Time Lapse

Hello all,

Anyone have recommendations on shooting time-lapse?

Is this only done if camera has intervelometer option? or can the clip be compressed on time line of editor

The camera I use (Sony HVR-V1U) does have intervelometer mode. Are there standard settings for time interval and duration or are these shot specific?

A video camera can do good time lapse, but may have some limitations. In general, you may have more noise, and at night it will be hard to get those cool blur effects from long exposure frames. The noise may be bad at night.

Some still cameras have built in intervalometers, like the D700, but many need to be purchased separately. I would recommend comparing models on B&H and then trying to find that device on Ebay if you are on a budget.

Here's the problem with trying to do time lapse with most low end Sony camcorders don't take single frame shots. Instead at the lowest settings they'll take up to six frames where a DSLR when setup with intervolameter will take a single frame. It is not that you can't do it with a video camera but it will take a lot of editing for the final product.

Part III - (see the slow motion topic for parts I and II) - For time lapse there are some really nice dirty tricks. Of course you can do the inverse of what I write about under the topic "slow motion" - but the best for time lapse is actually using a DSLR with an intervalometer. You get a true benefit of not only super clean frames, but also very large frames that can be sized down, panned across or tilted on. For example if you shoot at full res on a 7D or T2i/3i you get larger than true 4K res. Hence, you can now not only have a beautiful time lapse, but also several formats from SD all the way up to 4K. Someday I will actually do some video tutorials on all of this along with the release of my e-book. :)

I agree with all Lord Vader has said, (and I'd better ; ) ) but there is ONE benefit I can think of that argues for using a video camera for time lapse, shooting real time (NOT using the interval recording unless you have EX1 or better that shoots a true single frame with small intervals).

Again, shooting real time, and then compressing in the time line allows you to also use some of the footage as real time, or even slo-mo, especially if that UFO cruised across your frame or you got a shot of a tourist being carried off by a Sasquatch (or anything else you can think of).

So you capture this random act, framed up all nice as is your time-lapse, and now you can make two (or more) clips from one shot.

I've some timelapse shots done at night which (astonishingly) that have very little noise.

Intervalometers can be had for $15. They work just fine.

After I start making money again, I might look into that Twixtor plugin....looks cool. And I will also be hopefully getting a camera that shoots at least 60fps for true slow mo. Can't afford a full-rez 1000+fps camera, sadly....

@mizamook Andy is referring to time lapse sequence (single frame) using a DSLR footage at HQ-jpeg (5184x3456) and cropping it down. Which is something that cannot be done with a low end video camera.

I know. That's not what I was talking about.

Yeah, I think time lapse, in day time, with average speed stuff is ok with vid camera. The noise is out of control for dark stuff. Also if there are fast moving objects, unless you get good with Twixtor or something, you will get the stop motion effect of things kind of jumping through a sequence.

With Dslr and a slightly slow exposure you get the better slightly motion blurred effect. In my opinion, DSLR is much better. In a pinch with good lighting you can get good results with a video camera.

If I asked the average non-photo-videographer to point out the difference in the end result it is hard for them to see it. Just us ultra-perfectionest types see the details of the bad ISO/Grain or lack of motion blur seeming to stand out.

For Pond5, I would go DSLR, 7 or 5d, or high end Nikon. D700 does well with time lapse also.

Vader, what do you use for the lightning shots, DSLR or Camcorder? Does it ever get over exposed if on DSLR?

@Physics personally I disagree with you about a video camera being to noisy for night shots and fast moving objects both night/day. A video camera at a shutter speed of 1/4 will produce very good motion blur without the problem of stop motion but the camera has to be locked down. It is true that DSLR's are better suited for that type of work since they one control video cameras don't. ISO.