Overview
This node reads EXIF metadata from image files. It is useful for extracting detailed information embedded in images, such as camera settings, geolocation, timestamps, and other metadata stored by cameras or editing software. Common scenarios include organizing photos based on metadata, verifying image authenticity, or extracting tags for cataloging.
For example, a user might input a batch of JPEG images and use this node to extract the EXIF data into JSON format, which can then be used downstream for filtering or reporting.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Property Name | The name of the binary property containing the image data (e.g., "data"). |
| Output Property Name | The name of the JSON property where the extracted EXIF data will be stored (default: "exifData"). |
| Options | Collection of options: |
| - Read Raw | If true, returns raw EXIF data without transformation or standardization. |
| - Parse Input Fields | If true, parses certain input fields like "Keywords" or "Subject" as comma-separated lists. |
Output
The node outputs the extracted EXIF metadata as a JSON object under the specified output property name (default "exifData"). This JSON contains key-value pairs representing the various EXIF tags and their values.
No binary output is produced by the read operation; the binary data remains unchanged.
Dependencies
- Requires the
exiftool-vendoredlibrary to interact with EXIF metadata. - Uses the local filesystem to temporarily write image files for processing.
- Needs access to a writable storage path configured in n8n for temporary file handling.
- Supports common image formats including JPG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF, TIFF, GIF, BMP, WEBP, and JPEG.
Troubleshooting
- Storage Path Issues: If the node cannot find or create the required storage directory, it throws an error suggesting manual creation of the directory.
- Unsupported File Types: Files with unsupported extensions will cause an error indicating the file extension is not supported.
- Missing Binary Data: If the specified binary property does not contain data, the node will error out.
- Temporary File Cleanup: The node attempts to clean up temporary files after processing. Failures here are logged but do not stop execution.
- Read Raw Option: Using the "Read Raw" option returns unprocessed EXIF data, which may be less human-readable.
- Parsing Input Fields: When enabled, some fields are parsed as lists; disabling this may result in raw string values.
Links and References
- ExifTool Tag Names — Comprehensive list of EXIF tags supported by ExifTool.
- ExifTool Official Site — Documentation and downloads for ExifTool utility.