Help me with some time-lapse MATH...

Tom Lowe

Tom Lowe

Well-known member
So, I have an idea to get a complicated shot, but math hurts my brain.

Basically, I want to mount the HVX on a steadicam, set the frame rate to interval 1fps and hike for about two hours up this amazing trail in the high sierras. The idea is that the viewer gets to "go along" for the hike.

So, the math.

If I recall, the camera needs to be set at 720/60p for interval, right?

So how many frames will I get per card? How many minutes of hiking time at 1fps before I need to stop and change the cards?
 
not sure, but if you change the frame rate and insert a p2 card, it will tell you the minutes available on the upper right of the display.
 
If you think your brain hurts now, just wait until you have finished a two hour hike with the HVX-200 on a steadicam -- your arms and legs are going to fall off.
 
THoff... you think I'm gonna lug that thing up a 4 mile trail?... that's what DPs are for. hahaa

JK.

actually I was thinking of switching off -- having three people, myself, the DP, and the dolly grip guy do it.
 
At 720/60p you get one minute per gigabyte.

At 1fps then, which is 1/60 as many frames, you'll get 60x as much storage.

Or, one hour per gigabyte.

Or four hours on a 4GB card.
 
Tom Lowe said:
THoff... you think I'm gonna lug that thing up a 4 mile trail?... that's what DPs are for. hahaa

JK.

actually I was thinking of switching off -- having three people, myself, the DP, and the dolly grip guy do it.
Click to expand...
At Cinegear some company was showing a dolly based on the Segway XT (the off-road version of the Segway) -- just imagine getting to the top of that hike and not even breaking a sweat!
 
yeah right, you haven't seen this trail.

so barry it sounds like I can do this shot no problem, as far as the camera is concerned. it will just be a matter of battery and leg power!
 
If I were you, may be I will shot 1 frame each 5 seconds...so at the end of the 2 hours trip I will get recorded 1440 frames ....so if I want the recording at 30fps I will get a movie of 48 seconds....So the 2 hours will be compressed in a movie of 48 seconds...I think it could looks well......... I believe the battery will do the 2 hours job without prob....and I believe you can shot in progressive mode....But I am not sure if at the end you will have both arms.....with you :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

shot 1 frame each 2 seconds could be great too.....
 
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How about a digital still camera?

How about a digital still camera?

better picture quality and much lighter...no widescreen though.
 
well even if i shoot at 1fps, i can always speed up the playback in my editing system, to make the "journey" fit whatever shorter amount of time I need.
 
Tom Lowe said:
If I recall, the camera needs to be set at 720/60p for interval, right?
Click to expand...

You CAN do interval shooting in 1080. It is the variable frame rates that are only available in 720.

When in interval shooting mode, however, the time remaining indicated will be the same as in normal shooting but because you are only laying down 1 fps instead if 60 it will take a long time to burn up the time as Barry said above.

I've shot time-laps clouds for an hour and the time remaining said 8 minutes when I started and I still had shooting time left when I was done.
 
chinadan said:
better picture quality and much lighter...no widescreen though.
Click to expand...

Actually, that's not a bad idea (using a digital still camera). And you could actually crop to 16x9. I have to imagine that some still cameras have auto time lapse built in.

It would be several pounds lighter than an HVX, battery, steadicam. Mount in on a short monopod that you secure in a waist pouch.

It would be higher resolution than 720p (assuming a native 5 MegaPixel camera, or even better - a 35mm Digital SLR). Higher resolution would allow for reframing shots.

Anyways, it would be easier physically, but probably would take longer to edit together.
 
Will certainly be a character building exercise...


I would also consider doing the timelapse in 1080... Pretty much do all of mine in that format and you'd have enough time on the 4 gig card to do the 2 hour hike... I also like the higher settings... 1 frame every 5 seconds... but you are right about being able to speed it up in post..

Good luck and please share when you are done... !
 
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