I recently switched from Lightroom to digiKam 8.8.0 for asset management and Darktable 5.4.1 for development.
My workflow involves setting keywords, geolocation, and copyright information in digiKam, importing the tagged RAW file into Darktable, making my edits, and then exporting the results to JPG.
My issue is with the JPG export. The keywords, location, and copyright tags are not being exported.
I am willing to believe this is user error, since the tags exported fine with my test run. But my most recent two batches of photos are being exported without any of that information.
I have everything checked in the export preferences except omit hierarchy and develop history
I export to JPEG (8 bit) with quality set to 100
Darktable knows about the keywords; I can see them listed in darkroom > tagging
In digiKam, looking at the exported JPGs, all of the info I am looking for is listed under the Metadata > IPTC > IIM Application 2 in the previous export, but these problematic exports only show Date Created and Record Version there
I have fiddled with every setting I can think of and read every forum post and GitHub issue I can find.
ExifTool Version Number : 12.62
File Name : 28-FEB26-009-Canon EOS 80D_01.jpg
Directory : .
File Size : 378 kB
File Modification Date/Time : 2026:03:01 12:55:02-05:00
File Access Date/Time : 2026:03:01 12:56:24-05:00
File Creation Date/Time : 2026:03:01 12:55:02-05:00
File Permissions : -rw-rw-rw-
File Type : JPEG
File Type Extension : jpg
MIME Type : image/jpeg
JFIF Version : 1.01
Exif Byte Order : Little-endian (Intel, II)
Subfile Type : Reduced-resolution image
Image Description :
Make : Canon
Camera Model Name : Canon EOS 80D
Orientation : Horizontal (normal)
X Resolution : 300
Y Resolution : 300
Resolution Unit : inches
Software : darktable 5.4.1
Modify Date : 2026:03:01 12:55:02
Artist : Lisa R. Clarke
Rating : 0
Copyright : © 2026 Lisa R. Clarke, All Rights Reserved
Exposure Time : 1/60
F Number : 3.2
Exposure Program : Aperture-priority AE
ISO : 1250
Sensitivity Type : Recommended Exposure Index
Recommended Exposure Index : 1250
Exif Version : 0230
Create Date : 2026:02:28 12:31:13
Shutter Speed Value : 1/64
Aperture Value : 3.2
Flash : Off, Did not fire
Focal Length : 35.0 mm
Macro Mode : Normal
Self Timer : Off
Quality : RAW
Canon Flash Mode : Off
Continuous Drive : Continuous, Low
Focus Mode : AI Focus AF
Record Mode : CR2+JPEG
Canon Image Size : Large
Easy Mode : Manual
Digital Zoom : None
Camera ISO : Auto
Metering Mode : Partial
Focus Range : Not Known
Canon Exposure Mode : Aperture-priority AE
Lens Type : Canon EF 35mm f/2
Max Focal Length : 35 mm
Min Focal Length : 35 mm
Focal Units : 1/mm
Max Aperture : 2
Min Aperture : 23
Flash Activity : 0
Flash Bits : (none)
Zoom Source Width : 0
Zoom Target Width : 0
Manual Flash Output : n/a
Color Tone : Normal
SRAW Quality : n/a
Auto ISO : 100
Base ISO : 1234
Measured EV : 5.25
Target Aperture : 3.2
Target Exposure Time : 1/64
Exposure Compensation : -1/3
White Balance : Auto
Slow Shutter : None
Shot Number In Continuous Burst : 0
Optical Zoom Code : n/a
Camera Temperature : 21 C
Flash Guide Number : 0
Flash Exposure Compensation : 0
Auto Exposure Bracketing : Off
AEB Bracket Value : 0
Control Mode : Camera Local Control
Measured EV 2 : 5.125
Bulb Duration : 0
Camera Type : EOS High-end
ND Filter : n/a
Time Zone : -05:00
Time Zone City : New York
Daylight Savings : Off
Bracket Mode : Off
Bracket Value : 0
Bracket Shot Number : 0
Raw Jpg Size : Large
WB Bracket Mode : Off
WB Bracket Value AB : 0
WB Bracket Value GM : 0
Live View Shooting : Off
Shutter Mode : Mechanical
Flash Exposure Lock : Off
Tone Curve : Standard
Sharpness Frequency : n/a
Sensor Red Level : 0
Sensor Blue Level : 0
White Balance Red : 0
White Balance Blue : 0
Color Temperature : 2900
Picture Style : Auto
Digital Gain : 0
WB Shift AB : 0
WB Shift GM : 0
Canon Image Type : Canon EOS 80D
