1. Settings
Timelapse. This word sounds good ! But is this only the fact to accelerate a long video ? Let’s try this.
a: Beginner way
Put your camera on a low wall, start a video, end it 10 minutes later. Accelerate in post. It’s a timelapse ! It’s a joke, let’s do this with pictures:
b: FPS
The basics: you have an interesting moving scene available for the next hour. You wan a 16 seconds sequence. How much images do you need ? How frequency do you need to shoot ? I pick up copies.
Your video will have 25 frames per seconds. So multiply by 16 seconds, you’ll have to take 400 images. In an hour, you’ve got 3600 seconds, divide it by your 400 and you have 9. So, you’ll need to take a picture every 9 seconds. It sounds good !
And it’s the same calculation from 10 minutes to 10 days.
c: Movement
As any video, the purpose is to display a movement effect, so during the day it will be preferable to insert a ND filter to keep a slow shutter speed and record actions with a smooth blurring.
As it’s not a portrait or nothing where depth of field is necesarily short (why not !) I advice to increase to F/8 or more, keep your ISO 100 it’s ok. So the last factor is the ND filter you’ll have to adapt.
d: Format
After reading the Timelapse Raw Workflow article, you’ll see the need to shoot in raw. It’s really heavier so for storage purpose only I’ll accept use of jpegs, but else: SHOOT RAW.
e: Tripod
Maybe the main element when we’re talking about timelapses ! It has to be solid enough to avoid any movement, and with a very stable head. My advice: a light carbon fiber one to take it easily everywhere, but with a hook allowing to hang an heavy backpack and keep it rock steady.
2. Timelapses
a: Tripod
Settings are ready, tripod is ready, scene is ready, let’s start shooting. Most of current DSLRs have an integrated intervalometer function, else a remote control can be necesary. Entre the number of images needed (or 00 to not limit) and the interval between 2, and press the shutter. The time do the rest.
b: Moving
Fixed timelapses can be avoided in post by adding a light Ken Burns effect, but let’s admit that it’s limited. Unfortunatelly, the solution is not free and requires additional gear: the motorized slide. Several choices are available on the web, but the principle is the same: during your timelapse lenght the camera is moved through a rail and/or in 3 dimentions around and captures movements from several sides.
3: Hyperlapses
a: Tripod
It gets complicated here: the principle is the same, but the scene is not fixed anymore, and the photographer/tripod moves. The really touchy part is that in every picture, an element has to be appointed to ensure stability, else the final footage will looks totally shaky.
b: Stabilizer
I have to test with a Ronin !
4: Dronelapses
Good news: it’s the same principle than the 2 previous… but with a drone !
a: Manual
Dji drones have an intervalometer function, and with manual settings it’s possible to make an aerial hyperlapse. Manually, the purpose will be to follow a line or a specifi spot, and with a limited speed ! As the batteries are not able to exceed an half hour in the air, try to choose your take-off time wisely ! Same as a DSLR, don’t forget to activate the raw images to get your DNGs in the end !
b: Leetchi
For cheaters like me, the easiest way to ensure a proper hyperlapse is an application, like Leetchi. It’s not free like DJi Go, but by creating a path and aim a specific spot, you’ll only to set the time needed in the air for the application to calculate the speed, and keep it regular all way long. During the automatic fly you have access to all shooting features, and can launch the intervalometer like the first way.
5: Redlapses
I don’t think this word exists. Whatever, it’s possible to shoot timelapses with red cameras. The pros are that the r3d file get out of the Mini-mag is already accelerated, raw and can be mathematically lossless (by shooting redcode 2:1), no need to compile images, no need to accelerate a 25fps huge file. The cons are about the settings, it’s not intended to make long exposures (and limited to 1 second, to be verified) because after all, it’s a cinema device.