Date Stamp on the photo

[iracanon]

Hello, I just got a EOS Rebel t6, and I cannot make it to stamp the date on the photo. I want to confirm the camera does not do that, because I want to return it if it does not? Can you recommend a similar Canon that does stamp the date on the photo? Thank you.

[kvbarkley]

Generally the people who like this feature are insurance adjusters/investigators. for some reason they think that it is better evidence than the exif. I guess they never heard about photoshop.

[Waddizzle]

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@iracanon wrote:

Hello, I just got a EOS Rebel t6, and I cannot make it to stamp the date on the photo. I want to confirm the camera does not do that, because I want to return it if it does not? Can you recommend a similar Canon that does stamp the date on the photo? Thank you.

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A camcorder might do it, provided that it can capture a single image.  Time stamps are easily challenged in court, BTW.

Some free legal advice, from someone who has gone around the block with timestamped video:

Just because you apply a "time stamp" to a print, that does not make it a certified legal document.  The stamp alone is nothing more than an ink stain on your print.  You would need to be able to document how that stamp was created.  How the time was determined. 

You would need to produce a written, proven, and tested operating procedures for determining the time of day, and how that information found its' way onto the print.  You would need to document the chain of custody.  Anyone in the custody chain would need to be tested and certified to handle the timiestamped photo, although that chain may be just a single person, yourself.

In other words, a time stamp is nothing more than an ink stain on your print, no more significant than a piece of dirt.

[RobertTheFat]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

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@iracanon wrote:

Hello, I just got a EOS Rebel t6, and I cannot make it to stamp the date on the photo. I want to confirm the camera does not do that, because I want to return it if it does not? Can you recommend a similar Canon that does stamp the date on the photo? Thank you.

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A camcorder might do it, provided that it can capture a single image.  Time stamps are easily challenged in court, BTW.

Some free legal advice, from someone who has gone around the block with timestamped video:

Just because you apply a "time stamp" to a print, that does not make it a certified legal document.  The stamp alone is nothing more than an ink stain on your print.  You would need to be able to document how that stamp was created.  How the time was determined. 

You would need to produce a written, proven, and tested operating procedures for determining the time of day, and how that information found its' way onto the print.  You would need to document the chain of custody.  Anyone in the custody chain would need to be tested and certified to handle the timiestamped photo, although that chain may be just a single person, yourself.

In other words, a time stamp is nothing more than an ink stain on your print, no more significant than a piece of dirt.

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Which raises the question: How much better, in the legal environment, is a RAW file with Exit data?

[Waddizzle]

"Which raises the question: How much better, in the legal environment, is a RAW file with Exit data?"

Good question.  My experience was with time stamped security video.  We used a time/date generator, years ago, BTW.

Didn't Canon use to offer some sort of accessory to 1D Series camera that addressed that question?  I do not see it offered, anymore, so I never really took a good look at it.  Not sure how well it worked, or if it even stood up in court.

[RobertTheFat]

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Waddizzle wrote:

"Which raises the question: How much better, in the legal environment, is a RAW file with Exit data?"

Good question.  My experience was with time stamped security video.  We used a time/date generator, years ago, BTW.

Didn't Canon use to offer some sort of accessory to 1D Series camera that addressed that question?  I do not see it offered, anymore, so I never really took a good look at it.  Not sure how well it worked, or if it even stood up in court.

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I believe their was a camera that put some sort of encryption key into the Exif data that supposedly provided proof that the RAW file was original. I don't remember (if in fact I ever knew) anything beyond that.

[iracanon]

I appreciate all the answers, most have been very informative and I have learned. Everyone has different preferences and that is ok. I like to have that 'dirt stain' on my pictures so when the digital frame in my family room is on, I do not have to pause the slide show and navigate to find how old my son was when the photo was taken. As insignificant as it may seem to other people I like to keep that memory, and since I am not getting any younger, I do not remember all the dates. I like the date stamp on my pictures, that is my preference! I have photo albums, I still print some pictures and the paper photo in the album does not have an electronic file. I take photos of my kids, not just on birthdays, or especial days that I would remember, but also of simple, irrelevant moments that I will treasure later on. Happy Holidays to all!

[iracanon]

Thanks to this forum I learned of different phone camera apps that allows you to turn on date stamp, if you like it! I am already using it!

[Iporã]

The reason this might be important for some, included me, are legal reasons.

I work with printed reports to official legal agencies and, if in some countries processes are more and more digital we work all with printed documents.

We have an ageing ald camera that time stamps pictures, and that is great, as that is the best proof I get that this or that event occured when I am stating it happened so.

So when the government office I work makes an document with printed pictures to another legal agency, the best proof of the whens of the events is a simple time stamp if you're working with printed documents.

When we get our new camera (probably a Canon T5i, or other similar) whar would be the best workaround??

For those interested, I work on a local environment protection office.

[ebiggs1]

"When we get our new camera (probably a Canon T5i, or other similar) whar would be the best workaround??"

As I see it the problem is you can't trust photos anymore.  With all the exif editors and Photoshop and other easy editors the dates can be changed without notice.  Therefore rendering them untrust worthy.

[Iporã]

Well, as it seems I didn't notice there is a second discussion page, so my post got some bit out of touch with the discussion.

The opinions are right, it is not a proof per se, the final one, but it makes thinks easier to demonstrate on those reports.

I don't need excuses, the point is, it has helped my work and would be great to still have it..