EXIF Makernotes - Reference Information

Nikon Makernote Format Specification


There are three types of Nikon Makernote:


Nikon Type 1 Makernote

Field Size Description
Header 8 Bytes "Nikon\x00\x01\x00"
IFD Data Variable Standard TIFF IFD Data using Nikon Type 1 Tags
Offsets are relative to the start of the TIFF header at the beginning of the EXIF segment


Nikon Type 2 Makernote

Field Size Description
IFD Data Variable Standard TIFF IFD Data using Nikon Type 3 Tags
Offsets are relative to the start of the TIFF header at the beginning of the EXIF segment

This makernote has no header - the IFD starts immediately


Nikon Type 3 Makernote

Field Size Description
Header 10 Bytes "Nikon\x00\x02\x10\x00\x00" or "Nikon\x00\x02\x00\x00\x00"
TIFF Data Variable TIFF header, then standard IFD Data using Nikon Type 3 Tags.
Offsets are from this second TIFF header, not the one at the start of the EXIF segment


Note: The Nikon Coolpix 775 uses the Fujifilm makernote format



For format specifications of TIFF Image File Directory data, see Section 2 of: TIFF, Revision 6.0, June 3, 1992, Adobe Systems Incorporated





Nikon Type 1 Makernote Tags Definition

Tag # Name Type Details
3 Quality Numeric Lookup 1 = VGA (640x480) Basic
2 = VGA (640x480) Normal
3 = VGA (640x480) Fine
4 = SXGA (1280x960) Basic
5 = SXGA (1280x960) Normal
6 = SXGA (1280x960) Fine
7 = Unknown, Possibly XGA (1024x768) Basic
8 = Unknown, Possibly XGA (1024x768) Basic
9 = Unknown, Possibly XGA (1024x768) Basic
10 = UXGA (1600x1200) Basic
11 = UXGA (1600x1200) Normal
12 = UXGA (1600x1200) Fine
4 Colour Mode Numeric Lookup 1 = Colour
2 = Monochrome
5 Image Adjustment Numeric Lookup 0 = Normal
1 = Bright+
2 = Bright-
3 = Contrast+
4 = Contrast-
6 CCD Sensitivity Numeric Lookup 0 = ISO 80
2 = ISO 160
4 = ISO 320
5 = ISO 100
7 White Balance Numeric Lookup 0 = Auto
1 = Preset
2 = Daylight
3 = Incandescense
4 = Flourescence
5 = Cloudy
6 = Speedlight
8 White Balance Numeric If infinite focus, value is '1/0'
10 Digital Zoom Numeric '160/100' means 1.6x digital zoom, '0/100' means no digital zoom (optical zoom only)
11 Converter Numeric Lookup 0 = No Converter Used
1 = Fish-eye Converter Used




Nikon Type 3 Makernote Tags Definition

Tag # Name Type Details
1 Nikon Makernote Version Special Some cameras use a binary version, some use a string
2 ISO Speed Used Numeric Contains 2 values. The first value is always zero. The second value is the ISO Speed
3 Colour Mode String  
4 Quality String  
5 White Balance String  
6 Sharpening String  
7 Focus Mode String  
8 Flash Setting String  
9 Auto Flash Mode String  
11 White Balance Bias Value Numeric Units Approx: 100 Mired per increment
12 White Balance Red, Blue Coefficients? Numeric  
15 ISO Selection? String  
18 Flash Compensation Numeric Lookup 0x06 = +1.0 EV
0x04 = +0.7 EV
0x03 = +0.5 EV
0x02 = +0.3 EV
0x00 = 0.0 EV
0xfe = -0.3 EV
0xfd = -0.5 EV
0xfc = -0.7 EV
0xfa = -1.0 EV
0xf8 = -1.3 EV
0xf7 = -1.5 EV
0xf6 = -1.7 EV
0xf4 = -2.0 EV
0xf2 = -2.3 EV
0xf1 = -2.5 EV
0xf0 = -2.7 EV
0xee = -3.0 EV
19 ISO Speed Requested Special Contains 2 values. The first value is always zero. The second value is the ISO Speed Requested
(May be different to Speed Used when Auto ISO is on)
22 Photo corner coordinates Numeric Contains 4 values for the edges of the image in pixel coordinates
24 Flash Bracket Compensation Applied Numeric Lookup 0x06 = +1.0 EV
0x04 = +0.7 EV
0x03 = +0.5 EV
0x02 = +0.3 EV
0x00 = 0.0 EV
0xfe = -0.3 EV
0xfd = -0.5 EV
0xfc = -0.7 EV
0xfa = -1.0 EV
0xf8 = -1.3 EV
0xf7 = -1.5 EV
0xf6 = -1.7 EV
0xf4 = -2.0 EV
0xf2 = -2.3 EV
0xf1 = -2.5 EV
0xf0 = -2.7 EV
0xee = -3.0 EV
25 AE Bracket Compensation Applied Numeric Units = EV
128 Image Adjustment? String  
129 Tone Compensation (Contrast) String  
130 Auxiliary Lens (Adapter) String  
131 Lens Type? String 6 = Nikon D series Lens
14 = Nikon G series Lens
132 Lens Min/Max Focal Length, Max Aperture String Four Values:
Minimum Focal Length in millimetres,
Maximum Focal Length in millimetres,
Maximum Aperture F-Stop at Minimum Focal Length
Maximum Aperture F-Stop at Maximum Focal Length
133 Manual Focus Distance? Numeric  
134 Digital Zoom Factor? Numeric  
135 Flash Used Numeric Lookup 0 = Flash Not Used
9 = Flash Fired
136 Auto Focus Area Special Bit Masked data:
byte 1 : AF Mode: 00 = single area, 01 = Dynamic Area, 02 = Closest Subject
byte 2 : AF Area Selected : 00 = Centre, 01 = Top, 02 = Bottom, 03 = Left, 04 = Right
byte 3 : Unknown, always zero\n byte 4 : Properly focused Area(s) : bit 0 = Centre, bit 1 = Top, bit 2 = Bottom, bit 3 = Left, bit 4 = Right
137 Bracketing & Shooting Mode Special Bit Masked data:
bit 0&1 (0 = single frame, 1 = continuous,2=timer, 3=remote timer? 4 = remote?
bit 4, Bracketing on or off
bit 6, white Balance Bracketing on
141 Colour Mode String "1a" = Portrait sRGB,
"2" = Adobe RGB,
"3a" = Landscape sRGB
143 Scene Mode? Numeric  
144 Lighting Type String  
146 Hue Adjustment Numeric Units = Degrees
148 Saturation? Numeric Lookup -3 = Black and White
-2 = -2
-1 = -1
0 => "Normal
1 => "+1
2 => "+2
149 Noise Reduction String  
167 Total Number of Shutter Releases for Camera Numeric Units = Shutter Releases
169 Image optimisation String  
170 Saturation String  
171 Digital Vari-Program String  


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