How to Make Time Lapse Videos

Time lapse videos: A How to guide

Among some of the interesting features of today’s DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras is the ability to make Time lapse videos. If you’re an avid internet user you definitely have come across these types of videos, even if you didn’t know these were time lapses. The time lapse is just one of those features that once you really start to prefer you never stop making. And the results are so varied and interesting they never stop amazing you. If you’re a seasoned video maker, chances are you love to make these and add them to your work every once in a while. And if you are a beginner in the video world, then you definitely need to get a hang of these!

What is a Time lapse video?

Clarifying for those who are still confused a time lapse video is one of those fast forwarded videos that you would have seen frequently in Vlogs on YouTube. You might be surprised how the sun just rises and sets so quickly and people walk around in the blink of an eye. While you may think these videos are shot all day and fast forwarded you are mistaken. 

For Time lapses, frames are captured at a very slow frequency, let’s say 1 every 10 seconds or 30 seconds. This is done over a longer period of time. The frames are then played at a much higher frame rate than they are recorded in. This is what gives you the illusion of a fast-forwarded video. Time lapses are much more easy to handle and save space too. Imagine shooting a Constant 4K video and fast-forwarding it. It would need an insane amount of space and then you would have to speed up the video in post-processing. Time lapses save you from all that. 

Shooting Time lapse on Canon 

For the majority of Canon DSLRs, the procedure is the same. Turn your camera into video mode and press menu. You will be taken to the setting menu. Here look at the first few options, you’ll see ‘Time lapse: Disabled’. Click on this and click enable, this will open up the settings menu for the number of frames you want to capture, the total time you want to playback. Setting in the frames and intervals will show you how much time it will take to record. Press OK and you are ready to shoot

Shooting Time lapse on Nikon 

A similar procedure can be used for Nikon. In the settings menu under ‘Video’ you will find a time-lapse option disabled. Click it and you will be taken to another menu where you can adjust the time interval and the total shooting time. You don’t get the number of frames here. Adjust according to your needs and exit the settings menu and once again you are good to go.

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