Exif manipulation library for python

Question

I'm looking for good exif (Exchangeable image file format) manipulation library for python. I prefer flexibility (e.g., ability to retrieve providers' proprietary tags) than processing speed. What would you suggest?

Perhaps the question should read: "What options are available to edit Exif (Exchangeable image file format) using python that emphasize feature set (e.g. ability to retrieve providers' proprietary tags and compatiblity with a wide variety of image formats) over speed?" — dlm, Aug 06 '13 at 20:08
@Wooble et al: "If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question or leave a comment." I did the latter, but the Q closed without further comment. What gives? (Just trying to understand, and don't want to waste time commenting/editing questions if its a foregone conclusion) — dlm, Aug 12 '13 at 02:04
I wanted other developers opinions when asking this question! PackageOpinionOverflow? — Derek Litz, Aug 20 '13 at 21:50
Keep in mind that pretty much all non-exiv2 solutions here will not be able to access `MakerNote`. In this EXIF tag, camera manufacturers add their own tags that hold valuable information. So you would only get the basic tags with most libraries from the below answers. — user136036, Feb 13 '20 at 14:32

score 65 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 22 '12 at 16:50

You might want to check out exif-py:

Python library to extract EXIF data from tiff and jpeg files. Very easy to use - $ ./EXIF.py image.jpg

or the Python Imaging Library (PIL):

The Python Imaging Library (PIL) adds image processing capabilities to your Python interpreter. This library supports many file formats, and provides powerful image processing and graphics capabilities.

There's also the aptly named pyexif: http://pyexif.sourceforge.net/

The pyexif python library and tools aims at extracting EXIF information from Jpeg and Tiff files which include it. This information is typically included in images created using digital imaging devices such as digital cameras, digital film scanners, etc.

However, it looks like pyexif hasn't been updated in quite while. They recommend if theirs isn't doing the trick to check out EXIF-py, so you should probably try that one first, as their sourceforge page seems to have some activity there lately, though not much. Finally, using PIL you could do this:

from PIL import Image
from PIL.ExifTags import TAGS

def get_exif(fn):
    ret = {}
    i = Image.open(fn)
    info = i._getexif()
    for tag, value in info.items():
        decoded = TAGS.get(tag, tag)
        ret[decoded] = value
    return ret

Disclaimer:
I actually have no idea which is best, this is just what I was able to piece together with Google. :)

None of these "solutions" can write EXIF tags back, so they are not a solution to the question. — odinho - Velmont, Jan 03 '11 at 21:41
Nice overview. Just a note: exif-py is currently not compatible with Python 3.x it seems (tested with Python 3.3.3, see also https://github.com/ianare/exif-py/issues/12). — cel, Jan 11 '14 at 19:39

score 59 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 18 '22 at 08:20

59

I've been using pyexiv2 myself recently, and it seems to fit my needs quite nicely. Perhaps it might suit yours as well.

Note: pyexiv2 is only for python2, for python3 use py3exiv2

edited Apr 18 '22 at 08:20

sashoalm

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answered Apr 19 '09 at 14:00

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For the record: pyexiv2 seems to be the best-maintained of them all, and the most complete (including writing EXIF tags back to the file). – rbp Oct 25 '10 at 22:15
1

Can pyexiv2 easily be installed inside a virtualenv? – Matt Austin May 16 '12 at 03:53
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Maintenance seems to be slowed down, and installation on Mac is a hell. :/ – Vortexfive Sep 11 '12 at 18:06
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For those who care: Unfortunately, pyexiv2 is only available for Python 2. – texnic Sep 18 '12 at 18:58
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This will work equally well with either Python 2 or 3, which makes GExiv2 an excellent replacement for pyexiv2, which only supports Python 2. – jno May 13 '13 at 12:55
Can you test this on this Question, download the images, and try to get the ImageDescription. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/22173902/how-to-get-image-title-in-python-django – A.J. Mar 06 '14 at 07:45
1

Can I access time stamps of my image using pyexiv? – praxmon Mar 14 '14 at 09:50

score 31 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 16 '13 at 23:45

31

Exiv2 Based solutions

Exiv2 (exiv2: http://exiv2.org/) is a mature, open-source C++ library that supports reading and writing metadata to many image types (JPEG, PNG, TIFF and many raw formats), understands standard (Xmp, IPTC and Exif) and non-standard metadata ("Makernotes"), and runs on multiple platforms (Windows, Linux, and, with some work, Mac).

