Why does Exif provide 4 different fields if they're all meant to be the same?
Our implementation (including what we call the fields) is based on what Windows Explorer originally did, to avoid user confusion, and won't be changing. What your 9 other applications do is irrelevant.
Tell us what to do to create and see an example of what you are describing.
For example:
If you’re struggling with that on a conceptual level then this is pointless.
I sent you a message privately on August 5th. I sent it privately so as to not embarrass you. Based on what you have said above, it seems that you did not read that message.
None of your messages include what I've asked for. You didn't provide a starting file (or instructions on how to create the starting file) and didn't give exact steps on what to do with the file.
(A description of the starting file, like "a jpeg with no metadata" in this case, isn't always enough. Metadata issues can come down to how the original file was created, in our experience. When we've tried to reproduce things with our own starting files, it sometimes works but doesn't always. Having the same file that someone else used, and knowing the exact steps they took to change and then examine the file can make all the difference.)
It would have been a lot quicker and easier to give us that information than to argue about it for weeks. We have limited time and patience. In fact, it has run out at this point.
I'm reading this topic just now.
I've faced the same problem returning from holiday, where Insta360 video files only got date digitized, nothing else (they luckily had a correct datestamp in the name to control), and my Sony RX100 files had a UCT time, my Pixel 4a files had the correct dates. I needed to have at least "date created" correct, if not, I could never edit the files in a chronologic order under Lightroom.
I had to go outside OP, and Bulkfilechanger from www.nirsoft.net has done this job for me.
I could copy date digitized to date created. I could also shift time created with e.g. +2h.
We’d be happy to look at that if you give us a sample file and tell us exactly what to do and look for with it.
Although it sounds like the timestamps were missing from the source?
This thread applies to image files, and videos files do not use all the same date metadata fields. What format are the videos from Insta360? When working with videos in DOpus, I use the ExifTool Custom Columns plugin so that I can access MOV date metadata (QuickTime metadata fields). For MP4 files, I use the 'Release Date' column.
For a photo, 'Date Taken' is what you need to look at. The file 'Date Created' is sometimes correct, but can change for various reasons - like if a file is converted to another format, the Date Created will change (because it's a new file) but the Date Taken will remain the same.
In addition to that, I find that with videos, the file 'Date Modified' (Standard Properties section of the metadata pane) very often has a date earlier the the file 'Date Created', so I suggest you compare those two date fields.