How to Download and Install exiftool on Linux

As a photographer, you've probably faced the frustration of having your GPS data not updated or using settings from a previous location. This can be especially problematic when photographing inside buildings like churches, cathedrals, and museums. To overcome this challenge, you need a tool that allows you to write GPS data to your images as you take them. In this article, we'll show you how to download and install exiftool on Linux.

What is exiftool?

Exiftool is an excellent open-source command-line tool developed by Phil Harvey. It's designed to read and write metadata tags from image files, including GPS data. The tool has gained popularity among photographers due to its ability to write data copied or not from a source image (reference image) to multiple images at once.

Why Use exiftool on Linux?

Linux is an ideal platform for using exiftool due to its flexibility and customization options. With exiftool, you can easily automate the process of writing GPS data to your images, making it easier to keep track of your locations and metadata.

How to Download exiftool on Linux

To download exiftool on Linux, follow these simple steps:

1. Open a terminal window as a root user.

2. Navigate to the directory where you want to install exiftool using the cd command (e.g., `cd /opt`).

3. Use the wget command to download the latest version of exiftool from its official website: `wget https://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/Release-EXIFTOOL-latest.tar.gz`

4. Extract the downloaded tarball using the tar command: `tar -xvf Release-EXIFTOOL-latest.tar.gz`

How to Install exiftool on Linux

Once you've extracted the tarball, follow these steps to install exiftool:

1. Navigate to the extracted directory and run the installation script: `cd exiftool && ./install.sh`

2. Follow the installation prompts to configure exiftool according to your preferences.

Using exiftool on Linux

To use exiftool on Linux, navigate to the terminal window where you installed the tool and type the following command: `exiftool -gps -overwrite_original`

This command will write GPS data from a source image (reference image) to multiple images at once. You can customize this command by adding more options or parameters.

Exiftool is an invaluable tool for photographers who need to write GPS data to their images on Linux. With its ability to write data copied or not from a source image (reference image) to multiple images at once, it's an essential tool for keeping track of your locations and metadata. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily download and install exiftool on Linux and start using it to enhance your photography workflow.

How to download exiftool linux