# Changing time of capture in Metadata



## PhilC (Sep 6, 2017)

I have recently returned from Canada with thousands of images of bears. I forgot to change the Time on my cameras so all the metadata shows UK time i.e. 8 hours ahead of actual take time. Is there a way of correcting the times en bloc?


----------



## LouieSherwin (Sep 6, 2017)

From Menu 

Metadata -> Edit Capture Time

One of the options is to a time zone offset for the selected images.

-louie


----------



## PhilC (Sep 6, 2017)

Louie, thanks for drawing my attention to this option, which has worked perfectly for one image. I have never needed to manage Metadata before and to be honest I had not noticed there was such a Menu item! Is there a way of altering a whole file of 800 plus images in one go?


----------



## Jim Wilde (Sep 6, 2017)

Yes, you select all 800 and adjust the "most selected" image. The dialog will explain then that all the selected images will be adjusted by the same amount of time that you have changed on that one image, NOT to the same time.


----------



## PhilC (Sep 9, 2017)

That sounds perfect and thanks for the precise advice. It is my daughter's birthday weekend so I will not be trying it until Monday, when I will report back!


----------



## PhilC (Sep 13, 2017)

Jim, that all worked fine. Many thanks for the advice.


----------



## PhilC (Oct 4, 2017)

Hello Jim. I wish what I said in my reply back on 13/09 was correct!. At the time I was whittling down a large volume of images so after applying Option 2 (NB) under  Edit Capture Time entering -8 hours and having previously highlighted all the images in the folder, I went ahead, waited a little time then checked the next file and the time had indeed changed
. Wanting to get on, I assumed the rest had changed too but that was not the case.....!
Yesterday I revisited the problem and did exactly as you indicated, i.e. using Option 1 but that too had no effect.
Option 2 appears prima face to be the perfect option but it doesn't work.
One thought is that because the file numbers are not sequential that prevents it working?
May I just confirm the precise sequence of actions you propose:
1.Highlight all the images you wish to change
2 (Question) should this include as the first one one with the old time that needs changing?
3. Enter the new time against the image it has selected (not too sure why it picks as you described?)
4. Press Change all. NB at times it has shown only Change without the All which can explain why only the first one changes. A Selection problem in LR?
5. Wait a few minutes and check ( I have about 400 images selected)

Further advice would be most gratefully received

Kind regards

PhilC


----------



## Jim Wilde (Oct 4, 2017)

PhilC said:


> May I just confirm the precise sequence of actions you propose:
> 1.Highlight all the images you wish to change
> 2 (Question) should this include as the first one one with the old time that needs changing?
> 3. Enter the new time against the image it has selected (not too sure why it picks as you described?)
> ...


The sequence is correct, but it sounds like you're not getting the selection right. How are you doing the multiple selection? There are basically two ways:

1. If all the images to be selected appear in sequence in the Grid (*and make sure you are doing this from the Grid, not in Loupe mode using the filmstrip to select*): click on the first thumbnail in the sequence, then shift-click on the last thumbnail in the sequence. The cell border of all the selected images should now be a light grey, and the first one that you clicked on will be a lighter shade still (almost white). This is the "most selected" image, and it will be the current date/time of this "most selected" image that will be displayed when you select the Metadata>Edit Capture Time option.

2. The other way of doing a multiple selection is when the images to be adjusted are not in sequence in the grid (though if you sort on Capture Time they more than likely will be). But assuming they're not, click on the first image to be adjusted, then Cmd+Click on each of the other images to be adjusted. Again, the first one you click on will be the "most selected".

So before you commit the adjustment, verify that all the images you wish to change are correctly selected by looking at the thumbnails in the Grid...all should be light grey, with one having a lighter still appearance (it doesn't matter if the "most selected" image is not the first of the multiple selection, though most often it will be).

Once you have verified your selection is ready, then initiate the Edit Capture Time dialog, make the selection (option 1 or 2 can be used as you prefer), then click on "Change All". That should work


----------



## prbimages (Oct 4, 2017)

Slightly off-topic, but ...

I notice the "time-zone change" option only offers increments or decrements in multiples of one hour. What if you want to change the time by half an hour? Is that possible? (I don't actually need to do this, I'm just curious ...)


----------



## Jim Wilde (Oct 4, 2017)

It's not possible using the time-zone shift option, but you can still use the first option. You'd just have to do the math yourself to add/subtract the 30mins to the time of the "most selected" image.


----------



## prbimages (Oct 4, 2017)

Ah, I see, even though the option is labelled "Adjust to a specified date and time", it actually adjusts the photos by a constant offset. Good to know; thanks


----------



## Jim Wilde (Oct 4, 2017)

Yes, that's right. The "most selected" photo is adjusted to that "specified date and time", but if you have multiple images selected these are adjusted by the *same amount* as the "most selected", and *not to* the specified date and time.


----------



## PhilC (Oct 6, 2017)

Jim, many thanks for your continous advice, much appreciated.
I will be some time before I can act on it. Quite out of blue on Weds a visit to the doc for flu symptoms, resulted in me being beig carted directly to hospital with  a chest infection/pneumonia.And here I remain for a few more days yet! Sods law!........


----------



## PhilC (Oct 9, 2017)

Dear Jim. i am messaging you on behalf of my father. Tragically he died unexpectedly at the weekend. however you were one of the people he mentioned in hospital as youve been so helpful with his lightroom questions. thank you very much. best regards.  lucy


----------



## Jim Wilde (Oct 9, 2017)

Dear Lucy, I'm so sorry to hear your tragic news. Thank you for letting us know that he thought we had been helpful to him with his Lightroom questions, it's very much appreciated that you could find the time to write at this difficult time.

Heartfelt condolences and best wishes from all of us here at LightroomForums.

Kind Regards
Jim


----------

