AVI videos always get date/time of import as timestamp

In reply to my original question and to help others stumbling over this issue.

I ended up converting all my AVI files into Quicktime format. This sounds tedious but it isn't.

Photos is able to import relevant meta data from Quicktime files. As my AVI files contain creation date, camera make and model I only had to convert the AVIs to quicktime without loosing this metadata. The following shell script does exactly that for my two camera models producing AVIs. To run the script you need two freeware tools installed on your Mac:

1. exiftool

2. ffmpeg

To make the script work for your camera model(s) you need to change the string(s) after the case statement to the model of your camera and maybe adjust the convertOptions. In the example script the camera models are named

EX-FH100

and

FinePix F601 ZOOM (Please notice that blanks have to be preceded by a "\")

After the conversion an additional Quicktime file should be in the same directory as your original AVI. The Quicktime file has the extension ".mov". If you like you can put the script in an Automator service and call it with a right click on the AVI file.

Hope this helps.

-jay

#Script starts with the next line

#!/bin/bash

if [ $# -eq 0 ]

then

echo "Converts an AVI video file to a MOV (QuickTime) video file. Transfers metadata for CreateDate, Make and Model from the source file."

echo "usage: $0 filename(s)"

fi

for fullpath in "$@"

do

# Strip longest match of */ from start

filename="${fullpath##*/}"

# Substring from 0 thru pos of filename

dir="${fullpath:0:${#fullpath} - ${#filename}}"

# Strip shortest match of . plus at least one non-dot char from end

base="${filename%.[^.]*}"

# Substring from len of base thru end

ext="${filename:${#base} + 1}"

# If we have an extension and no base, it's really the base

if [[ -z "$base" && -n "$ext" ]]; then

base=".$ext"

ext=""

fi

echo -e "$fullpath:\n\tdir = \"$dir\"\n\tbase = \"$base\"\n\text = \"$ext\""

# Get tags from source file

createDateTag=$(exiftool -d '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' -p '$createdate' "$fullpath")

makeTag=$(exiftool -p '$make' "$fullpath")

modelTag=$(exiftool -p '$model' "$fullpath")

echo -e "$fullpath --> $outFullpath\n\tCreateDate: $createDateTag\n\tMake: $makeTag\n\tModel: $modelTag"

# Set remux options according to camera model

case $modelTag in

EX-FH100)

convertOptions="-c:v copy -q:a 0"

outFullpath="$dir$base.mov"

;;

FinePix\ F601\ ZOOM)

convertOptions="-c:v mjpeg -q:v 0 -q:a 0"

outFullpath="$dir$base.mov"

;;

*)

echo "No EX-FH100 or FinePix F601 ZOOM input file found"

exit 1

esac

# Convert movie

ffmpeg -i "$fullpath" $convertOptions -metadata "make=$makeTag" -metadata "model=$modelTag" -metadata "creation_time=$createDateTag" "$outFullpath"

done

# Script ended the line before this line

I am using exiftool V10.77 downloaded two days ago. So we are both on recent versions.

To prepend the tag names I used the command: exiftool -G0:1 <filename>

Maybe there is a difference between video files recorded by a video camera and a stills camera. I was using a stills camera, Casio EX-FH100, that seems to embed all necessary EXIF tags in the video files. Please see complete exiftool output at the end of the reply.

Video files from other stills cameras (e.g. extensions .mp4) are imported with date/time information although maker/model is missing in "Get info...".

So Photos is capable of dealing with date/time info for video files. I guess they are extracted from EXIF information and not filesystem information. Because when I change "creation and/or modification date" of the video file in the filesystem (using SetFile) before import, the imported file still gets the correct date.

Maybe it is just not working for AVI files. My other camera, a FujiFilm F601 Zoom, is also producing AVI files. BTW all my imported AVI files can be viewed with Photos, like the other video files. So there seems to be no general problem with AVI not treated as video file.

All videos recorded with iPhones/iPads even get the model information correct.

Do your other video files get correct date/time and model information after import? And what extension do those files have?

Thanks for your help and regards

-jay

This is the complete output for the AVI file (exiftool -G0:1 CIMG0746.AVI):

[ExifTool] ExifTool Version Number : 10.77

[File:System] File Name : CIMG0746.AVI

[File:System] Directory : .

