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  4. How to set up time lapse video with out tieing up your camera for months?

How to set up time lapse video with out tieing up your camera for months?


9 years 7 months ago #405885 by JaneK
This might seem like a silly question, however recently I have been intrigued with time lapse videos.  With winter coming around the corner and cold yucky snowy days along with it.  I want a new project and looking at doing a time lapse.  I visualized putting a seed in a planter that is positioned in front of a window that will show the outdoors.  Right now, there is no snow showing, but in recent months there will be. 

My question is how do they set up a long term time lapse and still use their camera when needed?  Better yet, when doing a long term time lapse, how are you keeping the camera charged? 

Thank you for any advice you can give. 

-Jane
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9 years 7 months ago #405931 by Joves
For any photography where you want repeatable results, you set up your tripod, and either leave it where it sits, or mark out the position, and setup in that same spot. The second is the more difficult in that you need to be precise about it. Setting it up, and leaving it depends on you being able to actually leave it there without being disturbed. If I was going to do that then I would somehow secure it, also I would get a fairly good inexpensive one to use. Not cheap and flimsy, but cheaper, and good. If you are forced to move the tripod then you need to record such things as height, and use gaffers tape to out line where the feet sit. You can also make a cheap height gauge using a wooden dowel and mounting a stick to it, after having drilled a hole so it fits snugly on the dowel. Then you slide the stick to the top of the tripod mount, and either glue it, or screw it in place. Also use tape to mark where you measured the height from. Then line the camera up. You also want to use the grid view for the finder if your camera has that option, or dead center your target.
Good luck.
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9 years 7 months ago #405988 by Jackson Rieger
Good point Joves.  Also if you plan to get into time lapse seriously, and you don't want the hassle of setting this all up and the potential for even the slightest varient.  Jump on Craigslist, but a 6-8 year old DSLR, many cases you can find some for $200-300 that will work just fine for this.  Get yourself a cheapo tripod, a intervalometer and now you have your setup with out tieing up your good DSLR.  
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9 years 7 months ago #406014 by JaneK
Boy you have me thinking about this now.  I'm going to look at both these ideas. 
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9 years 7 months ago #406085 by Ian Stone
I've wanted to do one showing seasons in NYC, but my apartment window doesn't have a good view and I surely won't leave my gear unattended long in NYC!  ha ha ha 
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9 years 7 months ago #406104 by Joves
Also Jane if you choose to use just one camera, remember to use one CF card for strictly that project. That way you do not have to keep moving images to a file every time you upload them. That and you will always have the previous image as a reference in the camera when you set up. 
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