Time lapse photos

I see these so often and they are so neat. Exactly how are these done? Is it a setting in the camera and is it only on certain cameras?

I would love to do one and just wondering.

I have a Sony a77. Pierces I know you were shooting with this camera (and your review back when you got it convinced me to upgrade my a300 to it). Does this camera do it?

Thanks in advance. :)

The A77 doesn't have the function built in but there are several options out there to provide it.

This is an inexpensive remote similar to the Opteka unit I use. All these are functional but can be fiddly to program from the ESL instruction sheet. They work as advertised (rather well, actually) but patience is needed.

http://www.amazon.com/Neewer%C2%AE-Shutter-Release-Control-Commander/dp/B003LYKLCO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409400953&sr=8-1&keywords=time+lapse+sony

Trigger Trap is a higher-end solution that includes the ability to add options to trigger the camera to capture lightning or by sound (breaking glass, popping baloon, etc.) and can be controlled by a phone app.

http://triggertrap.com/products/

Hope this was helpful.

Dave

After seeing so many fun videos here - I bought myself the Brinno TLC100. It was about $100 on Amazon.

What sold me on this model was that it is waterproof - so that I don't have to worry about leaving on the deck and getting rain or salt spray on it. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of some other models, but I didn't want to spend more given it's limited use. I used a gorillapod to mount it above the separator between two balconies.

The A77 doesn't have the function built in but there are several options out there to provide it.

 

This is an inexpensive remote similar to the Opteka unit I use. All these are functional but can be fiddly to program from the ESL instruction sheet. They work as advertised (rather well, actually) but patience is needed.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Neewer%C2%AE-Shutter-Release-Control-Commander/dp/B003LYKLCO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409400953&sr=8-1&keywords=time+lapse+sony

 

Trigger Trap is a higher-end solution that includes the ability to add options to trigger the camera to capture lightning or by sound (breaking glass, popping baloon, etc.) and can be controlled by a phone app.

 

http://triggertrap.com/products/

 

Hope this was helpful.

 

Dave

Thanks so much Dave. I knew you would have the answer.

I really like the Trigger Trap, but it says "Unfortunately, this product is currently out of stock." Darn.

I have been looking around that site and they seem to have some amazing products I wouldn't mind trying.

I love this website and the tutorials they have on it. Thanks for showing me it.

I'll have to check out the other shutter release on Amazon and see what I can find out about it.

You've been a great help. Thanks again!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Neewer%C2%AE-Shutter-Release-Control-Commander/dp/B003LYKLCO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409400953&sr=8-1&keywords=time+lapse+sony

 

 

 

Woo Hoo. I just ordered me one of these. I'm going to have some fun playing with it in a week or so.

Now...what's a good program to use to make the video?

Premier Elements is probably the best bet for an inexpensive but full featured video editing program.

For short ones, you can save a multi-layered image in PS Elements as an animated GIF. (Bit of a pain.)

If you Google "time lapse software", there are quite a few freebies out there you may want to play with.

I got the controller for my A77 to do star trail images. THis site has a nifty single purpose package that does a great job.

http://www.startrails.de/html/software.html

This is a 130 exposure image made with the program:

Lots of fun to be had!

Dave

Talk about timing!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1004072-REG/adobe_65226225_photoshop_elements_12_and.html

Dave

If you are saying Hyperlapse this has been around and video's demonstrating can be found online , explaining how to do them.

youtube is one place you can look for online help. good luck

I would think DPreview be the .

Premier Elements is probably the best bet for an inexpensive but full featured video editing program.

 

For short ones, you can save a multi-layered image in PS Elements as an animated GIF. (Bit of a pain.)

 

If you Google "time lapse software", there are quite a few freebies out there you may want to play with.

 

I got the controller for my A77 to do star trail images. THis site has a nifty single purpose package that does a great job.

 

http://www.startrails.de/html/software.html

 

This is a 130 exposure image made with the program:

 

Lots of fun to be had!

 

Dave

I love this photo and can't wait to do one. I downloaded the program. Hopefully it's easy to use and understand.

If you are saying Hyperlapse this has been around and video's demonstrating can be found online , explaining how to do them.

 

youtube is one place you can look for online help. good luck

I would think DPreview be the .

Not really looking to do hyperlapse. I prefer to set it and let it do its thing instead of moving. That just looks like too much effort to me. LOL :p

THis site has a nifty single purpose package that does a great job.

 

http://www.startrails.de/html/software.html

 

 

 

Lots of fun to be had!

 

Dave

Ok Dave, maybe you can help me on this one...

I clicked to download the above program for the startrails and it downloads it onto my computer and every time I open up my browser (which is firefox), it keeps downloading it over and over. It freezes up my computer to where I'm typing and the words won't even show up while I'm typing on here and then it catches up. I have tried to cancel the download. I have paused it. I have tried to delete it. Nothing works. When I close out my browser it says "If you exit now, 2 downloads will be cancelled. Are you sure you want to exit". I exit and when I bring the browser back up, it starts this all over again. Sigh. :(

On a more positive note, I got my remote/timer cord today. I can't wait to play with it. :D

Ok Dave, maybe you can help me on this one...

