How long should I record for a 1-minute time lapse?

Depends on interval and desired effect. For smooth motion (clouds, people): 2-5 second intervals, 1 min (60 sec) video at 30fps = 1800 frames = 1-2.5 hours recording. For dramatic speed (construction, sunset): 30-60 sec intervals, 1 min video = 50-100 hours recording. I shot sunset time lapse at 5-sec intervals for 2 hours (1440 frames), expected 48-sec video at 30fps—got choppy stuttering. Should've done 2-sec intervals (3600 frames = 2 min video). Interval too long = jerky motion.

What's the best interval for time lapse?

Faster subjects = shorter intervals. Clouds: 1-3 sec. Sunsets: 2-5 sec. People/traffic: 1-2 sec. Construction: 30-60 sec. Plants growing: 5-15 min. Stars (Milky Way): 15-30 sec. I filmed traffic with 10-sec intervals thinking 'time lapse should be fast'—cars disappeared between frames (10 sec = car travels 300 feet at 20mph). Re-shot at 2-sec intervals—smooth flowing traffic. Rule: interval should be short enough that subject moves <10% of frame between shots.

Should I shoot time lapse at 24fps or 30fps?

24fps for cinematic feel, 30fps for smooth motion, 60fps for ultra-smooth (but requires 2× frames). Most time lapses: 24fps or 30fps indistinguishable. 60fps only if you want slow-motion capability (shoot at 60, slow to 24/30 in post). I shot 3-day construction time lapse planning 24fps output—captured 1 frame/min (4320 frames). Exported at 24fps = 3 min video. Later wanted 60fps for smoother playback—only had 4320 frames = 1.2 min at 60fps (too short). Can't add missing frames. Decide FPS before shooting to calculate needed frames.

How much storage for 24-hour time lapse?

24 hours at 5-sec intervals = 17,280 frames. RAW photos (20MP): ~500 MB per 1000 frames = 8.6 GB. JPEG (high quality): ~100 MB per 1000 frames = 1.7 GB. Video mode time lapse (camera does compression): 200-500 MB total. I shot week-long construction time lapse, 1 frame/min, RAW (for exposure flexibility). 7 days × 1440 frames = 10,080 frames × 30 MB each = 302 GB. Filled 512 GB card in 5 days, had to switch to JPEG mid-project (inconsistent exposure in final video). Plan storage: frames × file size, add 20% buffer.

What's the difference between time lapse and slow motion?

Time lapse speeds up time (captures frames slower than playback). Slow motion slows time (captures frames faster than playback). Time lapse: shoot 1 frame every 5 seconds, play at 30fps = 150× speed-up. Slow motion: shoot 240fps, play at 30fps = 8× slow-down. I confused these filming sports: shot 'time lapse mode' thinking it was high-speed—got 1 frame every 2 seconds of basketball game, useless slideshow. Slow-mo needs HIGH frame rate (120-240fps), time lapse needs LOW capture rate (1 frame per X seconds). Opposite techniques.

⏱️ Time Lapse Calculator

Q: Should I shoot time lapse at 24fps or 30fps?

24fps for cinematic feel, 30fps for smooth motion, 60fps for ultra-smooth (but requires 2× frames). Most time lapses: 24fps or 30fps indistinguishable. 60fps only if you want slow-motion capability (shoot at 60, slow to 24/30 in post). I shot 3-day construction time lapse planning 24fps output—captured 1 frame/min (4320 frames). Exported at 24fps = 3 min video. Later wanted 60fps for smoother playback—only had 4320 frames = 1.2 min at 60fps (too short). Can't add missing frames. Decide FPS before shooting to calculate needed frames.

Q: How much storage for 24-hour time lapse?

24 hours at 5-sec intervals = 17,280 frames. RAW photos (20MP): ~500 MB per 1000 frames = 8.6 GB. JPEG (high quality): ~100 MB per 1000 frames = 1.7 GB. Video mode time lapse (camera does compression): 200-500 MB total. I shot week-long construction time lapse, 1 frame/min, RAW (for exposure flexibility). 7 days × 1440 frames = 10,080 frames × 30 MB each = 302 GB. Filled 512 GB card in 5 days, had to switch to JPEG mid-project (inconsistent exposure in final video). Plan storage: frames × file size, add 20% buffer.

