Today’s Question: There is a plugin named LensTagger (https://www.lenstagger.com) that allows me to update the metadata. I am using it for lenses who don’t communicate with the body.
Tim’s Quick Answer: Yes, the LensTagger plug-in for Lightroom Classic enables you to add or update camera metadata that would normally be read-only, such as the “Focal Length 35mm” field that was the subject of a post last week.
More Detail: Today’s “question” is obviously not actually a question, but based on the feedback I received in response to my post last week that mentioned editing metadata, I thought it was worth sharing here.
Most of the fields you’ll find in the EXIF metadata in Lightroom Classic aren’t editable. So, if you’re using a camera that doesn’t write certain fields in metadata, or a manual lens that doesn’t send lens settings to the camera, or if you’ve digitized analog photos, you wouldn’t be able to add or update EXIF metadata for those images.
The LensTagger plug-in for Lightroom Classic provides a solution, though I must warn that the tool doesn’t provide the most user-friendly workflow. Still, it does provide a solution that I’m sure many photographers will find helpful, and the website does provide thorough documentation.
The plug-in is “donationware”, meaning you can use it for free and make a donation to the developer if you find it helpful. You do need to install both the plug-in and another tool called ExifTool to be able to use the plug-in, and I highly recommend reading the online documentation thoroughly so you understand how to use it.
I was able to test LensTagger, including being able to update the “Focal Length 35mm” field in metadata. If you want to add EXIF metadata to photos that lack it, this plug-in will provide a solution.
You can learn more about the LensTagger plug-in here:
