What is the cheapest camera with time lapse?
- Thread starter Mediacre
- Start date
Hehehe, as I thought, there are old cameras that do time-lapse. I have seen they going for under 50 bucks on Ebay. Now the things is only to decide if the type of time-lapse is good enough for what I need or not. Newer cams can take a frame per second for a very smooth effect. The older cameras can only take 12.5 frames per seconds bursts. I wonder if this is smooth enough. In any case I also saw some time-lapse videos on youtube done by just speeding footage and it looks basically as good as the real thing. The only problem is the amount of tape needed for that since you can only record 120mm in one tape, meaning changing tapes every 2 hours which would suck. But maybe with some post work the 12.5 frames per second can look as smooth as the 1 frame per second and I wont have to change tapes for the whole day or pay 700 bucks for a new camera.
No combersome webcams or still cams needed.
No combersome webcams or still cams needed.
Just the tip of the iceburg... How much time/expense to capture 12 tapes (you said 24hrs right?), encode them digitally (very low quality AND babysitting/changing tapes for ANOTHER 24hrs) , string them together, not get a 'skip' where you changed the tape (or forgot while babysitting... or setting your alarm every 2 hours! LOL!!), AND the power consuption of your 'cheap' solution is WAY higher than a digital cam so you'll have to be tied to an outlet OR have a BIG battery...
All that for crappy hi-8 and combersome??? That's the definition of cumbersome!!! Mark my words, come back to this thread and tell us step by step how 'cheap and easy it was' and show us the full resolution result and I'll eat my hat.
Workflow with a digital cam: Set it, forget it, come back, load images into a NLE, DONE. that's combersome?
Your reminding me of people who drive an hour to a gas station to save a couple of cents on the dollar... Where on earth do you come up with the figure of $700 for a digital cam?
Wow dude! First you are totally off base and second totally out of line.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mediacre The only problem is the amount of tape needed for that since you can only record 120mm in one tape, meaning changing tapes every 2 hours which would suck.
Your Iceberg I guess, not mine (by the way an Iceburg would be an ice castle). I never said I was going to go with recording normal video and speeding it up in post. I just mentioned that it was also an option and then pointed the disadvantages and said it would suck. As I said this is your iceberg not mine.
LOL me. You are living in your own world. Totally missed what I said. Never said I was going to shoot normal video. But I guess I already said that in this post. Just thought I would say it again so you can catch it this time.
You can start eating it now then. The solution is perfect for my needs.
See how you are not reading? I said the webcam was cumbersome.
The problem with the digital camera is the price.
Again seems like you forgot how to read. $700 is how much a new DV camera with the new smooth type of time-lapse costs.
You know, it’s a funny thing how web board posters are sometimes. You ask an opinion or advice and people seem to get mad if you don’t take their advice, whatever their advice or suggestion fits your needs or not. Just weird!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mediacre The only problem is the amount of tape needed for that since you can only record 120mm in one tape, meaning changing tapes every 2 hours which would suck.
Your Iceberg I guess, not mine (by the way an Iceburg would be an ice castle). I never said I was going to go with recording normal video and speeding it up in post. I just mentioned that it was also an option and then pointed the disadvantages and said it would suck. As I said this is your iceberg not mine.
No, I said I would need the camera for a day. Never mentioned 24hours actually. In hours it will be like 8 hours or a working day. But for only 1 day or 1 time. That’s why I don’t want to spend a lot.
First, I said quality wasn't important, second I don’t need to change tapes because I would be recording time-lapse 12.5 frames a second. A two hours tape is more than enough.
LOL me. You are living in your own world. Totally missed what I said. Never said I was going to shoot normal video. But I guess I already said that in this post. Just thought I would say it again so you can catch it this time.
It’s indoors and the camcorder has no reason not to be plugged to the mains. I said that too in my prior posts but I guess you had no reason to read them since I didn’t take your advice?
You can start eating it now then. The solution is perfect for my needs.
See how you are not reading? I said the webcam was cumbersome.
The problem with the digital camera is the price.
Again seems like you forgot how to read. $700 is how much a new DV camera with the new smooth type of time-lapse costs.
You know, it’s a funny thing how web board posters are sometimes. You ask an opinion or advice and people seem to get mad if you don’t take their advice, whatever their advice or suggestion fits your needs or not. Just weird!
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Anhar_Miah
Veteran
Chill man! 
Basically go do it the way that fulfils your needs, if however the results come back as not as great as it could have been then thats a seperate issue.
Your method will work, it may be what you want, but just bear in mind the image quality will not be as great.
Those are the bare facts.
