Recommend bulk editor for EXIF/IPTC metadata?

[rjbull]

My compact digital camera records some EXIF data in JPEGs, but not author or copyright.  It doesn't appear to write any IPTC data at all.  I know very little about digital images, so:

1) Is it possible to add author and copyright data to EXIF, when IrfanView doesn't show any such fields at present?  I.e., can those fields be added?

2) If so, please can you recommend a batch/bulk means of adding and/or editing EXIF/IPTC data?  I'm thinking of something like a file manager with a thumbnails view where I can mark the images for a particular operation, as opposed to a bulk rename-type utility where all files in a folder are operated on, without much choice.  However, if all else fails, or works out too expensive, I'd be prepared to take that route.

I'm not looking for image alteration features, only EXIF/IPTC data.  Naturally, the cheaper the better 

I've heard of several that claim to do something close to what I'm looking for, including (apart from programs that are primarily image editors):

• AttributeMagic Pro ($25)
• PowerExif ($49.99 basic version, $89.99 for batch operation Pro version)
• METAmachine ($49.00)
• Photo Mechanic ($150)
  

[Edit at UK time 2012-05-16, 22:06:-] Added Photo Mechanic.  Some of these programs are very expensive, given the prices of photo editing programs now. [/Edit]

[skwire]

Time to save your money and get chummy with ExifTool GUI.

[barney]

Metanull might do what you want, according to the description from Addictive Tips.  Haven't used it, just have the reference from AddictiveTips.  Also a reference from ghacks.

[4wd]

GeoSetter is free, has a thumbnail view and will allow you to copy/paste EXIF/IPTC data from one picture to as many as you like.

Data is not written to the pictures until you choose to do so - uses exiftool to do the work and updates it when a new version is available.

This is my number one tool for general picture EXIF/IPTC manipulation - you don't have to use it for just doing Geo-tagging

Add info through the edit data dialog:


You can edit the Custom View to only display the metadata you want to edit, metadata relating to specific things will be under a tab, eg. Location:
Recommend bulk editor for EXIF/IPTC metadata?
Author appears to be equivalent to Contact Byline in GeoSetter.

Copy data and then paste into selected images:


Recommend bulk editor for EXIF/IPTC metadata?
You can also create templates of EXIF/IPTC data from an image, (location, author, copyright, etc), and save them to apply to other images, eg. select your images, choose a template - job done.

But then, you can also use it for what it was originally designed for
Recommend bulk editor for EXIF/IPTC metadata?