Time Lapse from the start.

[Dragonfly..shotz]

Ok, so I would like to try it out.

Searching the web, I found Granite Bay Timelapse. So I downloaded the trial after looking at some of the work, very impressive.

Thinking I could make a time lapse video from 200 over frames I took yesterday, I searched for a way to load them in GBtimelapse. It may be possible however the software connects to your camera so I would need to take the computer in the field with me.

That's not a problem.

You set it up to either capture the Jpegs on your computer or both. It can tell you on the computer screen what mode you are in and also focal length, aperture etc. I know it works with Canon and I assume it will also work with other brands but not sure.

I tried it out at 6 sec intervals, in the house. It worked! The point being, you can stand back and let this software do the work.

Some tips they recommend during the capture is of course make sure you have good power supply, that your computer does not hibernate and so on, well worth the read.

I'm also keen to know of software that I can load the images I have already taken. They are currently being converted to jpegs in a batch operation.

In the meantime, I am keen to try this software, set up in the field.

http://www.granitebaysoftware.com/

Anyone else keen to trial it and have a go producing a time lapse video?

I am sure there is more software out there, any recommendations?

[jjphoto]

You do not need any software to create time lapse but you do need software to combine still image into a video clip. All you need to do is go out and shoot the still images using an intervalometer and when you get them onto your computer just combine them into a clip.

There are plenty of ways to combine still images into a time lapse clip. I find Quicktime Pro the easiest and it costs about $50. Quicktime Pro allows you to combine images of any size so you can have a folder full of 1920x1080 jpegs which can (almost) instantly be converted to a HD time lapse.

This is the best and possibly only time lapse dedicated forum (http://www.timescapes.org/phpBB3/index.php?sid=21c924b7a91230dc41b83d507fb4af0f) so I suggest you have a look as the expertise there is astounding.

<object width="400" height="302"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=984914&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show _title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;full screen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=984914&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show _title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;full screen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="302"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/984914">Rig Shot #1</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/rigshots">John Jovic</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

<object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6280251&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;sho w_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;ful lscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6280251&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;sho w_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;ful lscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/6280251">Rig Shot #2</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/rigshots">John Jovic</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

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<object width="400" height="302"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1174930&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;sho w_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;ful lscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1174930&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;sho w_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;ful lscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="302"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/1174930">Melbourne moon rise time lapse</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/johnjovic">John Jovic</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

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These were all done on Quicktime but with Photoshop and a bunch of other stuff in between. Quicktime doesn't allow you to incorporate music but it's great for creating the clip itself.

JJ

[kathiemt]

Could you use Windows Movie Maker to do it too? That comes with Windows XP I think and possibly later versions. I've used it to combine still images from a Powerpoint presentation to make a movie clip and set it to music. I imagine you could do similar with timelapse photos?

[Dragonfly..shotz]

Thanks JJ, I remembered I had a copy of Photodex, proshow gold.

I loaded the images into it and set the transition the lowest I could .1 sec. I'll see if I can get it onto you tube and post it.

Yours look great, very slick!

When you say photoshop and a bunch of other stuff in between, what do you mean?

I can already see a problem with the time lapse I tried, exposure changes. I'll admit it was very late afternoon and no sun to speak of.

I'm keen to try it again but with a good light source although I like the idea of fading light.

I'm going to give GBtimelapse a go, in the field and see what it does. It is designed for it and I am sure the output must be better than pro show gold.

If it's complicated I'll probably go the way you have and try Quicktime.

I've seen Vimeo a few times now, is it better than your tube?


Kathie, yes, windows movie maker works, I don't have it (least I don't think I have it)

[jjphoto]

...When you say photoshop and a bunch of other stuff in between, what do you mean?...

It depends on the files and the end result. If the images are all perfectly exposed, in the same light, then just import them into Quicktime or similar.

I usually watermark, especially for the rigshots.com.au clips so that's done to every image in a batch, using Photoshop.

I shoot Raw when ever I can and that allows a bunch of tweaks, colour temp, exposure, crop all before the files are actually imported into Quicktime.

The sunset clips, where the light changes dramatically, are an example of a lot of files that need a lot of tweaking. It's (almost) impossible to shoot such a transition in light with no flicker (changes in brightness from frame to frame) so these kinds of clips need lots of work.

JJ

[MistieWatters]

Could you use Windows Movie Maker to do it too? That comes with Windows XP I think and possibly later versions. I've used it to combine still images from a Powerpoint presentation to make a movie clip and set it to music. I imagine you could do similar with timelapse photos?

Yup, absolutely. That is what I used for my sunrise. Pity about the original images in my case LOL

[Chuckdup]

The sunset clips, where the light changes dramatically, are an example of a lot of files that need a lot of tweaking. It's (almost) impossible to shoot such a transition in light with no flicker (changes in brightness from frame to frame) so these kinds of clips need lots of work.