Python bindings to exiv2 are:

gexiv2 (a multi-language binding, but works with python 2.6/2.7/3.X): https://wiki.gnome.org/gexiv2
pyexiv2 (no longer supported, but works with python 2.6/2.7): http://tilloy.net/dev/pyexiv2/

One advantage of pyexiv2 is that there is a windows build available for python 2.7. A windows build request for gexiv2 is here: https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=712441

exiv2 and the bindings are all open source (GPL).

edited Nov 16 '13 at 23:45

Xiong Chiamiov

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answered May 11 '11 at 15:02

dlm

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updated this based on latest info about bindings to exiv2 – dlm Jun 06 '13 at 21:34
`pyexiv2` has been forked: http://www.py3exiv2.tuxfamily.org/. – Artem Klevtsov Mar 19 '16 at 18:02
tilloy.net link dead – jtlz2 Mar 11 '20 at 08:56

score 5 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 15 '09 at 01:57

5

This article describes a Python module for writing EXIF metadata (and not just reading them) using pure Python. Apparently, none of PIL, pyexif, nor EXIF-py support writing EXIF. pyexiv2 appears to be bleeding-edge and platform-specific.

answered Nov 15 '09 at 01:57

Jason R. Coombs

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Not sure if this can be considered any less bleeding edge. – Mad Physicist Jan 05 '18 at 04:33

score 4 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 13 '12 at 03:26

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Use PIL :)

import os,sys
from PIL import Image
from PIL.ExifTags import TAGS

if __name__ == '__main__':
    for (k,v) in Image.open(sys.argv[1])._getexif().iteritems():
        print '%s = %s' % (TAGS.get(k), v)
    os.system('pause')

answered Apr 13 '12 at 03:26

Max

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Pure PIL / Pillow does not allow modifying EXIF tags. But there a small library helping with that: https://github.com/hMatoba/Pyxif – Simon Steinberger Jan 27 '15 at 08:21

jno · Answer 6 · 2019-11-19T08:07:00.997

4

The page at http://redmine.yorba.org/projects/gexiv2/wiki (became https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/gexiv2) reads now:

This will work equally well with either Python 2 or 3, which makes GExiv2 an excellent replacement for pyexiv2, which only supports Python 2.

So, both Python2 and Python3 are now supported by GExiv2.

Good news.

edited Nov 19 '19 at 08:07

answered May 13 '13 at 12:58

jno

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the link does not work. this works https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/gexiv2 – user881300 Sep 22 '16 at 11:21
good update! 3 years have passed since 2013... – jno Oct 27 '16 at 10:29

score 3 · Answer 7 · answered Jun 09 '12 at 09:34

3

I have been using my own wrappers around http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/ -- the reason is that it is very complete, the dev is very active. And not being able to support almost all image formats is a absolute showstopper for the project it is needed for

The drawback of course is that it isn't python, so you would need to use subprocess calls, as I do.

answered Jun 09 '12 at 09:34

Geert Dekkers

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There's a python wrapper for exiftool https://github.com/smarnach/pyexiftool. One vote for exiftool for the fact that it is very complete. – Long Vu Jun 26 '12 at 14:28
He's asking for a Python lib. – Diego Woitasen Jul 10 '12 at 17:18

score 3 · Answer 8 · answered Jul 23 '09 at 02:51

3

You might also look at Gheorghe Milas' jpeg.py library at http://www.emilas.com/jpeg/, which is "A python library to parse, read and write JPEG EXIF, IPTC and COM metadata."

A drawback is that he appears to be hosting his domain on a dynamic IP via DynDNS, so it's not always available.

answered Jul 23 '09 at 02:51

Does not exist any longer. – Simon Steinberger Jan 27 '15 at 08:22

score 3 · Answer 9 · edited Apr 13 '12 at 09:17

3

I started to write my own small library which is based on the code in PIL. check it here.

edited Apr 13 '12 at 09:17

Code Lღver

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answered Jan 23 '11 at 20:02

Albert

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Hey that looks good. Any sharp edges with it? – Rich Oct 18 '12 at 02:23
@Rich: I don't remember anymore. It has worked for me. – Albert Oct 18 '12 at 12:25

otterb · Answer 10 · 2011-07-15T15:28:42.163

somehow i get an attributeError for _getexif with Paolo's code above.. I am using Python 2.6.6 and PIL 1.1.7. Is _getexif obsolete now??

Here's a small modification that worked for me.

from PIL import Image
from PIL.ExifTags import TAGS

def get_exif(fn):
    ret = {}
    i = Image.open(fn)
#    info = i._getexif()
    info = i.tag.tags
    for tag, value in info.items():
        decoded = TAGS.get(tag, tag)
        ret[decoded] = value
    return ret

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Jul 23 '09 at 05:17

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There are some examples of PIL and EXIF.py usage on ASPN

answered Jul 23 '09 at 05:17

Michał Niklas

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score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Jul 08 '10 at 08:29

0

In Python 2.6 the place of module is different. Use this:

import Image    
from ExifTags import TAGS

answered Jul 08 '10 at 08:29

Tomasz Nazar

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Exif manipulation library for python

12 Answers12

Exiv2 Based solutions

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