The exact tags in a photo depend on the device and software that created it, but most images share a recognizable core. Use this as a lookup while you explore your own files in MetaLens. For the bigger picture of what EXIF is and why it exists, start with what is EXIF data; to understand the exposure fields in depth, see reading camera settings in EXIF.
Camera & lens
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|
Make | The manufacturer of the camera or phone, e.g. Apple, Canon, Sony. |
Model | The specific device model, e.g. iPhone 15 Pro or EOS R6. |
LensModel | The lens used, when the camera reports it. |
FocalLength | The lens focal length in millimeters — how zoomed-in the shot is. |
FocalLengthIn35mmFormat | Focal length normalized to a full-frame equivalent for comparison. |
Software | The firmware or editing software that last wrote the file. |
Exposure
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|
FNumber / ApertureValue | The aperture (f-number). Lower means a wider opening and shallower focus. |
ExposureTime / ShutterSpeedValue | How long the sensor was exposed, e.g. 1/250 s. |
ISOSpeedRatings | Sensor sensitivity. Higher lets you shoot in low light but adds grain. |
ExposureBiasValue | Exposure compensation — how much you brightened or darkened from the meter. |
ExposureProgram | The shooting mode: manual, aperture-priority, program, etc. |
MeteringMode | How the camera measured light across the frame. |
Flash | Whether the flash fired, and in which mode. |
WhiteBalance | Whether white balance was automatic or set manually. |
Image properties
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|
PixelXDimension / PixelYDimension | The image width and height in pixels. |
Orientation | How the image should be rotated for correct display. |
XResolution / YResolution | The stored print resolution, often in dots per inch. |
ColorSpace | The color space, commonly sRGB or Adobe RGB. |
BitsPerSample | The color depth of the image data. |
Date & time
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|
DateTimeOriginal | When the photo was actually taken — usually the most reliable timestamp. |
CreateDate / DateTimeDigitized | When the digital file was created. |
ModifyDate | When the file was last modified, e.g. after an edit. |
OffsetTime | The time zone offset, on cameras that record it. |
GPS & location
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|
GPSLatitude / GPSLongitude | The coordinates where the photo was taken. |
GPSLatitudeRef / GPSLongitudeRef | The hemisphere references (N/S and E/W). |
GPSAltitude | The altitude above or below sea level. |
GPSTimeStamp / GPSDateStamp | The UTC time and date from the GPS signal. |
GPSImgDirection | The compass direction the camera was pointing. |
A note on missing or unusual tags
Not every photo contains every tag, and some devices add proprietary “maker note” fields specific to a brand. If a photo shows very few tags, it may be a screenshot, a PNG, or an image that has already had its metadata removed. Related descriptive data may also appear under the IPTC and XMP standards rather than EXIF.
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