Where NLP Metadata are stored?

Guides and How-Tos
1

I just want to confirm that the NLP metadata are stored only in the LrC catalogue, and not the DNG file itself? I rely a lot on this metadata and all my rolls are filled with all NLP metadata fields, so I want to be sure I keep them protected in case of any kind of disasters that can happen with the catalogue (although I have backups).

2

A quick test confirms that the metadata fields that can be edited under the “Negative Lab Pro” filter are neither written to XMP sidecars nor to files exported by LrC.

3

Correct.

The NLP metadata for the original negatives is only stored with the LR catalogue. It’s important to keep a backup of the catalogue.

If you create positive TIF or JPEG copies (via NLP or via the NLP export settings in the Lightroom export panel), the metadata is stored to standard EXIF fields where available (and via descriptions where fields are not available).

-Nate

4

Thanks, I guess this is the limitation of the Lightroom and it won’t allow you to store them in the actual DNGs.

5

I could have it overwrite the metadata in DNG… but the problem is that Lightroom relies on some of that data to know how to process your RAW image… for instance, if I overwrote the camera model to be the original film camera, then Lightroom wouldn’t know what to do with the RAW data… it uses the camera model in the EXIF as a way to know which RAW profiles are applicable to the image. Same goes with the lens.

6

We could use an IPTC tag to add things e.g. with comma separation. Not the whole load of NLP tags, but those that matter most. The importance is fairly subjective, but if we had a possibility to tag our personal favorites and hide the others, the overall helpfulness of NLP metadata could be improved and metadata could be written to files and sidecars.

7

No, don’t overwrite the existing metadata, just add new ones (if possible), maybe with the NLP prefix so we can distinguish them, but to be stored in the file itself, and not only in the catalogue.

I made a physical notes for each role since I learned that the NLP metadata are stored only in the LrC catalogue.