Canon ISO information

[Rocket_Scientist]

At first, I thought it was just my camera, but I have been reading some articles lately that say Canon uses some non-standard way of recording the ISO setting in the exif data of a photo. Even the software that came with my camera, a Canon OEM version of some ArcSoft program, does not reveal the ISO. Does anyone know of a Photoshop (CS2 or Elements) plug-in, or even a stand-alone tool, which can deal with this? Preferably, something that would alter a ".jpg" file to place the data in a standard format? (My camera does not have a "raw" mode.) Am I out of luck? Or just out of my mind?

[mjs1973]

I'm not sure exaclty what it is your looking for, but if all you want to do is see what ISO the image was taken at, you can view that in Photoshop. Open your file in PS, then go to File Info. If you click on the Camera Data 1 tab, it will list the ISO. I don't think you can change it, but you can at least see what that image was shot at.

[Sebastian]

Every single piece of software I own shows me the ISO from my Canon files.

[livin4lax09]

yeah same here. I use a program called EXIF viewer (plain and simple) for the most comprehensive collection of EXIF. even gives actuations.

[mjs1973]

If you use the Bridge at all, you can see the EXIF data in there too.

[JSPhoto]

Windows Exploerer will give you Exif info.

Right click the photo and select Properties
Select Sumary
Select Advanced
And there is your Exif info


JS

[Rocket_Scientist]

Windows Exploerer will give you Exif info...
JS

Aye... There's the rub...

Of course, this is what I would like to be able to do. Here is a sample photo I took to illustrate my dilemma.


(Larger version in my gallery... Perhaps, you could download it and see if you can find the ISO.)

When I right-click and select Properties | Summary | Advanced , I get..



You will note there is not even an entry for ISO. When I open it with Photoshop CS2, and choose File | File Info... I get a dialog with several (pseudo) tabs. The "tab" called Camera Data 1 shows...



As you can see, the ISO field is blank, and it even allows me to enter a value here. When I choose the "tab" called EXIF properties, it shows..



Again, not even a mention of ISO. Similary, I get no ISO information from Photoshop Elements 4.0. This is true for pictures of all sizes and resolutions from my S3 IS, as well as my A540, both of which will only save in .jpg format.

Is it the PowerShot cameras? Is it me? Can someone help me? Or point me in the right direction?

[JSPhoto]

If you notice the Windows Exploerer box is a SCROLL box and you have to scroll down. The ISO is towards the bottom :thumbsup:

JS

[Rocket_Scientist]

*sigh* I know I was born at night... but it wasn't last night!
If it were that simple, I would have found it. Scolling the properties window only reveals the following:



I have even searched through the .jpg file with a hex editor, but not knowing the EXIF specification, I cannot tell if the ISO value is embedded there or not. I even downloaded and installed an EXIF viewer that works inside windows explorer, adding another right-click command to the list. It brings up some of the EXIF and allows you to edit it, but, alas, still no ISO. In fact, it does not show even as much as the "properties" did.

Any other ideas?

[livin4lax09]

what camera are you using again?

[JSPhoto]

Hmmm, every photo from a Canon I have opened up has shown it....odd,

You got me on that one....

JS

[mjs1973]

what camera are you using again?

S3 IS and A540

That is odd. My wife just got an A550, now I'm curious to know if her files show the ISO info. I will have to check when I get home.

[readingr]

Yep, you are right - Photoshop does not see the ISO - it leaves it blank and so does Bridge.

EXIF does not see it either.

Paintshop Pro X comes back with ISO - Normal which is interesting.

However, Zoombrowser from Canon see's it clear as a bell. ISO 100

Roger

[Music Man5]

My Canon Powershot S2 IS and SD110 work the same way, you can only determine the ISO by using Canon software, My Rebel XT is not this way, so it just must be the P&S's that Canon does this on.

[Rocket_Scientist]

My Canon Powershot S2 IS and SD110 work the same way, you can only determine the ISO by using Canon software...

So... what is this Canon software you use? The only thing that came with any of my cameras was an OEM version of some ArcSoft product, and it does not tell me the ISO.

