Fungus timelapse

Mat Thompson · December 15th, 2009, 04:34 PM

Hi Caleb

I'm not sure which bit of the process you want but I'll try and lay it out. - Technically its pretty simple really.

Connect your SLR up to a laptop/timer software or timer unit. Set your camera to manual and fix appropriate exposure and focus. Think not only of whats in the scene now but what will be in the scene during the time to be lapsed ! ( This is key to good results)

Decide on a frame rate. So 1 frame per min or whatever is appropriate for the event you are filming. (This was 7min frames) - You can't really shoot too many but you can wear out your camera shooting so I usually shoot about 25% more than I need.

Once finished import into your NLE as a frame sequence@ 25/30 fps or whatever is appropriate for your production. You wil need to resize/scale the shots as they will likely be 4:3 and high res (I use medium res (3k wide) jpg sequence) - You can then export as a normal video clip.

I hope this helps.
Mat

Caleb Royer · December 15th, 2009, 05:32 PM

Thanks Mat, that is very helpful info!

Bo Skelmose · December 16th, 2009, 02:02 AM

Love the clip- I have done some timelapse of flowers. 2 problems occured: small insects moving around - maybe because of the lamp heating. second problem was that the tungsten lamps did not produce a stabil light source. Got 3 coollights now - I'll try with them on a carbattery beeing charged.

Arnt Mollan · December 16th, 2009, 02:57 PM

Beautiful clip Mat. Have done something simular to this, but another mushroom, camera and setup. I like it!

Caleb Royer · December 19th, 2009, 01:39 AM

Mat,
how do you pan, tilt, or zoom in a time lapse?

Mat Thompson · December 19th, 2009, 09:45 AM

Well you'd have to have power driven tripod movement with gearing that moves your entire pan/dolly etc over your given time period. These sort of movements combined with this sort of time lapse is spectacular but adds another layer of complexity to the rigging of course!

Dale Guthormsen · December 29th, 2009, 03:21 PM

Mat,

Great stuff!!!

How does ther slr record to the lap top?? I can do that with fire wire to computer, scenealyzer and a cam corder, but how with the slr???

Caleb Royer · December 29th, 2009, 10:15 PM

I have been using my Canon 40D connected to my laptop with a USB cable and the Canon utilities disc that came with my camera.

Bob Thompson · January 5th, 2010, 05:25 AM

I am not sure if this has been posted before or not but this BBC behind the scenes video shows just how complex timelapse can be

YouTube - BBC Life Series: "Plants" Part 6/6

Gilles Debord · July 8th, 2010, 06:01 AM

My first time-lapse try, i have to work. Mat the mushroom are very nice i have to find a family.

see it in large screen please.

Brendan Marnell · July 8th, 2010, 07:24 AM

Very interesting Gilles, thank you.

What shutter speed did you video with?

Gilles Debord · July 27th, 2010, 03:26 PM

Hi everybody Hi Brendan

Shutter speed is 20 seconds, f 5.6, FL 31 mm (17-40 Canon) ISO 100 with an EOS 7D one shot every 40 sec. After crop i do the clip with Quick Time pro. 20 sec is near the maximum exposure time for night sky without stars following, with longer time you have elliptical patterns than circular stars, but all is FL dependent you can do longer exposure with shorter FL (astrophotography web site are very good to explain that)

And your bird trek in Spain ?

Brendan Marnell · July 27th, 2010, 04:07 PM

Food for thought Gilles, thank you.

No video, only photos from Spain in recent times. Found some bee-eaters with help of Jesus Laborda

December 15th, 2009, 05:32 PM	#17
Caleb Royer Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ozarks, Missouri, USA Posts: 109	Thanks Mat, that is very helpful info! __________________ 5D Mark II, 70-300mm IS lens, 28-135mm IS lens, 50mm f/1.8 lens, Canon HG20, 503HDV head, Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium

December 16th, 2009, 02:57 PM	#19
Arnt Mollan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Norway Posts: 87	Beautiful clip Mat. Have done something simular to this, but another mushroom, camera and setup. I like it! __________________ Arnt Mollan www.mollanmedia.com

