Aperture Dates Incorrect

Question

I am trying to come to grips with some metadata issues I am having in Aperture.  The latest is how Aperture seems to be mis-handling dates of late.
Here is the extracted date metadata from 3 images to assist in the discussion:
ExifTool Version Number         : 8.73
File Name                       : NIKON D200--0-DSC_0001.NEF
File Modification Date/Time     : 2012:01:11 23:27:41-05:00
Modify Date                     : 2007:05:10 21:03:03
Create Date                     : 2007:05:10 21:03:03
Date/Time Original              : 2007:05:10 21:03:03
Create Date                     : 2007:05:10 21:03:03.32
Date/Time Original              : 2007:05:10 21:03:03.32
Modify Date                     : 2007:05:10 21:03:03.32
ExifTool Version Number         : 8.73
File Name                       : NIKON D200--1-DSC_0002.NEF
Modify Date                     : 2007:05:10 21:03:56
Create Date                     : 2007:05:10 21:03:56
Date/Time Original              : 2007:05:10 21:03:56
Create Date                     : 2007:05:10 21:03:56.24
Date/Time Original              : 2007:05:10 21:03:56.24
Modify Date                     : 2007:05:10 21:03:56.24
ExifTool Version Number         : 8.73
File Name                       : NIKON D200--2-DSC_0003.NEF
Modify Date                     : 2007:05:11 19:27:32
Create Date                     : 2007:05:11 19:27:32
Date/Time Original              : 2007:05:11 19:27:32
Create Date                     : 2007:05:11 19:27:32.82
Date/Time Original              : 2007:05:11 19:27:32.82
Modify Date                     : 2007:05:11 19:27:32.82
Notice, that in all cases the date/time stamps are the same across all metadata fields for each image.  That is to say - they were taken on two different dates and the timestamps properly reflect that.  However, on import Aperture imports them into the same ingest folder despite having the option set to break up folders 1 per day.
In the screen shot below, we see the Import Autosplit Preference selection.
This is a new (fresh) library.  Repairs have been run, and so has rebuild.
Secondly - during import I noticed that Aperture (around photo 2,000) began tagging the photo dates as 12 January 2012.   I am continuing to manually review date data in images, but cannot seem to locate the issue.
Anyone have any ideas?

Answer 1

I seem to have found the other issue.
It looks like Aperture is now using the IPTC Metadata field DateCreated to indicate the image date, as opposed to the (more appropriate IMHO) EXIF Metadata field DateTimeOriginal.  Looking at my metadata it appears that during one of the system crashes a number of files had the IPTC field truncated and it of course wasn't discovered during backups.
So fast forward to restoration - and I have a number of files with IPTC:DateCreated entries of
======== NIKON D200---2300-DSC_2277.NEF
Date/Time Original              : 2007:10:13 14:09:05
Date Created                    : 2007-10-
Imports into Aperture as:     12 Jan 2012
I am assuming because it's an invalid date entry - so Aperture just picks one for me instead of checking for a GPS Date/Time entry or even the Date/Time Original field.  Thankfully there are multiple date fields in the originals or I couldn't have recovered from this.  And with some 20,000 more images to go - I fear what the rest of them look like.
Message was edited by: Gilbert Blankenship1