How to Plan a Time-Lapse
Time-lapse photography compresses long events into short video clips by taking individual photos at regular intervals and playing them back at standard video frame rates. The key to a successful time-lapse is choosing the right shooting interval. Too short, and you waste storage and battery; too long, and the resulting video appears jerky.
Enter the total duration of the event you want to capture, the desired length of the final video, and your playback frame rate. The calculator determines the required shooting interval, total number of frames, the speed compression factor, and estimated storage requirements for both JPEG and RAW formats.
Recommended Intervals by Subject
The ideal interval depends on the speed of your subject. Fast-moving clouds work well at 1-3 seconds. Sunsets and sunrises need 2-5 second intervals. Star trails and the Milky Way require 15-30 second exposures. Flowers blooming need 1-5 minute intervals. Construction projects might use 5-15 minute intervals. Urban traffic looks great at 1-2 second intervals. Always shoot more frames than you think you need — you can always speed up the video in post, but you cannot add frames you did not capture.
Storage and Battery Planning
A typical DSLR or mirrorless camera produces JPEG files around 8 MB per frame and RAW files around 25 MB per frame at 24 megapixels. For a 1000-frame time-lapse, budget approximately 8 GB for JPEG or 25 GB for RAW. Battery life is equally important: use an external power source or battery grip for long sessions. Most camera batteries support 300-500 shots per charge, so a multi-hour time-lapse may require multiple batteries.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the interval for a time-lapse?
Divide the event duration in seconds by the total frames needed. Frames = video duration x playback fps.
What frame rate should I use for time-lapse video?
24fps is the cinematic standard. 25fps for PAL regions, 30fps for NTSC. All produce smooth playback.
What is a good interval for cloud time-lapse?
1-3 seconds for fast clouds, 5-10 seconds for slow clouds. Start with 3 seconds as a safe default.
How much storage do I need for a time-lapse?
At 24MP: about 8 MB per JPEG frame, 25 MB per RAW. A 1000-frame sequence needs 8 GB JPEG or 25 GB RAW.
How long should a time-lapse video be?
10-60 seconds works best. Social media clips perform well at 15-30 seconds.