How to sort image files by format, camera model and date using ExifTool?

November 8, 2015 10:35 AM

I have a metric gajillion image files dumped on one external hard drive. As the first step in my effort to backup my pictures, I need to organize them. I have tried for hours for exiftool to do my bidding but failed. What might be the proper instruction to have it sort all files into a new directory structure that looks like this: Image format (NEF, JPG)/Camera model/Year/Month/Date/Originalfilename.extension Thank you! ?
posted by docgonzo to Technology (2 answers total)

I don't know off the top of my head how to do that in exiftool, but it should be pretty easy in Photo Mechanic. You can use any of the variables in the destination, and create nested directories. I believe they have a free trial version you could use if you just need to do it once (or if you need to do it a lot, it's probably worth paying for).
posted by primethyme at 11:14 AM on November 8, 2015

ViewNX 2 from Nikon has pretty advanced renaming rules that could help. RenameMaster also does a passable job of using EXIF data. That said, exiftool should be able to do the job, at least to the point of adding prefixes to filenames. All of these are assuming a primary rename task followed by a secondary move to directories.
posted by jmfitch at 11:26 AM on November 8, 2015