Canon Firmware Version : Firmware Version 1.0.3
Camera Orientation : Horizontal (normal)
Focus Distance Upper : 0 m
Focus Distance Lower : 0 m
Firmware Version : 1.0.3
File Index : 3223
Directory Index : 101
Canon Model ID : EOS 80D
Thumbnail Image Valid Area : 0 159 7 112
AF Area Mode : Single-point AF
Num AF Points : 45
Valid AF Points : 45
Canon Image Width : 6000
Canon Image Height : 4000
AF Image Width : 6000
AF Image Height : 4000
AF Area Widths : 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250
AF Area Heights : 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250
AF Area X Positions : 1438 1089 497 0 -497 -1089 -1438 -1788 1089 497 0 -497 -1089 -1438 -1788 1788 497 0 -497 -1089 -1438 -1788 1788 1438 0 -497 -1089 -1438 -1788 1788 1438 1089 -497 -1089 -1438 -1788 1788 1438 1089 497 1788 1438 1089 497 0
AF Area Y Positions : 699 699 860 860 860 699 699 699 349 430 430 430 349 349 349 699 0 0 0 0 0 0 349 349 -430 -430 -349 -349 -349 0 0 0 -860 -699 -699 -699 -349 -349 -349 -430 -699 -699 -699 -860 -860
AF Points In Focus : 17
AF Points Selected : 17
Battery Type : LP-E6
Internal Serial Number : UC0234403
Dust Removal Data : (Binary data 1024 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Crop Left Margin : 0
Crop Right Margin : 0
Crop Top Margin : 0
Crop Bottom Margin : 0
Aspect Ratio : 3:2
Cropped Image Width : 6000
Cropped Image Height : 4000
Cropped Image Left : 0
Cropped Image Top : 0
Measured RGGB : 638 1024 1024 654
VRD Offset : 0
Sensor Width : 6288
Sensor Height : 4056
Sensor Left Border : 276
Sensor Top Border : 46
Sensor Right Border : 6275
Sensor Bottom Border : 4045
Black Mask Left Border : 0
Black Mask Top Border : 0
Black Mask Right Border : 0
Black Mask Bottom Border : 0
Picture Style User Def : Auto; Auto; Auto
Picture Style PC : None; None; None
Custom Picture Style File Name :
AF Micro Adj Mode : Disable
AF Micro Adj Value : 0
Vignetting Corr Version : 0
Peripheral Lighting : On
Distortion Correction : Off
Chromatic Aberration Corr : On
Peripheral Lighting Value : 0
Distortion Correction Value : 0
Original Image Width : 100
Original Image Height : 0
Peripheral Lighting Setting : On
Chromatic Aberration Setting : On
Distortion Correction Setting : Off
Digital Lens Optimizer Setting : Off
Peripheral Illumination Corr : Off
Auto Lighting Optimizer : Off
Highlight Tone Priority : Off
Long Exposure Noise Reduction : Auto
High ISO Noise Reduction : Standard
Digital Lens Optimizer : Stanard
Ambience Selection : Standard
Multi Exposure : Off
Multi Exposure Control : Additive
Multi Exposure Shots : 0
Grainy B/W Filter : Off
Soft Focus Filter : Off
Toy Camera Filter : Off
Miniature Filter : Off
Miniature Filter Orientation : Horizontal
Miniature Filter Position : 0
Miniature Filter Parameter : 0
Fisheye Filter : Off
Painting Filter : Off
Watercolor Filter : Off
HDR : Off
HDR Effect : Natural
Sub Sec Time : 00
Sub Sec Time Digitized : 00
Flashpix Version : 0100
Color Space : sRGB
Exif Image Width : 1720
Exif Image Height : 1080
Focal Plane X Resolution : 6514.65798
Focal Plane Y Resolution : 6734.006711
Focal Plane Resolution Unit : inches
Custom Rendered : Normal
Exposure Mode : Auto
Scene Capture Type : Standard
Contrast : Normal
Saturation : Normal
Sharpness : Hard
Owner Name :
Serial Number : 062021003463
Lens Info : 35mm f/0
Lens Model : EF35mm f/2
Lens Serial Number : 0000000000
GPS Version ID : 2.2.0.0
GPS Latitude Ref : North
GPS Longitude Ref : West
Date/Time Original : 2026:02:28 12:31:13
Unique Camera Model : EOS 80D
Localized Camera Model : Canon EOS 80D
Original Raw File Digest : 16cd43d7d879445ac0533b7dd66ea74d
Original Default Final Size : 0 0
Original Default Crop Size : undef undef
Profile CMM Type : Little CMS
Profile Version : 2.4.0
Profile Class : Display Device Profile
Color Space Data : RGB
Profile Connection Space : XYZ
Profile Date Time : 2026:03:01 16:14:59