Basically go do it the way that fulfils your needs, if however the results come back as not as great as it could have been then thats a seperate issue.
Your method will work, it may be what you want, but just bear in mind the image quality will not be as great.
Those are the bare facts.
David W. Richardson
Chapelgrove Films
Here's my question -- is this thing you're wanting to record a "once in a lifetime" kind of thing? Or is it something you can go back and shoot again if the results aren't what you'd hoped?
If you only have one shot at it, see if you can rent a camcorder in your area with the time lapse function. Or maybe find a DP who owns his own camera and enlist his/her aid.
The main problem with doing time lapse with older (cheaper) camcorders is that it's very hard on the tape transport. If you're only doing it once, then your used camera may not crap out on you in the middle of the day. Fingers crossed on that.
If I were in your situation, I'd probably have checked with my friends and acquaintances to see if someone would let me borrow a digital still camera for a day, and shoot it with that. But it's your call. Best of luck with it!
If you only have one shot at it, see if you can rent a camcorder in your area with the time lapse function. Or maybe find a DP who owns his own camera and enlist his/her aid.
The main problem with doing time lapse with older (cheaper) camcorders is that it's very hard on the tape transport. If you're only doing it once, then your used camera may not crap out on you in the middle of the day. Fingers crossed on that.
If I were in your situation, I'd probably have checked with my friends and acquaintances to see if someone would let me borrow a digital still camera for a day, and shoot it with that. But it's your call. Best of luck with it!
Mattykins
Cute Member
A digital camera, Not DV, an SLR would still best suit it. Ranging from 100 - 1500. You just need to find one with time lapse capabilities.
Not to mention going one frame every...(doing math in head)
1/12 of a second for 8 hours...is going to warp the tape (stretch it) significantly, in which case you might have nothing to work with at all. Then you need to reshoot. And Hi8 isn't that great definition wise. Not to mention you only have 720 by 480 to work with when you can get 2k on a digital SLR. More information, better picture, nicer effect. You can also adjust exposure, aperature, shutter, all of that lovely stuff that you won't have access to with a Hi8.
If you want to do it that way, go ahead, just make sure your client knows that it isn't going to look that great. That is, if it comes out at all. If it's for yourself to check it out, do it. Good luck.
If it's for a client and you are trying to save money, get ready for it to get turned around on you.
Sorry to be blunt, but apparently that is all you respond to. There are a lot of people here that know what they are doing and trying to help you. Some have different ways of doing it. Trust me, I've been slammed here on a few occasions. Fact of the matter is, it is the internet.
But your method might work, well - it works on paper, similar to communism. Will it work in reality? That is a totally different question.
So if it's a once-in-the-lifetime deal, rent a DSLR, Hire a DoP, Get a DSLR.
Not to mention going one frame every...(doing math in head)
1/12 of a second for 8 hours...is going to warp the tape (stretch it) significantly, in which case you might have nothing to work with at all. Then you need to reshoot. And Hi8 isn't that great definition wise. Not to mention you only have 720 by 480 to work with when you can get 2k on a digital SLR. More information, better picture, nicer effect. You can also adjust exposure, aperature, shutter, all of that lovely stuff that you won't have access to with a Hi8.
If you want to do it that way, go ahead, just make sure your client knows that it isn't going to look that great. That is, if it comes out at all. If it's for yourself to check it out, do it. Good luck.
If it's for a client and you are trying to save money, get ready for it to get turned around on you.
Sorry to be blunt, but apparently that is all you respond to. There are a lot of people here that know what they are doing and trying to help you. Some have different ways of doing it. Trust me, I've been slammed here on a few occasions. Fact of the matter is, it is the internet.
But your method might work, well - it works on paper, similar to communism. Will it work in reality? That is a totally different question.
So if it's a once-in-the-lifetime deal, rent a DSLR, Hire a DoP, Get a DSLR.
IMHO the debate is worth it if not for the benefit of other members. This is not 'all about you', this is all about the 'cheapest solution to timelapse'. I'm trying to get you the biggest bang for the buck and you want to stay lost in the tape jungle no matter what. So you can look it as 'this guy is an ass' or 'this guy is trying to engage and help'...
Actually you said
If you need a camera for a day rather than "shooting a time period of a day" (as I interpreted your language)... Just rent one - that's your cheapest solution. If you could rent a Ricoh GR for a day somehow that would be an awsome solution.
Seriously.... You can't argue with the 'proof is in the pudding' - If you post your tape results here and the quality is up to par with a digital camera - I will eat my wool skull cap...
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Anhar_Miah
Veteran
:tongue: you have a wool skull cap? I'm actually looking for one of those! oh the irony
