[nik at work]

Does anybody have and knowledge about time lapse video/photography?
Before panic sets in this is not for a climbing vid intro/link piece featuring clouds moving across sky/tide coming in/puddle drying out etc...
So I basically know nothing and would like something that can simply produce a time lapse video in a format that can easily be imported into something like windows movie maker or such like as part of a longer film.
I have the following devices available to me:
iPad
Canon IXUS camera
Android phone with a tiny memory so prob useless...

There are apps for iPad and Android that claim to do time lapse, anyone used any of them? I presume the camera has some sort of timer setting, but over a few hours it would run out of battery I'm guessing?? Also stitching the photos would take an age by hand (although I presume there would be a software solution??).

I don't want to get into this in a massive way, this is probably just a one off project, so simple solutions rule. All pointers gratefully received....

[Durbs]

Just started getting into them myself, so limited assistance, but my kit list:

• Camera (7D in my case - as long as it takes a remote shutter, all is good)
• Hahnel Giga T Pro 2 - Can program interval between shots, and specify how many to take
• LightRoom
• LRTimeLapse add-on, free form LRTimelapse.com

... then lots of time It's quite a learning curve in terms of working out how many shots to take (tip: work backwards, thinking how long you want the time lapse to be...) - working to 25-ish frames per second.

The annoying thing is, unlike most digital photography stuff, there's no real shortcuts - so you leave the camera shooting away for a couple of hours, then piss around with the images, then end up with a 7-second timelapse showing you what you did wrong. Rinse and repeat!

Even harder if you're doing long time-scale stuff (compressed multi-day/month shots as opposed to hours).

Your IXUS will take a remote shutter I'm sure - and it's better using a proper dedicated trigger rather than a phone to save battery

[tomtom]

Use your phone... (Seriously).

However if you have a load of stills you want to stitch into a video then download virtualdub. Great bit of software and free.

[andyd]

I use framelab on the iPad.
Durbs. I hope you use magic lantern on the 7d

[lagerstarfish]

it'd be worth seeing if CHDK can be put onto your IXUS

supported camera list on here

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

it might mean that you could have a timelapse function in the camera - or have the option to do clever stuff with a script or two

eg

[Durbs]

Durbs. I hope you use magic lantern on the 7d

Tried it, didn't like it. Isn't it mostly beneficial to film users rather than stills?

[Paul B]

No. Some of the functions are incredibly useful for stills.

You can always dual boot Magic Lantern (or you could) so I always had it on a separate card.

CHDK is the geeky yet awesome solution. An app and a power source (cheap ebay battery?) would be the other way to go. What is the time lapse of?

If you want a low cost motion dolly I'd suggest not locking your tripod correctly. Here's an incredbily sh*t (but thankfully short) test I made in Sheffield:



http://timescapes.org/ is a good place to geek out and watch some fairly stunning examples. And here's some time lapse pr0n:



I bought a very cheap (not Hahnel) remote. Of course if I'd bought a Nikon it'd have this function built in.

[dave]

Also stitching the photos would take an age by hand (although I presume there would be a software solution??).

I think most half decent video editing software these days will let you multiselect a ton of images then just drop them into video in a one-er as individual frames assuming they were already sorted in the correct order (i.e. time, filename etc) in the first place = instant timelapse.

[SA Chris]

If you are going to do this seriously, may be worth investing in a newer DSLR? Most new ones have a built in interval function. You can get external power supplies too.

[Paul B]

If you are going to do this seriously, may be worth investing in a newer DSLR? Most new ones have a built in interval function. You can get external power supplies too.

Does this include Canon these days?

[SA Chris]

Don't know sorry, I assumed they would. My Pentax K7 is at least 6 years old and has it.

[Paul B]

Don't know sorry, I assumed they would. My Pentax K7 is at least 6 years old and has it.

I'm not 100% sure with the newer models but I'd assume not, they like to withhold features going-up through the range, even if it's simply a firmware addition.

