Camera body firmware has a lookup table for these ID-codes. Lens model info is not included in the basic EXIF-data but is found in MakerNotes section instead.Įach lens has its own ID-code which is sent to the camera body when an image is captured. Some basic specs of a lens is transferred from lens to camera (for example focal length and the maximum usable aperture at current zoom level) and those are then included in EXIF data.

Camera makers include information of several lenses in the firmware, but if a certain lens you use is not included, then the camera can not recognize it correctly.

Lens is recognized by the camera only if its ID-code is known to it. What more, many photo gallery sites, and for example Facebook, intentionally strip most or all Exif info (and the rest of metadata) off the images. Also the use of a teleconverter, extension tube or adapter ring may lead to incorrect or missing Lens model info. However, third party lenses may show up with invalid or missing lens model info. Google can find several Exif viewers for you, but not all of them read and/or translate MakerNotes.Ĭhances to find correct lens info from metadata are good when the camera and lens are both from the same manufacturer. I use either my RAW-converter software or an online viewer - Jeffrey's exif viewer at. You may find Lens model description in the image metadata with an Exif viewer that is able to translate the MakerNotes section of the metadata.