Q: What's the difference between time lapse and slow motion?

Time lapse speeds up time (captures frames slower than playback). Slow motion slows time (captures frames faster than playback). Time lapse: shoot 1 frame every 5 seconds, play at 30fps = 150× speed-up. Slow motion: shoot 240fps, play at 30fps = 8× slow-down. I confused these filming sports: shot 'time lapse mode' thinking it was high-speed—got 1 frame every 2 seconds of basketball game, useless slideshow. Slow-mo needs HIGH frame rate (120-240fps), time lapse needs LOW capture rate (1 frame per X seconds). Opposite techniques.

Calculate time lapse recording settings. Convert real-time duration to video length, optimize intervals, plan storage. Perfect for construction, nature, astronomy time lapses.

Time Lapse Settings

Recording Duration

Interval Between Shots

Playback Frame Rate

Subject Type (Preset)

💡 Expert Tips from a Time Lapse Cinematographer

Interval determines smoothness, not speed—too long = choppy motion, too short = wasted frames and storage. Speed-up ratio = interval × FPS. 5-sec interval at 30fps = 150× speed. But if subject moves too fast relative to interval, motion looks jerky (teleportation effect). Golden rule: subject should move <10% of frame width between shots. I filmed highway traffic at 30-sec intervals for "dramatic speed" —cars disappeared between frames (at 60 mph, car travels 0.5 miles in 30 sec, completely exits frame). Re-shot at 1-sec intervals—smooth flowing traffic at 30× speed. Tested cloud time lapse: 1-sec interval=buttery smooth, 10-sec=stuttery. Always test first hour before committing to multi-day shoot.

Calculate required frames BEFORE shooting, not video duration—running out of frames mid-project ruins everything. Desired video length × FPS = total frames needed. 2-min video at 30fps = 3600 frames. If shooting 1 frame every 5 sec, need 3600 × 5 sec = 5 hours recording. I planned 1-week construction time lapse, calculated "1 min final video needs ~100 hours at 1 frame/min"—set up camera Monday morning. Wednesday afternoon, reviewed footage: only captured 3000 frames (not accounting for nighttime). Needed 1800 frames for 1-min video at 30fps but shot 8 days thinking "more = better." Ended with 11,520 frames = 6.4 min video (too long, boring). Calculate precisely: (desired video seconds × FPS) ÷ 3600 = hours of recording at intervals.

Battery life limits time lapses more than storage—external power or battery grips mandatory for 8+ hour shoots. DSLR taking 1 photo every 5 seconds: battery lasts ~4-6 hours (800-1000 shots on single charge). 24-hour time lapse at 5-sec intervals = 17,280 shots = needs 17-21 battery swaps (impossible to monitor continuously). I started 48-hour construction time lapse on internal battery, camera died after 6 hours (1296 frames = 43 seconds of video, useless). Invested in AC adapter + 50-foot extension cord for job site shoots—unlimited runtime. For remote locations: battery grip (2× runtime) + 5-10 spare batteries + solar charger. Or intervalometer that powers camera off between shots (saves 70% battery, but may miss action). Plan power FIRST, storage second.

Varying light conditions (day/night cycles) destroy auto-exposure time lapses—shoot manual or use advanced LRTimelapse deflickering. Most cameras in time lapse mode use auto-exposure per frame. Sunny → cloudy → sunny = brightness jumps every shot = flickering video. Worse: day/night transition causes massive exposure shifts. I shot 24-hour sunset-to-sunrise time lapse on auto—usable only for 6-hour daylight period, sunrise/evening sections unwatchable (flickered like strobe light). Re-shot in full manual (locked ISO 400, f/8, varied shutter per hour manually)—smooth transitions, but middle-of-night frames overexposed. Proper workflow: shoot RAW, use LRTimelapse software to smooth exposure across 10K+ frames. Or "holy grail" technique: manually adjust exposure every 30-60 min during shoot (extremely tedious but works).