Profile File Signature : acsp
Primary Platform : Microsoft Corporation
CMM Flags : Embedded, Independent
Device Manufacturer :
Device Model :
Device Attributes : Reflective, Glossy, Positive, Color
Rendering Intent : Perceptual
Connection Space Illuminant : 0.9642 1 0.82491
Profile Creator : Little CMS
Profile ID : 0
Profile Description : sRGB
Profile Copyright : Public Domain
Media White Point : 0.9642 1 0.82491
Chromatic Adaptation : 1.04788 0.02292 -0.0502 0.02959 0.99046 -0.01707 -0.00925 0.01506 0.75179
Red Matrix Column : 0.43604 0.22249 0.01392
Blue Matrix Column : 0.14304 0.06061 0.7139
Green Matrix Column : 0.38512 0.71692 0.09708
Red Tone Reproduction Curve : (Binary data 8204 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Green Tone Reproduction Curve : (Binary data 8204 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Blue Tone Reproduction Curve : (Binary data 8204 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Chromaticity Channels : 3
Chromaticity Colorant : Unknown
Chromaticity Channel 1 : 0.64 0.33
Chromaticity Channel 2 : 0.3 0.60001
Chromaticity Channel 3 : 0.14999 0.06
Device Model Desc : sRGB
Device Mfg Desc : darktable
Current IPTC Digest : 73b8b49c36c8627b4e4301087b9c852b
Coded Character Set : UTF8
Date Created : 2026:02:28
Application Record Version : 4
Image Width : 1720
Image Height : 1080
Encoding Process : Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample : 8
Color Components : 3
Y Cb Cr Sub Sampling : YCbCr4:2:0 (2 2)
Drive Mode : Continuous Shooting
File Number : 101-3223
Lens : 35.0 mm
Shooting Mode : Aperture-priority AE
Aperture : 3.2
Image Size : 1720x1080
Lens ID : Canon EF 35mm f/2
Megapixels : 1.9
Scale Factor To 35 mm Equivalent: 5.5
Shutter Speed : 1/60
Create Date : 2026:02:28 12:31:13.00
Modify Date : 2026:03:01 12:55:02.00
GPS Latitude : 40 deg 41' 3.61" N
GPS Longitude : 74 deg 29' 37.93" W
Lens : 35.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 193.0 mm)
Circle Of Confusion : 0.005 mm
Depth Of Field : inf (0.00 m - inf)
Field Of View : 10.7 deg
Focal Length : 35.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 193.0 mm)
GPS Position : 40 deg 41' 3.61" N, 74 deg 29' 37.93" W
Hyperfocal Distance : 70.25 m
Light Value : 5.6
Even though both sets of photos are from the same camera (Canon EOS 80D), and both were sent to DT from digiKam, the first set I processed were CR2 files. The ones that have been failing were converted on import to DNG files. So I wonder, is there something in the digiKam import process that makes DT unable to export keywords?
I’m going to start over with this set and not convert them this time, and hopefully that will work.
Thanks for your help. It was looking more closely at EXIF data from the different file formats that got me thinking about this.
Your image doesn’t show a lot of details. There are two list in the tag module. The first one shows the tags applied to the image (select the image first), the second is the list of tags in the database.
Could you check the preferences for the export module (right-click on the module header opens a menu, last item is “preferences”)?
Also, a program is not obliged to import all possible tags from the input file (it should not remove metadata from the files, but that’s not the issue here). Afaik, darktable doesn’t read IPTC tags at all. So those aren’t imported, and thus cannot be exported to the jpegs… But
have a look at the manual for a (partial) solution.
I just took another photo and ran through the process again, this time not converting the CR2 to DNG when imported by digiKam, and the metadata that I set in digiKam was properly exported by Darktable.
So I’ve confirmed that the problem lies somewhere with the converted-to-DNG file. Whether or not there’s a bug with DK or DT, I couldn’t say, but choosing not to convert my CR2s to DNGs solves the problem for me. So that’s what I’ll do.
