loaded onto the desktop, and then downloaded from the cloud is where the problem shows itself.

thanks for your ongoing help

Sarah

 

[Dan C]

53 minutes ago, TillySolstice said:

but ones loaded onto the desktop, and then downloaded from the cloud is where the problem shows itself.

Could you confirm the exact workflow from uploading images on your Mac and then downloading them on your iPad? I'm aware there are a few ways this can be done. Are the images uploaded to iCloud and then downloaded through files app on your iPad and saved to Photos? Or are you importing your camera images into the Photos app directly on your Mac, and syncing Photos between your iPad and Mac?

Sorry for all these questions, I really appreciate the effort you have gone through so far. There certainly does appear to be a bug, as in the 3rd example of your video the image you open is not showing as RAW, yet opens in the Develop persona, so I need as much information as possible for our devs to fix this  

[TillySolstice]

hi there

workflow is:

wired connection from camera to desktop.

load directly into Photos.

Photos automatically uploads to the iCloud (Apple cloud, not another sharing platform).

iPAd is synced to cloud therefore downloads the image automatically.

Sarah

[Dan C]

Thanks for that, I believe I've gotten to the bottom of this!
 

I've found this support article from Apple; https://support.apple.com/en-gb/ht204977

It appears that when you upload a RAW file into your Photos library on your Mac, in order to conserve space on your iPad it creates an embedded JPEG that syncs with your iPad. This process is seemingly also clearing the EXIF data, however Affinity Photo still sees the original 'RAW' tag from the file, hence it shows the RAW logo when opening. This is why when you are opening the file that has been synced from your Mac, it goes straight into Photo Persona, because the iPad is serving up the embedded JPEG.

However, when editing a photo on your iPad through the Photos app, it must use the RAW file and applies a non destructive edit. This is why after editing the image in Photos, then importing it into Affinity Photo, it uses the RAW file (with EXIF in tact) and opens in the develop persona.

You need to change the Download Originals option on both your Mac and iPad, the above link shows how to change this on your Mac. On your iPad open settings, click on the top option on the left hand toolbar (Apple ID) then navigate to iCloud>Photos>Download and Keep Originals.

You may need to remove the image from your Photos library on your Mac, then re-import the RAW file for the changes to take effect, but there is a chance that your Photos on your iPad will update automatically and remove the created JPEG... unfortunately the Apple article is not clear, so I'd recommend double checking first!
Hopefully this will solve your issue once and for all

 

[TillySolstice]

Dear Dan

I think that might have cracked it! two photos have loaded properly now all originals are on the iPad - it is very confusing knowing what is RAW and what is a JPEG on the iPad as it doesn't tell you in the photos app!!

Many thanks for all your time and effort to help me out.  It is much appreciated!

Sarah

[Dan C]

No problem at all, more than happy to help get to the bottom of this!