How To » Make a time lapse movie
When to time lapse?
Time lapse video is used to compress time. My rule of thumb is--if something is changing, but so slowly that watching it in real time would be too boring, then I use a time lapse. The first thing you need is a camera that is capable of firing at precise intervals. The mid to higher-end Nikon DSLRs have this feature built in. Canon DSLRs require a special cable release (Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3). You will also need a sturdy tripod, a fully charged battery, and enough space on your memory card.
Timelapse: Adélie penguins and sea ice, Cape Crozier, Antarctica from Chris Linder on Vimeo.
Interval
Your first big decision (aside from setting up that perfect composition and being there at just the right time, of course) is to determine your interval between shots. This is not a set number--it can vary from 1 second to several hours depending on the type of motion you are trying to capture. The best way to determine this is to study your subject. How fast is it moving/changing? The other factor to take into consideration is the finished length you are shooting for. Regardless of how fascinating your time lapse is, I start squirming in my seat after 60 seconds. Assuming you build your time lapse with a 30 frame per second frame rate, and you want to run it for 30 seconds, that means you need 900 shots. You can then take your total time lapse time and divide it by your total frame count (900 in this example) to determine your interval. Let's do an example. Say you want to do a 2-hour time lapse. That's 120 minutes or 7200 seconds. 7200 divided by 900 is your interval--8 seconds.
Settings
Set your quality to a medium or small fine jpeg. Keep in mind that 1020p full HD video is roughly 2 megapixels, so you don't need to waste space capturing images larger than that. Don't forget to set it back to RAW (assuming you're normally shooting RAW) after you finish the time lapse. If your time lapse is a short one and the light is not expected to change much, set a manual exposure and check it using the histogram before starting the time lapse. Set focus to manual and tape the focus ring so it won't move. Make sure your tripod is anchored firmly. If rain or other precipitation is anticipated during the time lapse, use a waterproof cover to protect the electronics. Last but not least, double check your settings before starting the time lapse.
Post-processing
Once you have downloaded your memory card, rename the files so that they are sequentially numbered. Use a batch-processing program like Lightroom, Aperture, or Photoshop to reduce the size/quality of the jpegs to match your desired output size (in the case of this example, I wanted a 720p HD movie, so I resized to make the long edge of each image no bigger than 1280 pixels). Once you have a folder of small jpegs, you can assemble the movie. The easiest way by far is to use Apple Quicktime Pro. All you do is open the program, select File -> Open Image Sequence, and select the appopriate folder of images. You'll be prompted for the desired frame rate. If you are using this in a multimedia presentation in Final Cut, choose a frame rate to match your Final Cut settings (usually 23.98 or 29.97). Then when it's built, hit play and watch the magic unfold. You can use advanced video editing software like Final Cut to add titles, music, and more. Once you make one successful time lapse movie, you will start seeing time lapse possibilities everywhere.
