Time-lapse interval calculator
A time-lapse is a ratio between real time and screen time, and everything else follows from it.
hours
s
Shooting interval
28.800s
- Frames to shoot
- 500
- Storage needed
- 12.50 GB
- Speed-up factor
- 720.0
- Batteries needed
- 1
- Total shooting time
- 4:00:00
Show the working
- Length of the event = 4
- Desired clip length = 20
- Frame rate = 25
- Size per frame = 25
- Frames per battery = 900
- Frames to shoot = 20 * 25 = 500
- Shooting interval = 500 > 0 ? 4 * 3600 / 500 : 0 = 28.8
- storage_mb = 500 * 25 = 12 500
- Storage needed = 12 500 / 1000 = 12.5
- Speed-up factor = 20 > 0 ? 4 * 3600 / 20 : 0 = 720
- Batteries needed = ceil(500 / 900) = 1
- Total shooting time = 4 * 3600 = 14 400
Values are shown to six significant figures here; the arithmetic itself runs on exact fractions and is only rounded where a number is printed.
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The formula
- frames = clip length x frame rate
- interval = event length / frames
Intervals under about two seconds strain a mechanical shutter. Long projects are hard on shutter life.
For smooth motion the interval should be short enough that the subject moves less than a frame between shots.