Npt Bob Loc: Newport, RI

I finally started keywording my photos, after reading pros and cons here. Currently they are in folders and sub folders by main topic and/or date downloaded from cameras.
I know this will take a lot of effort and time, but i need to find grandkids pics, etc even if in a trip, vaca, folder. ;-))
NOW the problems
- I noticed that in some folders downloaded from certain cameras in my past, the folder date (download date that i titled the folder) is much earlier than the date in the file properties in Bridge which seem to be the date I transferred to a new computer.
- Also, when comparing some files on the computer with those on the SD card (in this case from my D90 which seemed to have the shooting date correct/the same) i noticed that on photos taken on the west coast (I live on east) the time on the card file is different from that on the computer file -- but NOT consistently different - in some 1 hour others 4.
My apologies for the long post, but what am i missing when copying files to the computer?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

On my windows system, if I copy a file, the date created for the copy is when I copied it. That's when the "copy" was created. Date modified remains the same as would date taken if available.

Npt Bob Loc: Newport, RI

Thanks for the reply.
I'm looking at file properties in Bridge and on e original SD card. In bridge it shows date created and date modified.
What I see is a different time for the date created of 1 or 4 hours on some from my D90. And yes I have some with a 3 hr difference where I didn't change the camera due to the time zones.
On some files ( from my old Olympus) the created date looks like the date I transferred the files to the new computer (MacBooks) not the date they were taken.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Windows file date stamping (not sure how different Apple may be):
If you're talking about the date created on the copy transferred to the computer, it will be the date transferred (copy on computer created). The date taken is a separate field in the file data and should not change. Date taken is not date created, they are totally different. Date created is when the file was created, not the image. Date modified is a third field, separate from the other two, and is updated when you edit and save the image.

Sorry, I cannot offer anything on Bridge or Apple...

UtahBob Loc: Southern NJ

Don't get hung up on the different date and times. Just look at "date time original" in the exif.

I rename my files on import to LR starting with the date based on this exif value so they all start with 20160318-XXXXX.NEF and never look at the other dates after that.

Sometimes the date time original in the exif will be screwed because the camera was reset, batteries died, or just weirdness. I see that with some digitals I have photos from the 2000 through say 2003 period from others who never set date and time. If I know what the date really should be I will reset that exif in an external exif writing program before importing to LR.

And, yeah, Mac has its own weirdness when copying files but I can't recall what that is at the moment.