[File:System] File Size : 11 MB

[File:System] File Modification Date/Time : 2011:04:09 14:49:46+02:00

[File:System] File Access Date/Time : 2018:02:01 09:34:32+01:00

[File:System] File Inode Change Date/Time : 2018:02:01 09:32:32+01:00

[File:System] File Permissions : rwxrwxrwx

[File] File Type : AVI

[File] File Type Extension : avi

[File] MIME Type : video/x-msvideo

[File] BMP Version : Windows V3

[File] Image Width : 1280

[File] Image Height : 720

[File] Planes : 1

[File] Bit Depth : 24

[File] Compression : MJPG

[File] Image Length : 2764800

[File] Pixels Per Meter X : 0

[File] Pixels Per Meter Y : 0

[File] Num Colors : Use BitDepth

[File] Num Important Colors : All

[RIFF] Frame Rate : 29.97

[RIFF] Max Data Rate : 3705 kB/s

[RIFF] Frame Count : 96

[RIFF] Stream Count : 2

[RIFF] Stream Type : Video

[RIFF] Video Codec : mjpg

[RIFF] Video Frame Rate : 29.97

[RIFF] Video Frame Count : 96

[RIFF] Quality : 10000

[RIFF] Sample Size : Variable

[RIFF] Audio Codec : .

[RIFF] Audio Sample Rate : 21.61

[RIFF] Audio Sample Count : 69

[RIFF] Encoding : Intel IMA/DVI-ADPCM

[RIFF] Num Channels : 2

[RIFF] Sample Rate : 44100

[RIFF] Avg Bytes Per Sec : 44251

[RIFF] Bits Per Sample : 4

[EXIF:IFD0] Make : CASIO COMPUTER CO.,LTD.

[EXIF:IFD0] Camera Model Name : EX-FH100

[EXIF:IFD0] Orientation : Horizontal (normal)

[EXIF:IFD0] X Resolution : 72

[EXIF:IFD0] Y Resolution : 72

[EXIF:IFD0] Resolution Unit : inches

[EXIF:IFD0] Software : 1.00

[EXIF:IFD0] Modify Date : 2011:04:09 14:49:47

[EXIF:IFD0] Y Cb Cr Positioning : Centered

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Exposure Time : 1/100

[EXIF:ExifIFD] F Number : 16.1

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Exposure Program : Program AE

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Date/Time Original : 2011:04:09 14:49:47

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Create Date : 2011:04:09 14:49:47

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Exposure Compensation : 0

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Metering Mode : Multi-segment

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Light Source : Unknown

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Focal Length : 43.0 mm

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Exposure Mode : Auto

[EXIF:ExifIFD] White Balance : Auto

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Digital Zoom Ratio : undef

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Focal Length In 35mm Format : 240 mm

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Gain Control : None

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Contrast : Normal

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Saturation : Normal

[EXIF:ExifIFD] Sharpness : Normal

[MakerNotes:Casio] Firmware Date : 2010:02:26 14:05

[MakerNotes:Casio] Record Mode : Movie

[MakerNotes:Casio] Focus Mode : Single-Area Auto Focus

[MakerNotes:Casio] Best Shot Mode : Expression CS

[MakerNotes:Casio] Auto ISO : On

[MakerNotes:Casio] Color Mode : Off

[MakerNotes:Casio] Enhancement : Off

[MakerNotes:Casio] Color Filter : Off

[MakerNotes:Casio] Art Mode : Normal

[MakerNotes:Casio] Image Stabilization : Best Shot

[MakerNotes:Casio] Lighting Mode : Off

[MakerNotes:Casio] Portrait Refiner : Off

[MakerNotes:Casio] Capture Frame Rate : 30

[MakerNotes:Casio] Video Quality : HD (720p)

[Composite] Aperture : 16.1

[Composite] Duration : 3.20 s

[Composite] Image Size : 1280x720

[Composite] Megapixels : 0.922

[Composite] Scale Factor To 35 mm Equivalent: 5.6

[Composite] Shutter Speed : 1/100

[Composite] Circle Of Confusion : 0.005 mm

[Composite] Field Of View : 8.6 deg

[Composite] Focal Length : 43.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 240.0 mm)

[Composite] Hyperfocal Distance : 21.33 m

That's a great timesaver for the missing date/time info. Thank's for the script.

Do you know why the relevant information is not imported in the first place? Would be nice to have video import working for my non-iPhone/iPad-recorded-videos the same as for Apple devices.

Ok. I assumed that EXIF was a standard for stills AND video. Never bothered to look at the specification. Well, wrong assumption on my side.

Thanks for your help.

-jay