Which interval should you use for a timelapse?

The interval is the time between two photos. Too short, and you fill your storage for nothing. Too long, and the motion stutters. The right value is calculated, not guessed.

The formula

You need three numbers: how long the scene lasts, how long the final video should be, and the frames per second.

• Number of photos = video length × frames per second
• Interval = scene duration ÷ number of photos

A worked example

A sunset lasts 1 hour. You want a 30 s video at 30 frames per second.

• 30 s × 30 frames per second = 900 photos
• 3,600 s ÷ 900 photos = a 4 s interval

In Interval, those 900 full-quality photos take about 3.15 GB. The calculator shows this before you start shooting, along with the time and battery you will need.

Starting points by scene

These are starting points, not rules. Shoot a test of 20 photos before the real session.

• Sunset: 2 to 5 s. The light changes fast, but smoothly.
• Clouds: 1 to 3 s depending on wind speed. The faster they move, the shorter the interval.
• Traffic, crowds: 0.5 to 2 s. Interval goes down to 0.5 s.
• Building site, plant, a moving shadow: 1 to 10 minutes. The motion is very slow and the session lasts hours.

Lock your settings

A good interval is wasted if the image flickers. Flicker comes from automatic readjustments of ISO, shutter speed and white balance between two photos. Set them by hand, then lock them before you start. Interval’s manual mode does this for ISO, shutter speed, white balance and focus.

What about hyperlapse?

There is no interval to calculate. You take a photo on each tap, moving between shots, and keep the anchor point in the same spot of the frame. Stabilization happens at assembly.