Lens metadata plays a critical role in modern VFX workflows, but it isn’t always preserved, trusted or used consistently as it moves from set into post.
DCS is launching an industry survey to better understand how lens metadata is captured, transferred, preserved and used across post-production and VFX pipelines. The aim is to identify where metadata is lost, where confidence breaks down, and how missing or unreliable lens data affects time, rework and production efficiency.
The findings will contribute to The State of Lens Metadata in Post-Production and VFX, an annual industry benchmark report designed to help studios, supervisors, producers, pipeline teams and technology providers understand the scale of the problem and where better workflows are needed.
The survey takes around 10 minutes to complete and is open to anyone working with, relying on, or managing lens metadata across production, post-production and VFX.
Why we’re running the survey?
Lens metadata is often discussed as a technical detail, but its impact is felt across the whole production pipeline. When metadata is incomplete, inconsistent or missing entirely, teams may need to recreate information manually, validate data shot by shot, rely on workarounds, or accept reduced confidence in the results.
Despite that, there’s limited shared data on how often these problems occur, where workflows tend to break down, and which teams are most affected. This survey is intended to help establish a clearer industry picture.
The anonymised findings will be shared in a public report, giving teams useful benchmark data they can use to support workflow planning, internal discussions and investment in better metadata practices.
Who should take part?
We’d especially like to hear from:
- VFX Supervisors and VFX Producers
- Heads of Technology and Pipeline leads
- Compositing, matchmove and layout teams
- VFX editors and post-production teams
- Virtual production teams
- DITs, data wranglers and on-set teams
- Anyone involved in moving lens data from set into post
Whether lens metadata is central to your workflow or something you only encounter when it goes wrong, your input will help make the report more useful.
Supporting the Open Source Days discussion
The survey will also support DCS’s accepted lightning talk at ASWF Open Source Days 2026, where Gary Keller, General Manager of DCS, will discuss the role of lens metadata in VFX workflows, why a shared benchmark is needed, and how the findings can help the wider production technology community.