#TIME LAPSE ASSEMBLER FRAME BLENDING MOVIE#
#TIME LAPSE ASSEMBLER FRAME BLENDING MANUAL#
#TIME LAPSE ASSEMBLER FRAME BLENDING SERIES#

Its interval might need to be set to only one second, or to the exposure time + one second. It’s an odd quirk I’ve found true of every brand of camera I use or have tested.Īlternatively, you can set the camera to Bulb and then use an outboard hardware intervalometer (they sell for $60 on up) to control the exposure and fire the shutter. So in setting the interval to provide one second between shots, as I advise below, you have to set the camera’s internal intervalometer for an interval of 17 seconds (for a shutter speed of 15 seconds) or 33 seconds (for a shutter speed of 30 seconds).

#TIME LAPSE ASSEMBLER FRAME BLENDING MANUAL#

Just be aware that a camera’s 15-second exposure really lasts 16 seconds, while a 30-second shot set in Manual is really a 32-second exposure. The shutter speed is set by using the camera in Manual mode. Many cameras have an intervalometer function built into their firmware. Time-lapses demand the use of an intervalometer to automatically fire the shutter for at least 200 to 300 images for a typical time-lapse.

Be sure to get the model that fits your camera’s remote control jack. For cameras without an internal intervalometer (screens from a Canon and a Nikon are shown above), an outboard unit like one of these, is essential. TIP 3 - DO: Use an intervalometer Canon intervalometer functions Nikon intervalometer functions Automating the Camera That makes for a smoother, slower time-lapse, and a shoot you can finish sooner if desired. This becomes especially critical for time-lapses, as the fast aperture allows using short shutter speeds, which in turn allows capturing more frames in a given period of time. This is the Sigma 20mm f/1.4 Art lens.Īs with nightscape stills, the single best purchase you can make to improve your images of dark sky scenes is not buying a new camera (at least not at first), but buying a fast, wide-angle lens.ĭitch the slow kit zoom and go for at least an f/2.8, if not f/2, lens with 10mm to 24mm focal length. TIP 2 - DO: Use a fast lens The All-Important LensĪ fast lens is especially critical for time-lapses to allow capturing good sky and ground detail in each exposure, as compositing later won’t be feasible. Similarly, don’t scrimp on the tripod head.

While a carbon fibre unit is costly, you’ll appreciate its low weight and good strength every night in the field. For hiking into scenic sites you’ll want a lightweight but sturdy tripod. Wind can’t move it, nor any camera handling you might need to do mid-shoot, such as swapping out a battery. Not only does the camera have to remain rock steady for the length of the exposure, it has to do so for the length of the entire shoot, which could be several hours. Time-lapse photography requires just the camera and lens you might already own, but on a solid tripod (a carbon-fibre Manfrotto with an Acratech ball-head is shown here), and with an intervalometer.Ī lightweight travel tripod that might suffice for still images on the road will likely be insufficient for time-lapses. NOTE: This article appeared originally in Issue #9 of Dark Sky Travels e-magazine. But taking time-lapses does require some specialized gear, techniques, planning, and software. Shooting hundreds of frames for a time-lapse will be a disappointing waste of your time if all the images are dark and blurry.įor that reason many of my tips apply equally well to shooting still images.

#TIME LAPSE ASSEMBLER FRAME BLENDING SERIES#

Here are my tips for taking time-lapses, in a series of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” that I’ve found effective for ensuring great results.īut before you attempt a time-lapse, be sure you can first capture well-exposed and sharply focused still shots.

#TIME LAPSE ASSEMBLER FRAME BLENDING MOVIE#

But if you have the patience, the result can be an impressive time-lapse movie of the night sky sweeping over a scenic landscape. There’s little extra work required, just your time. If you can take one well-exposed image of a nightscape, you can take 300. I present my top 10 tips for capturing time-lapses of the moving sky.

Time lapse assembler frame blending