Sustainability of Digital Formats
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Introduction | Sustainability Factors | Content Categories | Format Descriptions | Contact |
Full name | Exchangeable image file format for digital still cameras: Exif Version 2.2 |
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Description |
The Exif specifications define a pair of file types, mainly intended for recording technical details associated with digital photography. The two types employ different image encodings based on existing image formats and the resulting files can be read by many image software applications. The Exif metadata shared by the two file types represents an extension to each of the underlying types. Uncompressed files are recorded in TIFF Rev. 6.0 (TIFF_6) format, with an extended set of tags; see Tags for TIFF and Related Specifications. Compressed Exif files are recorded as baseline JPEG (ISO/IEC 10918-1) with metadata-containing application marker segments (APP1 and APP2) inserted. The extended metadata defined by Exif is subsumed within the TIFF/EP specification; thus TIFF/EP can be seen as a successor-replacement to TIFF_UNC_EXIF. The Exif specification also provides a method for recording thumbnails and allows for the inclusion of audio in the WAVE format, to support such elements as photographers' spoken annotations. |
Production phase | Generally applied by cameras in initial-state picture creation; may also be used for middle- and final-state archiving or end-user delivery. |
Relationship to other formats | |
Has earlier version | Exif Versions 2.0 and 2.1, not documented here |
Affinity to | JPEG_EXIF, JPEG encoded file with Exif metadata. Specified in same standard. |
Affinity to | TIFF_UNC_EXIF, TIFF uncompressed file with Exif metadata. Specified in same standard. |
LC experience or existing holdings | Prints and Photographs Division holds a modest number of digital-camera generated photographs in JPEG_EXIF. |
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LC preference | General preference for bitmapped still images is for uncompressed; rich metadata always welcome. Thus, for digital-camera photographs, TIFF_UNC_EXIF would be preferred (TIFF_UNC acceptable); JPEG_EXIF is acceptable and preferred to JFIF (also acceptable). |
Disclosure | Fully documented; developed by JEITA (Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association). |
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Documentation | JEITA CP-3451; Exchangeable image file format for digital still cameras: Exif Version 2.2, April 2002. |
Adoption | Supported by almost all digital cameras. See TIFF_UNC_EXIF and JPEG_EXIF. |
Licensing and patents | None |
Transparency | Depends upon encoding; see TIFF_UNC_EXIF and JPEG_EXIF. |
Self-documentation | See TIFF_UNC_EXIF and JPEG_EXIF. Exif tags are included in Tags for TIFF and Related Specifications. |
External dependencies | None |
Technical protection considerations | None |
Still Image | |
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Normal rendering | Good support. |
Clarity (high image resolution) | See TIFF_UNC_EXIF and JPEG_EXIF. See also Notes. |
Color maintenance | See TIFF_UNC_EXIF and JPEG_EXIF.The Exif tag set permits the identification of files that use sRGB.1 There appears to be no Exif tag for the ICC profile2 for a capture device. See also Notes. |
Support for graphic effects and typography | No support for vector graphics. |
Functionality beyond normal rendering | Supports thumbnails and audio content. |
Sound | |
Normal rendering | Good support. |
Fidelity (high audio resolution) | Good, depending on encoding, sampling frequency, and word length. Exif supports the following encodings: LPCM and μ-Law PCM (conforming to ITU-T G.711) for uncompressed audio data; IMA ADPCM (Adaptive Differential PCM) for compressed audio data. Highest fidelity from LPCM is limited in this standard to CD quality (44.1 kHz sampling and 16 bit words). |
Multiple channels | Stereo only. |
Support for user-defined sounds, samples, and patches | None |
Functionality beyond normal rendering | None. |
Tag | Value | Note |
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Filename extension | See related format. | |
Internet Media Type | See related format. | |
Magic numbers | See related format. |
General | From the specification:"Image data employs following existing image formats, depending on the image data type:
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History | About the parent organization: "The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) was formed on November 1, 2000, through the merger of the Electronic Industries Association of Japan (EIAJ) and Japan Electronic Industries Development Association (JEIDA). JEITA is a new industry organization in Japan with activities covering both the electronics and information technology (IT) fields." (http://www.jeita.or.jp/english/about/what/) Exif Version 2.1 dates from 1998; presumably development began during the 1990s. |
1The color space sRGB, standardized as IEC 61966-2-1, establishes an image viewing environment with a known color temperature (6500 degrees Kelvin) and gamma (2.2), thus increasing the user's ability to maintain color.
2The most effective color maintenance systems rely on the existence of an ICC (International Color Consortium) profile of the capture device, which can then be compared to profiles for output devices, permitting appropriate adjustments of image color. The TIFF tag for the ICC profile (tag 34675, InterColourProfile) has been added as a "private" extension in the TIFF/IT and TIFF/EP standards. Extended tags of this kind may be used in any TIFF_6 file, although they may not be recognized by all readers.
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