[Skyman]

just a thought, do you have the iso set to auto when you are taking pictures or do you normally specify an iso?

[Rocket_Scientist]

just a thought, do you have the iso set to auto when you are taking pictures or do you normally specify an iso?

I almost never use Auto. I generally prefer aperture priority (Av), though I often set it to Program, where I choose the ISO, and let the camera choose both shutter speed and aperture. But I have tried every mode and every resolution to see if it makes a difference in showing the ISO... all to no avail.

[Jimmy B]

RS do you have the canon program Zoom browser installed ? If you look at your shots on that program It will show ISO settings ETC. Open a folder in the preview mode/tab look at all the info on the right side of the screen.
My .02 Cents
Jimmy B

[Rocket_Scientist]

RS do you have the canon program Zoom browser installed ?

No, but I did a cursorial google search for it. I could not tell if it was freeware, shareware, buyware, or beware, but it did seem to be a "full blown" organizing program, so I am somewhat cool toward it. Everything I have (Photoshop CS2, PS Elements, Picture Manager, Picture It!, PhotoStudio, HuNoesWatAll...) want to do the same thing... But I'll eventually take another look at Zoombrowser, when I get some time. I was really hoping there was some sort of "Canon fix" plug-in for Photoshop.

[mjs1973]

I'm really surprised that Zoombrowser didn't come with one of your cameras. We have 2 Canons (DRebel, and A550) and they both came with it. You might be able to download it from the Canon website.

[azonicbruce]

Yeah this is a known issue. Canon apparently is coding the ISO information differently on newer cameras.

I have the same issue with my G7

[Rocket_Scientist]

Okay... my mistake about ZoomBrowser. It did come with my camera(s), and has been installed on my PC all along, but I've had it buried. Now, it turns out that with it I can see the ISO in the .jpg files as they come from the camera, although, if it was set to "auto", then all you get is the word "auto". But if I do some amount of editing with Photoshop, and I cannot determine just how much that is, even ZoomBrowser can no longer read the ISO. I guess PS loses it, or overwrites it, or something.

[SmartWombat]

Yes, there is an option to save minimal EXIF information, but I can't remember where it is.

[readingr]

Yes, there is an option to save minimal EXIF information, but I can't remember where it is.

Paul,

Zoombrowser only has the ability to limit what EXIF you view not what is saved. I think the whole lot is saved by default.

Roger

[mikeb380]

*sigh* I know I was born at night... but it wasn't last night!
If it were that simple, I would have found it. Scolling the properties window only reveals the following:

SNIP--

I have even searched through the .jpg file with a hex editor, but not knowing the EXIF specification, I cannot tell if the ISO value is embedded there or not. I even downloaded and installed an EXIF viewer that works inside windows explorer, adding another right-click command to the list. It brings up some of the EXIF and allows you to edit it, but, alas, still no ISO. In fact, it does not show even as much as the "properties" did.

Any other ideas?

I used Canon's "EOS FILE VIEWER" and it shows ISO 100 You can download it from Canon. My PS also doesn't show ISO and I have no idea why. The following is what I see in FileViewer:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

File Name
IMG_3155.JPG
Camera Model
Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Shooting Date/Time
6/12/2007 6:40:28 PM
Shooting Mode
Program AE
Tv( Shutter Speed )
1/60
Av( Aperture Value )
2.7
Metering Mode
Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation
0
ISO Speed
100
Lens
6.0 - 72.0 mm
Focal Length
6.0 mm
Digital Zoom
None
Image Stabilizer
On
Image Size
1600x1200
Image Quality
Fine
Flash
On
Flash Type
Built-In Flash
Flash Exposure Compensation
0
Red-eye Reduction
On
Shutter curtain sync
2nd-curtain sync
White Balance Mode
Auto
AF Mode
Continuous AF
Parameters Settings
Contrast 0
File Size
20 KB
Drive Mode
Single-frame shooting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can download both Zoombrowser and EOS FILE VIEWER FROm CANON software and drivers site, free.

Irfanview also doesn't show ISO of the file.
Hope this helps
Michael