JJ

Can you not use Av mode?? Im pretty sure the batch of time lapse images I have I shot in Av mode, so it automatically set the exposure for each frame. Im sure remember seeing the shutter speed constantly changing on the LCD as the conditions changed. I'll varify that though. Great clips BTW.

[Mike]

Glad to see this forum is getting some discussion! Ithink exposure can be one of the trickiest aspects, although you can use AV TV or Auto a constant EV (exposure value) is not always what you want such as in the case of the sunrise/sunset the scene is getting darker/lighter and an auto exposure mode would try to level out those brightness values ...I'm no expert here ...

[jjphoto]

Can you not use Av mode?? Im pretty sure the batch of time lapse images I have I shot in Av mode, so it automatically set the exposure for each frame. Im sure remember seeing the shutter speed constantly changing on the LCD as the conditions changed. I'll varify that though. Great clips BTW.

You can use any exposure method you like but you will almost always find a small variation in the exposures which results in flicker, even when the light isn't changing, ie cloudless sunny day. Flicker is a minor variation in exposure from frame to frame and it's bad, Okay... I don't have any examples to show you but when you see the brighness juming around in a clip it's probably flicker.

There are several reasons it can happen;

1/ The brighness of the scene itself changes such as on a cloudy day or transition from day to night.
2/ The camera's metering might be jumping around 1/3-1/2 stop at a time. This will create horrible flicker.
3/ The aperture may not close in the exact same position every single time, resulting in small but visible exposure variations.
4/ The shutter may not consistently reproduce a set shutter speed which will also lead to small but visible exposure variations.

Many video editors have 'de-flicker' plugins to reduce or fix this exact problem. I fix it by shooting RAW where possible and adjusting exposures during the RAW conversion stage. It's not perfect but it's pretty good.

I try to avoid any Auto exposure settings because the variation is too great. If you can shoot on a manual exposure and tweak (based on the histogram) when you need to then you will always be better off.

I also shoot with manual and de-coupled lenses on Canon bodies which resloves the aperture flicker. For example, I shoot with Contax and Leica lenses on Canon bodies some times. The aperture does not move at all during the exposure. This problem can be avoided with normal lenses too by testing them and finding where they work consistently and where they play up. Wide open will always be fine, stopped down considerably will often cause flicker.

JJ

[Chuckdup]

1/ The brighness of the scene itself changes such as on a cloudy day or transition from day to night.
2/ The camera's metering might be jumping around 1/3-1/2 stop at a time. This will create horrible flicker.
3/ The aperture may not close in the exact same position every single time, resulting in small but visible exposure variations.
4/ The shutter may not consistently reproduce a set shutter speed which will also lead to small but visible exposure variations.



Well, there is some eye opening information. I had no idea about those inconsistancies. Cheers for that.

[gcflora]

I also shoot with manual and de-coupled lenses on Canon bodies which resloves the aperture flicker. For example, I shoot with Contax and Leica lenses on Canon bodies some times. The aperture does not move at all during the exposure. This problem can be avoided with normal lenses too by testing them and finding where they work consistently and where they play up. Wide open will always be fine, stopped down considerably will often cause flicker.

JJ

What's a de-coupled lens?

[jjphoto]

What's a de-coupled lens?

Sorry, that was probably a vague statement.

It's possible to use non Canon lenses (including Nikon, Contax, M42, Leica R, Olympus and many more) on Canon bodies. It's actually very common and there are forums specialising in this subject such as the FM Alt forum (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/55). I often use Leica R or Contax lenses on Canon bodies using commonly available adapters which allow the miss-matching bayonet mounts to connect together. The end result is a lens which is only physically attached to the Canon body with no mechanical or electrical connection (although 'focus confirm adapters' are available but are a waste of time IMHO). When you set the lens to F8, it stays at F8, when you set the focus on the lens it stays there. It changes the way you have to shoot, because you might not have a bright enough image to focus on if it's at F8 or F11 for example so you might have to focus wide open, stop the lens down to meter and then shoot.

Why would you do this in the first place? Canon makes some very nice lenses but there are many lenses which out perform the Canon equivalents quite handsomely or simply have a different look, better bokeh, etc etc.

This time lapse is an example of nice bokeh (the quality of the out of focus area) which I achieved with a Contax Zeiss 135/2.0 lens on a Canon body. I tried to shoot it with the Canon 70-200/2.8 IS but the bokeh was harsh and very distracting. It looked quite bad. On the other hand the Zeiss lens has very smooth bokeh which works really well in this little clip.

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Anyway, that's what I meant by de-coupled. A lens that is physically attached to a camera but not mechanically or electronically (aperture or focus).

JJ

[gcflora]

Thanks for the explanation JJ... there's so much to learn!

PS Great clouds