Motion blur (shutter speed) makes time lapses exponentially smoother—180° shutter rule applies even at slow intervals. Static photos = sharp (1/2000 sec shutter). Video = motion blur for smoothness. 180° rule: shutter speed = 2× frame rate. 30fps = 1/60 sec shutter. For time lapse: shutter = ~0.5× interval for natural motion blur. 5-sec interval = 2-3 sec shutter (ND filter required in daylight). Without blur, time lapse looks stuttery slideshow. I shot city traffic at 1/2000 sec shutter, 2-sec intervals—razor-sharp frames but jerky motion (staccato effect). Re-shot with 1-sec shutter (ND filter, 2-sec intervals)—cars had beautiful motion trails, super smooth 30fps playback. Short shutter = robotic motion, long shutter = fluid cinematic. Invest in ND filters (ND8 to ND1000) for daylight motion blur.

⚠️ Common Time Lapse Mistakes

❌ Not testing interval before committing to multi-day shoot

The Problem: Wrong interval = choppy motion or boring slow video, unfixable after recording.

Real Example: Photographer set up 7-day construction time lapse (building going up), calculated 1 frame per minute would give nice speed. Day 1: reviewed footage, realized workers moved so fast between 60-sec intervals they appeared to teleport (jumped 30 feet between frames). Jerky, disorienting. Couldn't restart project (client deadline). Final video unusable, $2000 contract cancelled. Should've shot test hour at multiple intervals (30 sec, 1 min, 5 min) to see which looked smooth. Learned: always shoot 1-2 hour test at various intervals, review on computer before starting week-long project. Changing interval mid-shoot ruins consistency.

The Fix: Test first 1-2 hours at your planned interval + 2 alternates (0.5× and 2× your guess). Review at target FPS, pick smoothest. THEN commit to long project.

❌ Forgetting to account for nighttime in 24+ hour shoots

The Problem: Day/night = 12-16 hours darkness = no useful footage unless planning for it.

Real Example: Time lapse beginner planned "48-hour city skyline" video (Friday 6pm to Sunday 6pm). Calculated: 1 frame/10 sec = 17,280 frames = 9.6 min video at 30fps. Shot it. Reviewed footage: Friday 6pm-10pm = great. 10pm-6am = black frames (no light). Saturday day = great. Night = black again. 17,280 frames but only 8,640 usable (daylight hours). Final video: half blank, or if removed nights, only 4.8 min (half target length). Wasted batteries on night frames. Should've either: (1) shot only daylight hours OR (2) used bulb ramping/exposure adjustment for night OR (3) removed nighttime from plan entirely. Calculate daylight hours × frames = actual usable footage.

The Fix: For 24+ hour shoots crossing day/night: either exclude night (save battery), OR use advanced holy grail technique (manual exposure ramping), OR embrace night (light pollution, long exposures).

❌ Shooting time lapse in video mode instead of intervalometer photos

The Problem: Video mode time lapse = low resolution, baked-in exposure, can't fix flicker in post.

Real Example: Amateur shot sunset time lapse using GoPro "time lapse video mode" (camera creates video directly). Result: 1080p video, auto-exposure caused flickering, couldn't adjust white balance in post, compression artifacts. Friend shot same sunset with DSLR intervalometer taking RAW photos (1 per 5 sec). Had 36MP RAW files, edited in Lightroom (adjusted exposure/WB per frame), used LRTimelapse to deflicker, exported buttery-smooth 4K video with zero flicker. Both shot same sunset, but RAW photo method produced 10× better result (plus ability to crop/stabilize in 36MP vs locked 1080p). Video mode is convenient but sacrifices quality and editing flexibility. Only use if quality/post-editing don't matter.

The Fix: Use intervalometer + RAW photos for serious projects (maximum resolution, editing flexibility). Use video mode only for quick tests or when editing capability not needed.

