Time-Lapse Calculator
Frame count, video duration, and storage for a time-lapse sequence.
Results
- Total frames captured
- 721
- Final video duration
- 30s
- Storage needed
- 14.42 GB
The number of individual photos you'll take over the full shooting duration, counting both the first and last frame.
How long the resulting time-lapse video will play for at your chosen frame rate.
Total card or drive space needed for every frame in the sequence, in decimal gigabytes to match how card capacities are advertised.
How it works
A time-lapse compresses hours into seconds, and the compression ratio is set by your interval and playback frame rate. Shooting every 5 seconds and playing back at 24fps means each second of video represents two minutes of real time, so an hour of shooting yields about 30 seconds of footage.
Choosing the interval is really about how fast your subject moves. Fast clouds or busy streets suit 1 to 2 seconds; slow clouds and sunsets work at 3 to 5; star movement wants 20 to 30; plant growth or construction is measured in minutes or hours.
The numbers get large quickly. A modest hour at 5-second intervals is over 700 frames, and at raw file sizes that is real card space and real import time. Check the storage figure before you commit to an overnight shoot.
The formula
frames = floor(duration / interval) + 1, video length = frames / fps
The +1 counts both the first and last frame. Storage is reported in decimal gigabytes, matching how memory card capacities are advertised.
Frequently asked questions
- What interval should I use?
- Match it to subject speed: 1 to 2 seconds for fast clouds and traffic, 3 to 5 for sunsets, 20 to 30 for stars, and minutes for plants or construction. When unsure, shoot shorter and discard frames later, since you cannot invent frames you never took.
- Should I shoot raw or JPEG?
- Raw if you have the space, because time-lapses often need heavy grading and exposure smoothing across changing light. JPEG is a reasonable trade for very long sequences where card capacity is the binding constraint.
- Why does my interval need to exceed my shutter speed?
- The camera cannot start the next frame until the current one finishes and writes. Leave headroom between shutter speed and interval, or the camera will silently skip frames and your motion will stutter.