HD Time-Lapse Video: The DSLR Easy Way

(This is part 1 of a 2 part series on producing HD quality time-lapse sequences using the interval feature of a digital still camera.)

One of the things I love about my Nikon D200 (and the digital revolution in general) is the ease of creating time-lapse (interval) sequences. I shudder to think just a few short years ago when (in my case) time-lapse meant dragging out a cumbersome, half-century old 35mm Eclair film camera, with a customized interval motor that had to be adjusted using the classic one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand method.

Some advantages of today’s digital still cameras over old film technology for time-lapse production include: easy transport and setup; immediate feedback for exposure and interval tests; no film stock, lab or telecine costs; and relative ease of editing and distribution via the web. In part 1 of this post I will outline some of the basic considerations that come into play when shooting a digital time-lapse sequence; in part two I’ll explore some super-easy options for editing and tweaking your sequence.

Of course one of the most critical ingredients for a successful time-lapse shoot is a sturdy tripod, or otherwise dependable clamping system. It is important to place all camera settings in manual mode to avoid unwanted fluctuations in focus, exposure, or even color temperature.  Also, a time-lapse is one of the few occasions I shoot in .jpg mode rather than raw, in order to simplify the post-production process.

There is no correct or single best time interval to use when shooting time-lapse; the choice is based on what events are taking place and how you want to depict the action. In this case, I wanted to show the fast moving cars as streaks of light by exposing for the headlights, while having the right exposure/interval combination to also capture the cars at the stop light. In another typical scenario, a landscape with slow moving clouds might demand a very different strategy.

How many frames should you capture for your sequence? Again, that depends on your interpretation of what’s happening in front of the camera and how long you want the final sequence to be. At a standard playback rate of 30 fps (frames per second), you will need 300 frames to achieve a final length of 10 seconds.

While calculating, keep in mind the limits of the camera interval system, the capacity of your storage card and expected battery life. Also, choose a file dimension appropriate to your final output. For instance, even the smallest .jpg size on the D200 (1936 x 1296) is more than enough for 1280p HD video.

As mentioned above, one advantage of HD DSLR time-lapse is the ability to experiment on location and immediately preview the results. What … you never mashed down the advance button while reviewing on your LCD to simulate an animated sequence?

Now that we’ve covered the basics, get out there and shoot something! In part two of this post I’ll cover one easy way to edit and output your final time-lapse sequence using Quicktime Pro. For the curious, here are the settings I used for the traffic time-lapse:

• Camera/Lens: Nikon D200, Nikkor 50mm 1.8
• Interval (between frames): 5 seconds
• Exposure at ISO 125: 2 seconds at f4.5

Time Lapse – Brooklyn Bridge Exit Traffic from Ed Metz on Vimeo.