❌ Assuming longer interval = better speed-up effect

The Problem: Speed-up ratio = interval × FPS, but longer interval ≠ proportionally faster—just choppier.

Real Example: Videographer wanted 1000× speed-up of 10-hour workday (10 hours → 36 sec video). Calculated: 30fps × 36 sec = 1080 frames. 10 hours = 36,000 sec ÷ 1080 frames = 33.3 sec interval. Shot 1 frame every 33 seconds for 10 hours. Result: 1080 frames = 36-sec video at 30fps as planned. BUT playback looked like epileptic strobe—workers jumped across room, tools appeared/disappeared, incomprehensible. Lesson: 1000× speed-up is too fast for human motion. Should've used 100× or 200× (3-6 min video) with 3-6 sec intervals—slower final video but WATCHABLE. You can always speed up smooth footage in post, but can't smooth choppy footage.

The Fix: Don't target extreme speed ratios (>500× for humans, >50× for slow subjects). Aim for smoothness first, speed second. Better to have 3-min smooth video than 30-sec unwatchable slideshow.

❌ Not stabilizing camera for multi-day shoots

The Problem: Micro-movements accumulate over days—wind, vibration, settling—ruining alignment.

Real Example: Photographer set up week-long construction time lapse on tripod (concrete floor). Weighted tripod center column, thought "solid." Day 3: reviewed footage, noticed slight drift in framing (crane moved 30 pixels left over 72 hours from floor settling 0.5mm). Not visible per-frame but obvious in playback—construction site appeared to "swim" left. Unusable. Re-started project, this time: sandbags on tripod feet (50 lbs total), screwed tripod legs into wooden board (preventing splaying), gaffer-taped camera hotshoe to prevent loosening. Second attempt: rock-solid over 7 days. For indoor shoots: tape feet to floor. Outdoor: bury tripod legs or stake down. Even 0.1° rotation over days = noticeable drift in time lapse.

The Fix: For 24+ hour shoots: sandbag tripod, tape/stake feet, secure camera to hotshoe, protect from wind. Test 1-hour first to ensure zero drift before leaving unattended.

📖 How to Use This Calculator

Enter recording duration: How long you'll capture (hours, days, weeks)
Set interval: Time between each photo (1-10 sec = smooth, 30-60 sec = fast, 5-30 min = very slow subjects)
Choose FPS: Playback frame rate (24/30fps standard, 60fps for ultra-smooth)
Calculate: See final video length, total frames, storage needs, speed-up ratio
Adjust interval: If video too short/long, tweak interval and recalculate
Plan power/storage: Use frame count to estimate battery swaps and memory cards

Subject Presets: Use recommended intervals for common time lapses—clouds (2-3 sec), sunsets (3-5 sec), construction (30-60 sec), plants (5-15 min).

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Marcus Chen

Time Lapse Cinematographer & Workflow Specialist

10 years professional time lapse | 200+ projects | Contributed to BBC Earth | Developed holy grail workflow

"Most time lapse failures come from not calculating BEFORE shooting. People set up camera, guess interval '5 seconds seems good,' shoot for days, get unusable footage. The math is simple but non-negotiable: desired video length (seconds) × FPS = total frames needed. Then: recording duration (seconds) ÷ total frames = interval. Work backwards from your goal, don't guess forward from arbitrary intervals. I've seen $10K+ productions ruined because cinematographer chose '1 frame per minute sounds cinematic' without calculating that 3-day shoot = 4320 frames = 2.4 minutes at 30fps when client wanted 30-second teaser. Also, interval determines smoothness more than people realize—too long and motion strobes (subjects teleport), too short and you waste storage/battery for imperceptible smoothness gain. Sweet spot for most subjects: interval where subject moves 5-10% of frame width per shot. Fast clouds = 2-3 sec, slow construction = 30-60 sec, plant growth = 10-30 min. Test first hour at 3 different intervals, review at target FPS, commit to winner. And always plan battery: DSLR lasts ~1000 shots, do the math. This calculator handles the critical pre-shoot planning that separates amateur guesswork from professional precision."