Modern digital cameras not only write the photo to the data file stored on the Storage Media (usually memory cards) but also store additional information in what is commonly referred to as 'Exchangeable image file format' data, or Exif data. The Exif Metadata can contain a tremendous amount of information including the type of camera, the version of the software on the camera, the resolution, the date and the time of the photo, and in some cases the camera actually writes the GPS coordinates to the photo. This data is actually stored in the photo so when the photo is copied and moved the Exif Metadata goes with the photo. More sophisticated cameras also have large hard disk drives to store large numbers of digital photos and therefore can have deleted photos that may be recoverable.
Some of the information that may be contained in the Exif information includes but is not limited to:
- Width in Pixels
- Height in Pixels
- Horizontal Resolution
- Vertical Resolution
- Number of colors available for the image from the camera
- Number of frames
- Camera Manufacturer
- Camera Model
- Camera Software version
- Color Representation
- Flash Mode
- Lens focal length
- F-Number or focal length
- Exposure time
- ISO Speed
- Metering Mode
- Light Source
- Exposure Program
- Exposure Compensation
- Date & Time Photo taken ( Camera clock )
The following items may be manually updated and also stored inside the photo:
- Author / Photographer
- Title
- Subject
- Keywords
- Comments
