EOS 5D Mark III - Help wiping metadata!

[carraddee]

Hello everyone!

I recently bought a used Canon 5D Mark III and noticed shortly after shooting a wedding, by happenstance, that there is metadata built into the photos through camera copyright settings set by the previous owner/photographer. I was obviously unaware of this setting, or I would have changed it. (Since it was my first time upgrading to this type of camera, I was unaware that it was even possible to do that! lol)

Anyways, I've looked into ways to wipe that metadata, and am having a hard time finding success. For whatever reason, my computer (PC) will not acknowledge my rights to overwrite the existing properties of the photos and I'm unsure of how else I could remove someone else's copyright? I obviously can't leave it there, as it's not his work - nor do I want to be advertising for another photographer.

I have since changed the settings within my camera, but what do I do about the previous photoshoots 😞 ? Any suggestions on how to wipe them?

[Tronhard]

When you are trying to remove the metadata from within Windows (assumedly using File Manager), are you trying this on multiple files simultaneously or on just one file at a time?

[carraddee]

I have tried to remove it both ways. As a group, as well as individually (through File Manager). My PC is telling me I need permission from my own laptop, but when I go to permissions I have allowed any and all profiles associated with my laptop/myself to have full access.

[carraddee]

I have Windows 11, if that's significant.

[Tronhard]

I don't use Win 11 - I am running v10.  I am not aware of an application that will neatly change this.  Normally File Manager would let you do this but your issue is, as you say, a security one.  I think the answer actually lies with Windows support.  A search by me found this solution for Win 10, but MAY work for Win 11:

It could be because of the folders permission, you are unable to change the metadata of the videos.

You can try to copy-paste the videos on a different folder and then try to change their metadata.

Also, try to change the ownership of the file and then try to edit the metadata.

Follow the steps below:

1. Right-click the video file, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.

2. Click the Advanced button. The Advanced Security Settings window will appear. Here you need to change the Owner of the video file.

3. Click the Change link next to the Owner: label.

4. The Select User or Group window will appear and type your user account in the area which says 'Enter the object name to select' and click OK.

[johnrmoyer]

I no longer use windows, but I use this tool on Linux and macOS. https://exiftool.org/  Many years ago I used this program on windows, but do not now remember the command lines that I used. There are examples on the program author's web page.

The command line on windows is different because the quoting is different in the windows cmd.exe shell.

for example: "exiftool -copyrightnotice='Copyright John Moyer, all rights reserved' *.JPG" will write a copyright notice to all of the JPG files in the current working directory.

"exiftool -a -s -G0:2 "-*copy*" *.JPG" will display all of the tags with a name containing "copy" along with the section of the metadata that contains it. Sometimes it will be necessary to explicitly name the section of the metadata one wishes to overwrite.

The name of the previous camera owner is likely to be in the exif "Artist" tag and may be displayed with: "exiftool -a -s -G0:2 "-*artist*" *.JPG"

It is my habit to not modify the raw files, but only the JPEG files that I create from the raw files.

I hope some of this might be helpful.

John

[Waddizzle]

Good advice.  Use the tool on the JPGs, not the RAW files.  Accidents do happen.  JPGs can be easily restored, but not your RAW files.

[ebiggs1]

I haven't used the EOS Utility for some time but I believe it allows you to change info data but not shooting data. It is free to d/l from Canon. I think DPP4 does this, also and is also free to d/l.

[Waddizzle]

EXIFTool mentioned above sounds like your best solution.  You can modify the copyright notice in the camera using the EOS Utility.  Or, you can change it in the camera menus, which is like typing on a Blackberry.

You have bought a used digital camera.  It it a best practice to RESET the camera back to all of its factor settings.  You want to the camera in a known state.  You would need to be in one of the Creative modes, P, Tv Av, or M, to fully reset the camera.

The camera has a menu option that restores factory defaults, but it does not reset or clear all settings in the camera.  I recommend going through all of the menus and open each time one by one.  Look for the menu items that open up to its’ own list of menu options.  These items will usually have their own “Reset” that you would want to engage.

There are several menu options that are not reset by restoring factory defaults.  These settings wouldi include Custom Controls, Custom Shooting Modes, AFMA, Flash options, and a few others.

[jaewoosong · Accepted solution]

If you use adobe lightroom to process the photos, you can select multiple images and click on the "Metadata" pane and modify the copyright/creator sections for multiple files.