Canon XL H1 & The Mumford Time Machine Intervelometer

[Mark Job]

Hi XL H1 shooters. Here is an example of using a 1 minute interval with the Mumford Time Machine to shoot a sunset. As you can see in the video I posted on my blog, this interval is also too long. The clouds are moving slower, but their speed is still way too fast. View the test by clicking on Please Stand By

[Mark Job]

Hi XL H1 shooters. I have developped an even more elegant solution (Or a sort of re-invention of the wheel, depending on your P.O.V.) in timelapse shooting with Long GOP recording and the H1 camera. Now check this out !:

As I have already confirmed, one *can* shoot timelapse footage with the tape based H1 HDV camcorder, but with a few caveates.....

1. You should use the Mumford Time Machine Intervelometer in "Bulb Mode," rather than in "Movie" mode.

2. You should not program the TM to run a burst shorter than 5 seconds, and prefereably 6 to 8 seconds to be sure the H1 doesn't loose its LANC signal's "Start" and "Stop" cycle synchronization. *(If this happens, then the camera will 'break away' from under control of the Intervelometer and run wild in continuous *Record* )

3. You need to capture the recorded timelapse bursts from your HDV tape to a computer NLE and manually remove all of the redundant extra frames from each recorded burst so that only one frame from each recorded interval remains. *(This is a VERY tedious operation !)

*** Now, what if I was to tell you there was a way to complete the essential last step *without* the need to capture recorded bursts to an NLE and manually remove the redundant frames from each burst you recorded on HDV tape ?

----Think !----

What if you could capture a single HD high resolution still image in the same HD aspect ratio and resolution as what the XL H1 records onto a simple SD card from the HDV cassette in the camera ? Here's the part which is guranteed to blow your minds ! -

My friends ! May I introduce you to the wonderful world of the *Still. I. Record* feature found in the menu of the H1 ! :-) This amazing feature allows you to record a still image from off of the tape while it plays back in the camcorder ! So what if your tape had recorded bursts which were fired at precise intervals by a crystal referenced Intervelometer on it ?

---Simply play back this tape in the camera with it hooked up to a large TV screen (Easier, but not essential). Each time the recorded burst changes (You can usually see the difference from one burst to the next) press the *Photo* button on your H1 remote and you will have an absolute digital to digital single frame extraction recorded onto a simple SD card.

Take the SD card out of the H1, then plug it into your laptop SD card slot, if you have one, or an SD card reader plugged into your desktop, or MAC, then import the image sequence (S) into your Avid or FCP NLE software and Presto ! Instant timelapse ! No long capturing times of HDV cassettes to deal with ! No manual removing of redundant extra frames necessary.

I call this my poor man's timelapse and I've tested it and it works 100% my friends ! Where there is a will, then there is a way ! :-)

***You can take this solution even one step further ! Need to shoot a Sunrise or a Sunset but don't have an Intervelometer ?

Forget the use of an Intervelometer altogether ! You don't absolutely have to have one, but it is a good idea, so that you record consistant time interval bursts to tape for smooth timelapse flow. There is another way to do this with the H1 camcorder.

1. Pop a fresh tape in and it record until the Sun is gone and it's dark.

2. Playback the recorded HDV cassette in the H1 and while looking at your watch, hit the *Photo* button on your remote at the interval you wish to use to create your timelapse sequence. Longer durations create a faster moving sequence while smaller intervals create slower moving timelapse sequences. Try it ! You'll like it !

[Jeff DePonte]

Mark,

OK, so I haven't tested this with my XL-H1 and iMovie, but when I was shooting a lot of DVCam, my favorite method of creating time lapse was to record into my Mac, either live from the camera or from tape, into iMovie 6 or better. That thing has a terrific intervalometer, and it makes lovely time lapse sequences... and, it is essentially free! I often wondered at how great iMovie was, and why didn't Final Cut have this feature???

Best of luck,

Jeff

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Jeff DePonte

Mark,

OK, so I haven't tested this with my XL-H1 and iMovie, but when I was shooting a lot of DVCam, my favorite method of creating time lapse was to record into my Mac, either live from the camera or from tape, into iMovie 6 or better. That thing has a terrific intervalometer, and it makes lovely time lapse sequences... and, it is essentially free! I often wondered at how great iMovie was, and why didn't Final Cut have this feature???

Best of luck,

Jeff

...I think you may have missed the point entirely. (??) My solution allows you to be able to produce the timelapse sequence *without* the need of a computer. You can make the timelapse sequence completely in the camera *in HD Resolution* in either of two ways........

A) Without an Intervelometer:

Simply record tape for the full duration of the event you need to capture. Playback tape in camera. Take remote and press the *Photo* button at intervals you determine by using your wristwatch as a reference. At the end of this proceedure, you will have a complete single frame based timelapse sequence you can import straight into FCP or Avid MC recorded at 1920 x 1080 pixels on an SD card !

* Caveate: The time the XL H1 takes to capture a still can take up to 5 seconds ! (Annoying !) H1 makes an audio "snapping" sound, then two black bars come together, then H1 shows you the still it just captured for a second or two, then it switches back to viewing what's coming off of tape again. However, if the duration of the interval between your still photo button presses is shorter than this process, then you will wind up missing timelapse cycles while the still capture to SD card process runs ! Therefore, you have to make sure your TL intervals are longer than 5 seconds.

B) With a Tape Recorded with THe Mumford Time Machine Intervelometer:

Shoot with Mumford Time Machine so you have a series of recorded precise interval timed sequence bursts, then playback tape and each time you observe a new sequence burst appearing on your monitor, hit *photo* on your remote. I prefer this method simply because it is more precise.

[Jacques Mersereau]

Is the time machine the same unit that offers all kinds of other triggering devices such as mics, motion and vibration?

I found a unit a couple of years ago, but it was $1200 without any of the options.

TIA<

J.

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Jacques Mersereau

Is the time machine the same unit that offers all kinds of other triggering devices such as mics, motion and vibration?

I found a unit a couple of years ago, but it was $1200 without any of the options.

TIA<

J.

...Yes. You are correct. The Mumford Time Machine will trigger dSLR's, other digital still cameras, motion control turn tables operating on X and Y axis for incremental timelapse camera tilt and pan and even dollies (Inluding ramp ups and downs), flashes and grow lights.