EXIF Data Question

In viewing my photo exif metadata neither the lens ID number or camera ID are the same as the serial number on the lens and camera ?

Can anyone help me to better understand why this might be ?

frayne wrote in post #18049676
In viewing my photo exif metadata neither the lens ID number or camera ID are the same as the serial number on the lens and camera ?

Can anyone help me to better understand why this might be ?

How are you viewing the Metadata?

With a free metadata viewer off the web. Also viewing in Flicker.

The meta data entries do NOT match the serial numbers of the cameras for a rather good reason: Do you want the serial number of your gear getting posted up every time you forget to strip that data out?

They appear to be a general ID value that is applied to that model of camera. Similar to ISBNs are for books, the ID value is a simple string that lets programs reliably know what camera it is without needing to worry about things like regional marketing/branding. While you might care what language a book is printed in, a camera body is a little different as while you might worry about whether you picked up a 550D or a T2i body any program dealing with photos really doesn't care what is stuck on the casing of the camera body. It does care whether it should apply processing it is supposed to use for 72157623502347808 (T2i/550D) or 72157602280763141 (7D)