ExifTool

A community member recently asked about resizing images using Photoshop or other tools.

Problem

The original image looks like this in the THETA Desktop App.

The resized image looks like this

Why the Orientation Problem Occurs

The THETA camera stores camera orientation data as metadata. The THETA Desktop App reads in the metadata and orients the image properly. When you edit the app, you lose the metadata.

Solution

You can copy the metadata from the original image into the resized image.

Tools to Edit the Metadata

You need the following to edit the EXIF data.

• ExifTool
• ExifToolGUI

Organize Original and Resized Images

The community member sent me these files.

Install ExifToolGUI and Configure with exiftool

Extract both archives.

Take the binary for exiftool(-k).exe and rename it to exiftool.exe. Copy the file and put it into the exiftoolgui folder

Process of using ExifToolGUI

Double-click on ExifToolGUI.exe

In ExifToolGUI, browse to the resized image.

With the resized image selected, under Modify select Remove metadata…

Select -remove all metadata. Click Execute.

With the same resized image selected, go to Export/Import -> Copy metadata into JPG or TIF files…

Select the original image.

Copy everything.

Click Execute.

Test the resized file.

Drag the resized image from your folder onto the THETA Desktop App. The orientation now looks correct.

More Information

https://theta360developers.github.io/thetamedia/#_metadata

This is the metadata in a RICOH THETA data.txt file:

ExifTool Version Number         : 10.47
File Name                       : edited_image.jpg
Directory                       : .
File Size                       : 3.7 MB
File Modification Date/Time     : 2017:05:31 12:44:39-07:00
File Access Date/Time           : 2017:05:31 12:44:39-07:00
File Creation Date/Time         : 2017:05:31 11:31:21-07:00
File Permissions                : rw-rw-rw-
File Type                       : JPEG
File Type Extension             : jpg
MIME Type                       : image/jpeg
Exif Byte Order                 : Big-endian (Motorola, MM)
Image Description               :
Make                            : RICOH
Camera Model Name               : RICOH THETA S
Orientation                     : Horizontal (normal)
X Resolution                    : 72
Y Resolution                    : 72
Resolution Unit                 : inches
Software                        : RICOH THETA S Ver 1.62
Modify Date                     : 2016:10:23 12:25:33
Y Cb Cr Positioning             : Co-sited
Copyright                       :
Exposure Time                   : 1/125
F Number                        : 2.0
ISO                             : 100
Sensitivity Type                : Standard Output Sensitivity
Exif Version                    : 0230
Date/Time Original              : 2016:10:23 12:25:33
Create Date                     : 2016:10:23 12:25:33
Components Configuration        : Y, Cb, Cr, -
Compressed Bits Per Pixel       : 3.2
Aperture Value                  : 2.0
Brightness Value                : 3.5
Exposure Compensation           : -0.7
Max Aperture Value              : 2.0
Metering Mode                   : Multi-segment
Light Source                    : Unknown
Flash                           : No Flash
Focal Length                    : 1.3 mm
Maker Note Type                 : Rdc
Firmware Version                : 1.62
Serial Number                   : (00000000)00010093
Recording Format                : JPEG
Accelerometer                   : 359.6 -0.9
Compass                         : 315
Time Zone                       : -07:00
Exposure Program                : Auto
White Balance                   : Auto
User Comment                    :
Flashpix Version                : 0100
Color Space                     : sRGB
Exif Image Width                : 5376
Exif Image Height               : 2688
Interoperability Index          : R98 - DCF basic file (sRGB)
Interoperability Version        : 0100
Exposure Mode                   : Auto
Scene Capture Type              : Standard
Sharpness                       : Normal
GPS Version ID                  : 2.3.0.0
GPS Latitude Ref                : North
GPS Longitude Ref               : West
GPS Altitude Ref                : Above Sea Level
GPS Time Stamp                  : 19:25:31
GPS Img Direction Ref           : True North
GPS Img Direction               : 315
GPS Map Datum                   : WGS84
GPS Date Stamp                  : 2016:10:23
Compression                     : JPEG (old-style)
Thumbnail Offset                : 58496
Thumbnail Length                : 3118
XMP Toolkit                     : Image::ExifTool 10.47
Cropped Area Image Height Pixels: 2688
Cropped Area Image Width Pixels : 5376
Cropped Area Left Pixels        : 0
Cropped Area Top Pixels         : 0
Full Pano Height Pixels         : 2688
Full Pano Width Pixels          : 5376
Initial View Heading Degrees    : 135
Pose Heading Degrees            : 315.0
Pose Pitch Degrees              : -0.9
Pose Roll Degrees               : -0.4
Projection Type                 : equirectangular
Use Panorama Viewer             : True
Image Width                     : 5376
Image Height                    : 2688
Encoding Process                : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample                 : 8
Color Components                : 3
Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling            : YCbCr4:2:2 (2 1)
Aperture                        : 2.0
GPS Altitude                    : 36 m Above Sea Level
GPS Date/Time                   : 2016:10:23 19:25:31Z
GPS Latitude                    : 37 deg 25' 58.58" N
GPS Longitude                   : 122 deg 10' 14.32" W
GPS Position                    : 37 deg 25' 58.58" N, 122 deg 10' 14.32" W
Image Size                      : 5376x2688
Megapixels                      : 14.5
Ricoh Pitch                     : -0.9
Ricoh Roll                      : -0.399999999999977
Shutter Speed                   : 1/125
Thumbnail Image                 : (Binary data 3118 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Focal Length                    : 1.3 mm
Light Value                     : 9.0