[SA Chris]

What dicks!

[cowboyhat]

Apologies if this has been mentioned or simply isn't relevant, I skim read the thread.

I have a canon 70d, no in built timelapse.

I use the trigger trap widget which was IIRC £20 and it is then managed by the free app. Lots of modes and flexibility, really like it.

http://www.triggertrap.com/#products/triggertrapmobile1

There is an appropriate bit of trigger trap hardware available for most cameras.

[Durbs]

My main hesitance with the phone-connecting options is that time-lapses usually take multiple hours... so this takes your phone out of action during that time (unless you happen to have a tablet or spare phone?).

[tomtom]

and that means NO UKB FOR SEVERAL HOURS!!!

[waaaaaaaaa followed by running out of the house in panic]

[\panic]

[cowboyhat]

Correct though in my experience this hasn't been a problem. I generally use the ipad for its superior battery life.

You have to be there for an hour or two anyway: read a book, chat to the WAG, play badminton with the kids, watch the ships going out and coming back again?

[nik at work]

Thanks for the knowledge gents.
I'm binning the use the phone idea (sorry TomTom) for two reasons:
1) I want to film while at work and the phone is my work phone (and email access) so I need it to be useable while filming.
2) It's a bit shit

So the options are iPad or camera (IXUS 240 HS from memory?.

Ideally I'd use the camera as my previous video editing knowledge is windows based and I already know how to get photo's onto the laptop and edit them and such like. However this seems to be dependent on getting the Canon Hack thing Lagers mentioned installed, and coming up with a way of stopping flat battery.

I have installed a free iPad time lapse app which upon opening made it instantly clear that to get a decent quality time lapse vid you need to upgrade to the paid for pro option. It's only a couple of quid so I'm not that put out and I'll probably do it. My issue with iPad-etry is I don't get them and don't use them and so there would be a steeper learning curve (albeit supposedly more intuative...).

Anyway a few more specifics of the project.
The video will be of me making something, viewed from above from a fixed position in a workshop with limited natural light and the rest of the lighting being flourescent tubes. I anticipate the build will take 10-20 hours but this will probably be 2-3 hour chunks spread over a few days. I'd like to end up with 1-2 minutes of footage. So all pretty straightforward, do a couple of test shots, get the camera set up so I'm getting a decent picture and then set it going I guess?
I can see a couple of possible problems:
1) It's a one shot deal, it either works or it doesn't. The item is only goping to be made once. I'll be doing a couple of test lapses before to give myself a reasonable chance of getting it to work.
2) The build will involve welding, which produces very bright albeit localised light. Anybody got any idea how big an issue this is going to present? I've seen time lapses in car manufacture with welding and it seems to work ok, but are they doing something tricksey for the frames featuring welding? I guess some welding in the test lapses is the way to go...

Anyway thanks again, I'll be administering wad points once the kids are in bed.

[lagerstarfish]

so CHDK is an option

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/ELPH320HS

hopefully the screen can be off while the camera is taking pics, but you might need to test it to see how long or how many shots you get

can the camera be powered via the USB whilst in use?

otherwise you might need to change batteries whilst filming a 3 hr session

you might get the odd overexposed frame when the welding flares brighter whilst the camera is taking a photo, but I'd guess that it will do a reasonable job of adjusting most of the time (total guess)

a less cool option would be to take actual videos and just speed it up. I don't know what the max video file size/length is for the 240 hs - battery might dictate? obviously there would be slight interruptions as you change battery or memory card and start recording again

- edit - looks like max file size for video might be 4GB or around 10 mins for 1080p - this might not apply with CHDK installed

[lagerstarfish]

or use something like this to power your camera?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ex-Pro%C3%82%C2%AE-Replacement-ACK-DC90-6216B003AA-Powershot/dp/B0096PJM2C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442862551&sr=8-1&keywords=ack-dc90

[Fultonius]

2) The build will involve welding, which produces very bright albeit localised light. Anybody got any idea how big an issue this is going to present? I've seen time lapses in car manufacture with welding and it seems to work ok, but are they doing something tricksey for the frames featuring welding? I guess some welding in the test lapses is the way to go...

