How to create Timelapse

Tutorial on how to create timelapse. What is timelapse? Please click this.

11 Steps to create Timelapse.

1) Set-up your shot
2) Take a test shot
3) Adjust the camera settings
4) Take another test shot
5) Calculate the timelapse
6) Setup your intervalometer
7) Set them together
8) Stand by the camera
9) Monitor
10) Compile the video
11) Publish the video

1) Set-up your shot. Use a tripod or location to place your camera. I prefer to use tripod. A good quality one, the cheap crappy tripod sometime can't hold the camera in position especially if the camera is heavy.

2) Test shot. Take a test shot of the area. Frame and compose the area you wanted nicely.

3) Adjust the camera settings. Switch the camera into your preferred mode. Use your test shots exposure information to set the aperture. If you use the shutterspeed mode, set it to your desired value. If you use the aperture mode, set it to your desired value.

4) Take another test shot. Only do this if you have easy access to the viewfinder, and use a remote to avoid camera shake. This shot is just to make sure the images are properly exposed using the manual settings.

5) Calculate the timelapse. You have to plan on how long the timelapse video will be play. You can download Android and iOS app to do the calculation easier.

6) Setup your intervalometer. I used a Nikon D3 that already have built-in interval timer shooting. If your camera don't have this built-in feature. The intervalometer is the solution.

Intervalometers

Intervalometers (some call it remote control) is a device, an add-on that usually doesn’t come with your dslr. what it does is it allows you to set your DSLR to hit the shutter button at the interval your prefer, e,g., every 1 second, every 10 second or every 1 minute.

Intervalometers is almost essential because it helps you to push the shutter automatically. It also helps you to avoid blurry photo when you push the shutter manually. Intervalometers varies from brands and you can get it around $55 – $75. These are some intervalometers for famous camera brands (if your camer don't have interval timer shooting).

Nikon, Canon, Sony / Minolta, Olympus

Some camera have a built-in feature for time interval shooting.

• Canon P&S (point and shoot) digital cameras with CHDK third party custom script installed onto the memory card.
• Nikon 1 J1, Nikon 1 V1, Nikon 1 J2, Nikon 1 V2
• Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Nikon D300s, Nikon D5000, Nikon D5100, Nikon D5200, Nikon D7000, Nikon D7100
• Nikon D700, Nikon D800, Nikon D800E,^[8] Nikon D600
• Nikon D2H, Nikon D2X, Nikon D2Xs, Nikon D3, Nikon D3s, Nikon D4
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3
• Pentax Optio 555, W10, W20, W60, W90, WG-1
• Pentax Q, Pentax Q10, Pentax K-01
• Pentax K-5, Pentax K-5 II, Pentax K-r, Pentax K-30
• GoPro Cameras (HD Hero 3, HD Hero 2, HD Hero, HD Hero 960)
• Ricoh CX, GXR, GR DIGITAL and Caplio series

7) Set them together. Hook up your calculator (or intervalometer) to your camera and press start.

8) Stand by the camera. Waiting process is the real challenge to create timelapse. Monitor the battery level and number of photos left in memory card. You might need to change the battery or replace a fresh memory card.

9) Monitor. Always check on the photos taken once in a while. If you are doing timelapse of both day and night. Make sure you increase/decrease the ISO accordingly so you will get perfect exposure photos.

10) Compile the video. There are several  software to compile the photos and transform it into timelapse.

11) Publish the video. Youtube always the number one choice to publish your timelapse. But there are always Vimeo and Flickr as another solution.