Working with digital images

[Bharath]

Hi,
  I have some images taken from my digicam which I want to modify and place it back in to the camera. I know that images are taken in the jpef-exif format. After placing the modified image back into the camera  I cannot view the image. A message is displayed in the camera saying that image cannot be read. I modify image using tools like Exifer and Adobe Photoshop, though in Photoshop I have seen that the Exif info is retained, but some new parameters were added. Even then the digicam cannot display the modified image, still giving the message that the format cannot be read.

Is it possible to manipulate an image and place it back into the camera to view it again?

Another question is are there any tools to translate an ordinary image into a digicam compatible image, i.e, transfer from ordinary jpeg to exif-jpeg? Thanks a lot for any help.

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi Bharath and welcome to the Q&A Board!

Is it possible to manipulate an image and place it back into the camera to view it again?

Each camera has it's own folder and file naming system. Try naming your edited file in a similar fashion as to how they are named by your camera.

Also, don't know if it's the same for all programs that come with a digital camera, but the software which came with mine (called ZoomBrowser) lets you upload images back onto a memory card. If you have that feature, I'd use it.

A memory cards could possibly become corrupted if this is not done correctly so I highly recommend you call tech support.

Another question is are there any tools to translate an ordinary image into a digicam compatible image, i.e, transfer from ordinary jpeg to exif-jpeg?

Exif information is something a camera imbeds in an image (if it has that capability). I'm not sure if you can add EXIF data to a photo, but I'll look into it.

I do know you can add/imbed comments (iptc metadata) in images:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/what-is-iptc-metadata/

If I haven't understood this question, please explain it a bit more.

[Bharath]

Hi,

   Thanks for your reply. I have actually followed all the rules for naming files when I place it back into the camera. However that seems not to be the reason. I have viewed the contents of an exif file and a jpeg file and they are totally different. I would like to know if there any good online resources to study jpeg and exif formats for beginners, because the specs are pretty technical and I cannot follow all the concepts. Could you give me some infoirmation on the formats which are understandable for a beginner ?

  I have used tools like Power Exif , and so on but none of them appear to be of any use. Thanks for any help.

[ShutterbugGail]

I have actually followed all the rules for naming files when I place it back into the camera. However that seems not to be the reason. I have viewed the contents of an exif file and a jpeg file and they are totally different.

Can you please explain this a bit more as I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean by Exif file. Exif is information stored in certain digital image files, it is not a file format itself.

Here is some very basic information about digital image file formats (jpeg, tiff, raw). If this doesn't answer your question, get back to us.

http://www.digicamhelp.com/digital-camera-image-formats/

[Bharath]

Hi,
    I hope you remember this little problem of mine which I had posted a month ago...I come back with some clarifications and some questions: Before that, I have another question: Does all digicams today use the thumbnail stored as part of the image?  Or do cameras with zoom operatability, as most do nowadays just do not have a thumbnail at all in them? I was wondering whether the camera needs the thumbnail at all, because the purpose of the thumbanil is to view the image on the screen, and if you can zoom into or out of the image then why do you need the thumbnail at all?

   I hope the problem is clear: I need to put a modified image back to the camera and be able to viewit through the camera itself. This does not work becasue the image file format is not Exif-Jpg anymore. This I have understood. So now I want to modify this ordianry Jpg image (modified) into a camera compatible Exif -Jpg image. Actually I have been trying to understand how I can do this, because I have tried a lot of products and software, including Exif data copiers and so on but none of them have been of any use.

   To go into a bit technical, I have parsed through the camera image file to understand what it contains. The markers in a Exif file are totally different from a normal Jpg file. So that is the reason why the camera is not understanding the file format.

   I have one idea: Actually I was thinking if I can copy the image data from an ordinary Jpg file( the one I want to view in the digicam), and embedd with the Exif data copied from a camera image. I hope you understand.....I was wondering whether it is the correct way to do this, becasue I have not worked with file formats before. So I will have to write a small C program to do this. I was wondering if this is the correct way to do it, or if you can provide me with a better idea....?

    Can you guess why I asked the thumbnail is necessary? If I can copy like I have described, then I also have to create a thumbnail, which is quite tough, but if the camera does not not use the thumbnail then.....

     I have tried on Sony Cybershot, Digitrex and Nikon models, but Cybershot is the only camera intelligent enough to have software to display both Exif-Jpg and ordinary Jpg files. The other cameras display a error message for a bad file for ordinary Jpg files.

     Thanks for any help.

[ShutterbugGail]

Welcome back!

As your question itself illustrates, the answers can be complicated. Many different issues are involved and they can vary from camera to camera, software to software.

Rather than inadvertently providing incorrect information, I am going to refer you to a forum where many participants have a vast knowledge of these advanced techniques. I am sure you'll find help there.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1002

There are camera specific forums at dpreview, so you may also want to ask others who have the same digital camera as you.