December 19th, 2009, 01:39 AM	#20
Caleb Royer Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ozarks, Missouri, USA Posts: 109	Mat, how do you pan, tilt, or zoom in a time lapse? __________________ 5D Mark II, 70-300mm IS lens, 28-135mm IS lens, 50mm f/1.8 lens, Canon HG20, 503HDV head, Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium

December 29th, 2009, 03:21 PM	#22
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Mat, Great stuff!!! How does ther slr record to the lap top?? I can do that with fire wire to computer, scenealyzer and a cam corder, but how with the slr??? __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

December 29th, 2009, 10:15 PM	#23
Caleb Royer Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Ozarks, Missouri, USA Posts: 109	I have been using my Canon 40D connected to my laptop with a USB cable and the Canon utilities disc that came with my camera. __________________ 5D Mark II, 70-300mm IS lens, 28-135mm IS lens, 50mm f/1.8 lens, Canon HG20, 503HDV head, Adobe Creative Suite 4 Production Premium

December 15th, 2009, 04:34 PM	#16
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Hi Caleb I'm not sure which bit of the process you want but I'll try and lay it out. - Technically its pretty simple really. Connect your SLR up to a laptop/timer software or timer unit. Set your camera to manual and fix appropriate exposure and focus. Think not only of whats in the scene now but what will be in the scene during the time to be lapsed ! ( This is key to good results) Decide on a frame rate. So 1 frame per min or whatever is appropriate for the event you are filming. (This was 7min frames) - You can't really shoot too many but you can wear out your camera shooting so I usually shoot about 25% more than I need. Once finished import into your NLE as a frame sequence@ 25/30 fps or whatever is appropriate for your production. You wil need to resize/scale the shots as they will likely be 4:3 and high res (I use medium res (3k wide) jpg sequence) - You can then export as a normal video clip. I hope this helps. Mat

December 16th, 2009, 02:02 AM	#18
Bo Skelmose Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 495	Love the clip- I have done some timelapse of flowers. 2 problems occured: small insects moving around - maybe because of the lamp heating. second problem was that the tungsten lamps did not produce a stabil light source. Got 3 coollights now - I'll try with them on a carbattery beeing charged.

December 19th, 2009, 09:45 AM	#21
Mat Thompson Trustee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kent UK Posts: 1,397	Well you'd have to have power driven tripod movement with gearing that moves your entire pan/dolly etc over your given time period. These sort of movements combined with this sort of time lapse is spectacular but adds another layer of complexity to the rigging of course!

January 5th, 2010, 05:25 AM	#24
Bob Thompson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Hong Kong Posts: 340	I am not sure if this has been posted before or not but this BBC behind the scenes video shows just how complex timelapse can be YouTube - BBC Life Series: "Plants" Part 6/6

July 8th, 2010, 06:01 AM	#25
Gilles Debord Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: France Posts: 152	i try it My first time-lapse try, i have to work. Mat the mushroom are very nice i have to find a family. Vimeo Time-lapse stars on Vimeo see it in large screen please. __________________ Gilles Debord http://www.wwvideo.tv

July 8th, 2010, 07:24 AM	#26
Brendan Marnell Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 938	Very interesting Gilles, thank you. What shutter speed did you video with?

July 27th, 2010, 03:26 PM	#27
Gilles Debord Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: France Posts: 152	Hi everybody Hi Brendan Shutter speed is 20 seconds, f 5.6, FL 31 mm (17-40 Canon) ISO 100 with an EOS 7D one shot every 40 sec. After crop i do the clip with Quick Time pro. 20 sec is near the maximum exposure time for night sky without stars following, with longer time you have elliptical patterns than circular stars, but all is FL dependent you can do longer exposure with shorter FL (astrophotography web site are very good to explain that) And your bird trek in Spain ? __________________ Gilles Debord http://www.wwvideo.tv

July 27th, 2010, 04:07 PM	#28
Brendan Marnell Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 938	Food for thought Gilles, thank you. No video, only photos from Spain in recent times. Found some bee-eaters with help of Jesus Laborda Attached Thumbnails