So I decided to check out the interval recording for the first time since buying this camera a week ago..... unless I'm using it wrong... it sucks.

It doesn't let you record intervals less than .5 seconds (or 15 frames), that means the footage that comes out is really choppy and not smooth enough. I spent the morning trying to get clouds blowing by. I believe a maximum of 2 frames every 5 mins is best for this type of effect but the camera doesn't go that low, what techniques are you guys doing to achieve this effect? besides really recording 5 hours continuous?!

Continuous to CF card mate, then speed up in NLE... it's the only real way to do effective time lapse.

So I decided to check out the interval recording for the first time since buying this camera a week ago..... unless I'm using it wrong... it sucks.

It doesn't let you record intervals less than .5 seconds (or 15 frames), that means the footage that comes out is really choppy and not smooth enough. I spent the morning trying to get clouds blowing by. I believe a maximum of 2 frames every 5 mins is best for this type of effect but the camera doesn't go that low, what techniques are you guys doing to achieve this effect? besides really recording 5 hours continuous?!

Indeed, without any extra work it looks far too choppy. So I used the 15 frames and added a 'cross dissolve' between every shot in post. Looks good in the final result, but it's a lot of extra work...

Indeed, without any extra work it looks far too choppy. So I used the 15 frames and added a 'cross dissolve' between every shot in post. Looks good in the final result, but it's a lot of extra work...

You could just increase the playback speed by 1500% to bring it to 1 frame each.

I'm not familiar with the Sony Z7, but if you are trying to get smooth cloud time-lapse I have always used 1 frame at 1 second. I am not sure of all the cameras that will record in that fashion, but the Sony PVW-F350 series will.

Otherwise, speeding up the footage will work, but it is not as smooth as the method above.
And you are limited to the length of the tape. Many time-lapse sequences take longer than an hour or so.

I'm not familiar with the Sony Z7, but if you are trying to get smooth cloud time-lapse I have always used 1 frame at 1 second. I am not sure of all the cameras that will record in that fashion, but the Sony PVW-F350 series will.

Otherwise, speeding up the footage will work, but it is not as smooth as the method above.
And you are limited to the length of the tape. Many time-lapse sequences take longer than an hour or so.

The lowest it will let you go is 15 frames/1 Minute interval. I guess I'll try to speed it up 1500% to get it down to 1 frame/minute in post.

I'll have to be there an hour just for 60 frames lol.....sigh