Exif Pilot

Exchangeable Image File Format, or EXIF, is an image file specification that stores information about each image. This metadata, as it's commonly known, includes details about the camera's make and model, the artist's name and copyright, shooting information such as aperture, ISO, exposure, and much more. Although the camera generates much of this information automatically when the photo is taken, sometimes the information contained in the EXIF needs to be added to or edited. Exif Pilot is a simple program that allows users to do just that.

Exif Pilot's interface is plain, with a traditional three-pane layout. On the left is a tree-style hierarchical display of folders on the user's computers. When a folder containing images is selected, the file names are displayed in the central pane. On the right there's a small image preview area, as well as a Properties display that lists file, EXIF, and IPTC information. This information is fully editable, making it easy to correct errors (perhaps your camera's date and time were set incorrectly, for example), add information not captured by the camera, or create data for newly digitized images. Exif Pilot also lets users import and export EXIF data in Excel, XML, and CSV formats. The program's built-in Help file is brief but adequate. Overall, Exif Pilot didn't knock our socks off in terms of looks or features, but it's a useful and intuitive tool for working with metadata.

Exif Pilot is free to try, but the trial version is save-disabled. The program installs a desktop icon without asking and leaves a folder behind upon removal. We recommend this program to all users.