PSP X4 Changes the EXIF Time?!? Anyone know a fix?

[SUTHNR]

I have uncovered what is a VERY annoying apparent bug in PSP X4. Either it's a bug or there's a setting somewhere I can't find...

I shoot weddings, among other things. But my wedding picture processing is where this issue is most highlighted and causes me the most grief. I have 2 or 3 cameras that I take pictures with at a single event. I process each camera's pictures separately, then work in "chunks" if you will combining these pictures in time sequence (2 viewpoints of the ceremony, cake cutting, etc) so the images from each camera are in the exact order by which they were taken. I use ACDSee to adjust the "date time original" based on an initial picture I take with each camera at the exact same time on the cameras so they all have a common starting image and its time stamp, saves trying to get the bodies' clocks in sync cuz they all run at different speeds....... (timex anyone?).

But alas, what happens is when I edit an image in PSP X4, a JPG, and save it, it saves the time stamp EXACTLY one hour prior to the original time stamp. Say I have 2 images that are 2:30:05 PM and 2:30:50 PM for example. If I edit the second one and save it in PSP, then it's time stamp will be 1:30:50 PM. This of course throws is way outta place when I go to combine the images from the two cameras into a single folder and sort on time stamp.... I have to manually walk back thru the images in ACDSee and edit the time stamps on all the ones I edited in PSP to correct the ill-adjusted time vefore combining. :-/ Annoying.

Is there a setting I'm missing? Either in PSP or even just the clock settings? Running Windows7 Ultimate 64bit. It's set to Eastern Time and keeps correct time. I'm at a loss, but for now at least I KNOW what the problem is and can work around it, it just adds about an hour to processing having to manually adjust the EXIF time stamps of the edited images...

Thanks!
EricB

[dwalby2]

I don't have any explanation, but the fact that its one hour different suggests it might be related to a daylight savings time setting, but AFAIK there's no notion of daylight savings in EXIF, just in your computer date/time setting. there's also an option to change the EXIF time while editing, is that what you're using to correct it back to the original value?

[gkeenan43]

The problem could be that your camera does not track daylight savings time. I have a canon and I have to change the time manually when the time changes.
I though the same thing about PSP but I found it was due too what I stated above and not PSP.

My canon also has a time in the original file EXIF that I can not change. The time you are changing in PSP could be the date and time you created the jpg file on you computer and not when it was originally taken.

I would check the time on you camera to see if it is the same time as you computer.

[gkeenan43]

to EricB

Update: this may help you with your date problem.
PSP when it sorts by date, it sorts by the modified date not the date and time the
Photo was originally taken. So modifying the original date will not change how PSP
Sorts the files.

That being said, each time you edit or modify a photo and resave it, the time you resaved
Becomes the new modified date and this is the date PSP is sorting by, so the photo
Will move in the sort to the new Modified date.

Hope this helps.

[SUTHNR]

Thanks all for the feedback so far... But the problem still persists. Maybe I'll try to clarify a little.

I primarily use 3 apps when editing photos: PSP X4, ACDSee Pro 3, Nikon Capture NX2.
I use NX2 for the color spot editing tool and the gradient editing tool . MAN I wish PSP had those two tools as they are epicly useful in some cases!

I use ADCSee for the more general broad editing, mass renaming, level adjust a series of photos the same changes, mass rotate, mass resize, etc. It also allows me to directly view AND edit the EXIF data, either on an image-by-image basis or in bulk.

I use PSP X4 for the more detailed edits, leveling, lens correcrtion, crops, filters, etc, the real edits.

What's happening is that when I save an image from PSP X4, the EXIF time stamp (both "date time original" and "date time digitized") will save EXACTLY one hour prior to what it was before... But here's the catcher... it doesn't ALWAYS do it, which really makes it frustrating. So after completing edits, I have to take another half to an hour and go back through the file list in ACDSee and edit the EXIT time stamps for the edited images because I use the "date time orginal" to sort when combining the images from two different cameras into the same folder of time-sequential pictures. I uploaded a picture showing time stamps being changed (normally they are both changed, I already reset one...).

I just cant figure it out due to the inconsistency, not sure if it's particular edits I do, certain filters, alignment of the moon at that moment, or what.... Just trying to get some insight to save some time in my edits...

Thanks!
EricB

[hartpaul]

I would gather from your description that you are using a number of cameras with different focal lengths so that for example at the ring ceremony you can do a wide shot and then a tele shot concentrating on the rings . Then you process these and find that the time stamps changed in X4 so that to get them in correct sequence in a folder you have to edit the time stamps individually so that you can rename and put all together.

If there is no workaround, would it be possible to do all the naming and edits with ACDSee and NX2 first, then combine them and rename them in sequence and then edit them in PSPX4 as it should not change the names and if the names and associated numbers are in correct sequence then you no longer have to rely upon any date / time taken or modified data. That way they will remain in your required time sequence even though that may say differently in the exif info which may now be disregarded for that.

[SUTHNR]

hmmm... yeah, I guess now that you mention it, I could combine cameras prior to processing as they would then all be named sequentially and altered time stamps would be essnetally a non-issue. For some reason I actually hadn't thouught of it that way. I tend to process each camera separately as I have one, and my wife has the other. Processing separately allows me to easily make the same adjustments to a series of pictures with that need the same adjustments, and those are very often different for the pictures from the two cameras... Will try that and see if it throws things off too much with my editing flow.

Thanks hartpaul.
EricB

[hartpaul]

Or another idea : process each image from the camera so the exif time is read and then included as a postscript to the name. ex camera1#2345T150535. Where #2345 is the number of the image from that camera and T150535 is the time 3.05 .35 pm
I know there are a number opf programs that will allow you to change names insert names delete parts of names etc. So once all the images are processed (again the time stamp is irrelevant after the initial naming) The images can then be combined together from two folders by renaming with replacement of Camera 1 with Wedding . Only problem might occur then is if the different cameras shot an image during the same second in which case a manual naming may be necessary after inspection of the two images.