How to retrieve lost Ricoh Theta S PHOTO metadata after photo processing (photoshop/whatever)

[DennisMabrey]

I have seen a number of questions online and this forum about lost metadata after editing in Photoshop or other photo processing program for STILL photos (not talking about video). This lost metadata is important because it contains orientation information (based off an accelerometer in the camera)

For example, I have a photo that I took where the camera was tilted at about 200 degrees (per the accel data). This is the original photo

Spherical Image - RICOH THETA

If I edit this in Photoshop to say brighten the sky or sharpen the image it will lose this orientation information and will display 'sideways'.

However if I copy back the metadata into the JPG file I can get the orientation information back. Here is a very photoshopped version of the original image

Spherical Image - RICOH THETA

I thought Adobe Bridge with its export of metadata capabilities would work but it appears to ignore the Ricoh information for some strange reason. So instead I used a free tool called ExifTool (and ExiftoolGUI).

I am sure there are better ways but this is what I do.

First install exiftool and exiftoolGUI (you only have to do this once of course.

1. You can find it here: http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/
2. Once you've done this RENAME it from exiftool(-k).exe to exiftool.exe
3. Then install ExifToolGui (which is a GUI front end) from here: http://u88.n24.queensu.ca/exiftool/forum/index.php?topic=2750.0
4. The ExifToolGui needs to find the exiftool.exe file and the easiest way to do that is to copy the exiftool.exe into the same subdirectory as ExifToolGui.exe.
5. After you've done the install and it runs (run it to make sure it finds exiftool.exe) you are ready to edit.

Ok with that over with here is the 'workflow':

1. Edit your JPEG in Photoshop
2. EXPORT as JPEG to a NEW FILE. Do not overwrite the original (heck back it up or something).
3. Run EXifToolGUI
4. Select the exported JPEG file
5. Select Menu option Modify/Remove Metadata
6. Select the top option '-remove ALL metadata' and click 'Execute' button
7. Make sure your exported JPEG file is still selected
8. Select Menu option 'Export/Import'/Copy metadata into JPG or TIFF.
9. In the File Dialog select the ORIGINAL panorama JPG file.
10. Make sure ALL options are selected and click 'Execute'
11. If you look at the Metadata tag with the ALL button clicked you should see both a section labeled 'Ricoh' AND one labeled 'XMP-GPano' (Googles XMP pano)
12. Test the exported JPG in the Ricoh program. Hopefully it worked.

Let me know if you are successful or not. It took me a while to figure this out so it is easy to mess up.

Also if someone knows of a more streamlined way please share. I know of one other way to do all of this but it requires a somewhat expensive program.

[NeillWatson]

This looks like a great workaround. However, I cannot find a GUI application for Mac OSX.

I've just bought a Theta S, quite impressed with it given the price point. I'm using the third party HDR app for bracketing, then creating an HDR merge in Lightroom CC. The output file, even with all the boxes de-selected, doesn't want to display in the Ricoh app, due to the issue you write about.

Does anyone know of a way of copying and pasting this EXIF on a Mac?

Thanks,

Neill W

[DennisMabrey]

This looks like a great workaround. However, I cannot find a GUI application for Mac OSX.

Try the pyExifToolGui. It is written in Python and runs on both Windows and Mac according to the website. https://hvdwolf.github.io/pyExifToolGUI/

Otherwise, you can still use the command line for exiftool on the Mac but you will need to figure out proper options/arguments. In other words, you'll have to read the documentation

Another option is to download a tool that allows you to straighten out and center the pic for you. I wrote up a tutorial on how to do this with a free program called Hugin (here is the write up https://developers.theta360.com/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=488&p=1297#p1297). It works on both the Mac and PC.

I've just bought a Theta S, quite impressed with it given the price point. I'm using the third party HDR app for bracketing, then creating an HDR merge in Lightroom CC.

I did the same last night with Photoshop and then re-copied the metadata from one of the exposures. Worked like a champ for me.

[NeillWatson]

Thanks for the replay, Dennis.

I'm no Command Line expert! Tried downloading the relevant packages, but get a warning that EXIFTool is missing or incorrectly configured.

I downloaded EXIFTool and ran the command 'exiftool' in Terminal. When I run the GUI I get the error that it can't find EXIFTool.

Also tried running:
cd ~/Desktop
tar -xzf Image-ExifTool-10.10.tar.gz
cd Image-ExifTool-10.10
sudo cp -r exiftool lib /usr/local/bin

But to no avail.

If you're familiar with command line I'd appreciate any advice. Don't worry if you're unable, your reply has already pointed me in the right direction, I just need to figure this part out!

Best regards

Neill W

[DennisMabrey]

If I had a Mac on me I'd figure it out for you. My only Mac is a Mac Mini from long ago sitting in a drawer collecting dust.

I would say try the Hugin program I mentioned. It is pretty easy to use and it says it works on Mac.

[codetricity]

Thanks for sharing this information. I added it to this document and attributed the information to DennisMabrey.

http://theta360developers.github.io/community-document/community.html#_faq_for_media_editing

[FranzSdoutz]

Why so complicated? Or am I missing something? The Theta App allows saving stills in their "upright position" (rearranges pixels according to their metadata) --> file, save as ... XMP ...
Once rearranged, postproduction isn't a problem. What is missing is automated export of image sequences as *_xmp.jpg files. (Batch export)
https://goo.gl/hReniv

[DennisMabrey]

Why so complicated? Or am I missing something? The Theta App allows saving stills in their "upright position" (rearranges pixels according to their metadata) --> file, save as ... XMP

No you are right. Thank you for correcting me.

[Danielfdez]

Thank you very much !!

[FrankFragola]

What are your settings for exporting the photoshop file out? I'm exporting it to Facebook as an MPEG 4 video but i'm getting stitching lines.

[TechnoCoach]

thank you, this works like a charm...