Currently, devices render images as best they can, based on average settings for the average image. Improving the quality of a given rendering requires the user to make manual adjustments. Vendors can use metadata such as brightness and exposure bias to refine device algorithms for rendering images to produce higher-quality images automatically, with less need for user intervention. Metadata helps vendors manage image files in workflows. Currently, it is difficult to obtain simple information such as when and where a picture was taken with a digital camera or what camera model was used so that the printer vendor can compensate appropriately.
Vendors can use metadata to enhance image reproduction.
For example, suppose a vendor produces both digital cameras and printers. Metadata enables users to better use their images. Users can also take advantage of metadata such as organizing pictures by the date they were taken or the digital camera used, or annotating pictures for sharing or storage. Vendors who generate image files are encouraged to store valid and presentable information in all possible metadata items. For example, an application might recognize that the date and time of an image is missing and communicate with the device through WIA to set this value so that subsequent images will contain date and time metadata.