This ^^^

Just make sure you have the exposure fixed and decent for the non-welding sections. A cheaper camera may struggle with the high contrast, but test and see. Looking forward to seeing it once its done.

[nik at work]

When (if?) I manage to get this time lapse idea sorted I'll stick a video up here.
Cheers for ideas, I'm off to experiment...

[Paul B]

VirtualDub as has been suggested gives you a few options for de-flickering your lapses when complete too. Given you're welding and using fluoro tubes, this might be a good idea?

Is it worth using BOTH your camera and Ipad so you've got some redundancy should one option fail mid-build? I'm intrigued...

[nik at work]

Good idea Paul.
Don't go getting too intrigued. It's nothing terribly exciting, just a promotional thing for a new type of work we're doing.

[andy_e]

Time-lapse is not the direction. Everyone knows it's slow-mo tops off hammering action for metalwork!

[cowboyhat]

That opening sequence is fucking brilliant.

What are you building Nik, a Caterham?

[nik at work]

Nothing so exciting I'm afraid.
We are a traditional sheet metal/stainless steel/aluminium fab company so our bread and butter work is ducting, commercial kitchen tables/sinks/whathaveyou fire escapes and industrial stainless one off (or limited run) fabrications. I.e. Fairly standard straight lines and right angles things.
However we've recently had a few enquiries of a more creative/artistic bent that we have taken on. Previously the firm would have probably politely declined but staffing changes (I.e. Me) mean that we are (I am...) keener to get involved in this more varied, creative, technically challenging and ultimately more interesting (and potentially lucrative) work.
So a promotional video showcasing this new creativity within the firm is the plan.

And the project? Well it is

A big stainless steel seahorse of course...

Anyway hopefully the seahorse and video will look boss squared and lead to further interesting projects...

[nik at work]

Thanks for the various inputs and comments, all very helpful stuff.
In the end I decided to go down the iPad route as it seemed the simplest way to get a quick result, a key factor given how crazy busy life and work are right now. Anyway I have captured some some lapse footage using lapse it (the paid for version). There have however been a couple of issues. The minor issue is that lapse it has projects, and each time you shoot a lapse you can either start a new project or append the footage onto an existing lapse. I chose the latter option to keep everything in one place. However this means you end up with a LOT of frames and the iPad struggles to process it and keeps failing, also lapse it has basic editing facilities to trim/cut unwanted frames. This works well on a single lapse, but where two lapses are appended I keep getting little loops of frames which obviously doesn't work with a time lapse of building something, you build a bit and then immediately build it again. Anyway these issues are relatively minor, frustrating I this case but in the future easily worked around.
A more fundamental problem is having a three year old who knows how to access the iPad...
I have some footage which I will attempt to get onto Vimeo and stick on here if people are interested once I've finished the build.

[rginns]

Yeah stick it up Nik, I love a bit of camera / software geekery

[nik at work]

Right I'm bored of fighting the powers of Apple, I cannot get footage off the ipad and onto anything else. Life is too short for this shit...

Anyway for anyone interested and not stalking me on facebook here are a couple of (pretty crap out of focus) photos of the thing wot I made:
Seahorse 2 by Nik Jennings, on Flickr

Seahorse 1 by Nik Jennings, on Flickr

[lagerstarfish]

I like that

very seahorsey

I mean it looks made like real seahorses are made - stiff ribby bits, plates in between

ace

[SA Chris]

Good skills.

[cheque]

Advice to anyone shooting a timelapse- make sure you're not in auto white balance before you set it going, especially if your photo editing software doesn't let you batch-edit white balance...

[andyd]

Agreed. Fully automatic is the way to go

[SA Chris]

Fully manual you mean?

[andyd]

Yep. Beer makes me stuff mix up