So, NIKON said to me in the most polite way they could.... we cannot tell you what the future might bring....

I would think this might have to do with the way the various processors in the camera handle the information. As it does not create any issue such as to prevent an exposure, trigger an exposure, assist in focus, etc., it may be the data is not available to the processor which places the other data into the digital record.

But, NIKON may do something to have it included. It would be interesting and possibly useful for reproducing a specific angle.

Well of course it doesn't show it, otherwise we wouldn't be asking if it were possible! It must be possible to get that information communicated to somewhere useful, methinks.

El_Pickerel said:
I don't see why this couldn't be added into the EXIF data as a line of information. Maybe there could even be a firmware hack down the line that replaces one or two of the basszillion redundant / useless lines of information with this data.

So, I asked NIKON:

"Is there a firmware update which will allow the information from the Virtual Horizon information to be recorded in the Exif data on my D4?"

The response:

"Hello Tommi,

Thank you for contacting Nikon.
The Virtual Horizon cannot be displayed on the EXIF data.

Regards,
Buddhanjali G."

So, I repeated the question regarding a firmware update to see if maybe they will commit to something like "not in the near future" or at least an answer to my question.

I don't see why this couldn't be added into the EXIF data as a line of information. Maybe there could even be a firmware hack down the line that replaces one or two of the basszillion redundant / useless lines of information with this data.

El_Pickerel said:
So the virtual horizon is a great and useful thing, but sometimes you don't have time to level a shot. What if... the virtual horizon data could be included in the EXIF information, and then that information could be utilized in post-processing for rotation and maybe even perspective control?

I just sent a question to "Ask Nikon" about this issue. "Is there a firmware update coming which will allow the Virtual Horizon data to be recorded in the Exif data?"

So, we will see what they say. Maybe this will prompt them to look at this issue. Certainly the information from the tilt/angle sensors must be available and it would seem to an uneducated person (me) that this is a simple process. Unless of course, the Exif data only has certain universal information parameters and this is not one of them.

PB PM said:
Yes please! I would love it if that data could be transferred and read by most RAW/JPEG editors to automatically adjust. Although there are times when you take shots that you don't want level, so it would have to be optional.

Of course... Only because this is the software I use, I'm picturing a little part of the develop module in Lightroom / a plugin for that where you could check off for automatic horizon and perspective correction. Similar to the automatic lens corrections, and how there is now a separate checkbox for CA correction in that section.

Yes please! I would love it if that data could be transferred and read by most RAW/JPEG editors to automatically adjust. Although there are times when you take shots that you don't want level, so it would have to be optional.

El_Pickerel said:
So the virtual horizon is a great and useful thing, but sometimes you don't have time to level a shot. What if... the virtual horizon data could be included in the EXIF information, and then that information could be utilized in post-processing for rotation and maybe even perspective control?

I will vote for that

Personally, I'd love it if EXIF data recorded this - you'd need two variables, dip angle and rotation.

So the virtual horizon is a great and useful thing, but sometimes you don't have time to level a shot. What if... the virtual horizon data could be included in the EXIF information, and then that information could be utilized in post-processing for rotation and maybe even perspective control?