 

I clicked to download the above program for the startrails and it downloads it onto my computer and every time I open up my browser (which is firefox), it keeps downloading it over and over. It freezes up my computer to where I'm typing and the words won't even show up while I'm typing on here and then it catches up. I have tried to cancel the download. I have paused it. I have tried to delete it. Nothing works. When I close out my browser it says "If you exit now, 2 downloads will be cancelled. Are you sure you want to exit". I exit and when I bring the browser back up, it starts this all over again. Sigh. :(

 

 

 

On a more positive note, I got my remote/timer cord today. I can't wait to play with it. :D

Open the Control Panel and check in Internet Options to see if somehow your start page got set to the download initiation page.

Alternatively, check this page to see if you can use a keyboard shortcut to navigate away from the page and get out of the loop.

Dave

Talk about timing!

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1004072-REG/adobe_65226225_photoshop_elements_12_and.html

 

 

Dave

I suppose you can't do this in Windows movie maker right? (Just asking since I already use that for some videos and wouldn't have to purchase anything). :p

Well I did find out how to use Movie Maker and do it, but I just know from past experiences using this particular program, when it comes to trying to "save" the movie, it doesn't always work well.

I did find a video online that showed how to use LR and PS to do one and I went through the steps, but this PS looks different from mine (or either he didn't tell how to open up the section that he had up that looked like the movie maker does). :( So, I got stuck at that point and had to quit.

Premier Elements is probably the best bet for an inexpensive but full featured video editing program.

 

For short ones, you can save a multi-layered image in PS Elements as an animated GIF. (Bit of a pain.)

 

If you Google "time lapse software", there are quite a few freebies out there you may want to play with.

 

I got the controller for my A77 to do star trail images. THis site has a nifty single purpose package that does a great job.

 

http://www.startrails.de/html/software.html

 

This is a 130 exposure image made with the program:

 

Lots of fun to be had!

 

Dave

Dave, I like your photo. How is it done? I don't mind researching it but I don't know what it is called. I would love to play around with my camera. I saw the fast video's but I like the still photo. Thanks

I have been practicing the last 2 days with my new remote and it's working great.

I took the photos (first round had 991 photos in it) into LR and processed them all.

I have been trying to find a free time lapse program and I'm not having too much luck. Everything that I have tried doesn't seem to work or I just can't figure out how to use it. I have even tried the free GoPro program that I seen had excellent reviews on it...still nothing. I tried converting it to both .avi and .mov and once it's done processing (which seems to take hours), I get a movie with nothing but a black screen. :( I'm getting so aggrevated.

I did read that LR actually has a free preset/plugin that actually turns all of your pictures into a movie, but then found out you have to have LR 3 and above and I only have 2. :(

Sigh

Dave, I like your photo. How is it done? I don't mind researching it but I don't know what it is called. I would love to play around with my camera. I saw the fast video's but I like the still photo. Thanks

It was pretty straightforward. Started with a sturdy tripod and set the camera to 30s - continuous exposure with no long exposure noise reduction (so it wouldn't take a second dark-frame exposure between shots) and used the Opteka remote to trigger and lock the shutter release. 130-ish frames later, I loaded them to the computer, selected all of them in the Star Trails program and let it do its magic. I had to crop a little and play with the color since the sodium streetlights added an odd cast to the house and trees. It was remarkably easy.

Dave

I have been practicing the last 2 days with my new remote and it's working great.

 

I took the photos (first round had 991 photos in it) into LR and processed them all.

 

I have been trying to find a free time lapse program and I'm not having too much luck. Everything that I have tried doesn't seem to work or I just can't figure out how to use it. I have even tried the free GoPro program that I seen had excellent reviews on it...still nothing. I tried converting it to both .avi and .mov and once it's done processing (which seems to take hours), I get a movie with nothing but a black screen. :( I'm getting so aggrevated.

 

I did read that LR actually has a free preset/plugin that actually turns all of your pictures into a movie, but then found out you have to have LR 3 and above and I only have 2. :(

 

Sigh

Try batch reducing the resolution of all the images to 1920 (same as HD video) on the long side before processing. loading 900 24MP images can tax the resources of your computer pretty heavily.

Dave

Dave, thanks for the info sounds simple enough.

Now all I have to do is wait for winter to arrive, have a clear night with no moon and I will give it a try.

Thanks

After playing around for days trying to use the GoPro software and also another program, I finally tried to give the Windows Live Movie Maker another try and it worked out great. I was unable to get any of the other programs to either 1) work or 2) adjust the speed on it.

My husband has been busy relocating his store and decided I would try this as a first project for a time lapse. I wish we would have started this when we were actually tearing out the ceiling tile and stuff, but I didn't have my remote at that time. So, I started with us doing the mudding and sanding of the drywall, removing/sanding the carpet adhesive off the floor and removing the hvac vents. It was shot in 2 days and about 14 hours the first day and maybe 6 hours the next. I did have to move the camera a few times when it got in the way, but it was my "experimental" project, so it's ok.

I can't wait to try some "cloud" and night shots.

Just thought I would share.

Pretty darn good for a first attempt!

Dave