Week-long timelapse at DVinfo.net

Matt Bigwood · December 1st, 2010, 10:08 AM

Has anyone ever left a Z7 or S270 for a week filming timelapse? I need to do it in an industrial location and plan on shooting half a second every 10 minutes in DV, recording it to the CF card as well as tape. I'm going to power the camera from a mains adapter.

Any things I should know about before doing the timelapse? Should I check on the cameras from time to time?

John Wiley · December 1st, 2010, 05:31 PM

Have you considered using a DSLR?

If you set up an intervalometer, you can pretty much leave the camera to it's own devices. Plus a DSLR will let you use a longer shutterspeed which will help to even out any flickering due to changing ambient lights, and give it some motion blur to smooth things out so it doesn't look stuttery.

It will actually be easier to work with stills in post because all you need to do is import all the images as a sequence - no putting clips together or adjusting speed. With all the extra resolution you also get the option of panning in post which can really add an extra dynamic to the time-lapse.

Matt Bigwood · December 2nd, 2010, 01:55 AM

Hi John, thanks for the suggestion, but I don't own a mains power supply for my Nikon and the battery won't last a week. I'm planning on using the video camera as I have all the necessary equipment already.

Doug Jensen · December 6th, 2010, 06:17 AM

I would suggest doing a test to see if you are going to like the results. Personally, I know a timelapse with 15-frame captures would be totally unacceptable to me. You're going to get a 1/2 second of motion . . . then a time jump . . . a 1/2 second of motion . . . then a time jump . . . etc. In order for a timelapse to look good, it really needs to be captured ONE frame at a time.

I would follow John's advice and use an SLR. Many of the newer Nikons have the interval function built right in, and power adapter doesn't cost much.

Matt Bigwood · December 6th, 2010, 07:54 AM

Thanks All,

It's in progress, with a Z7, an S270 and a Nikon D3 shooting from different angles.

Wesley Cardone · December 6th, 2010, 11:53 AM

Matt,

Get Doug Jensen's DVD on the Z7. In the DVD he shows you an example of why time lapse video work on the Z7 does not work.

As a test I would run something for just a few minutes so that you don't burn up a lot of time only to discover you blew the whole week.

December 1st, 2010, 10:08 AM	#1
Matt Bigwood Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gloucester UK Posts: 223	Week-long timelapse Has anyone ever left a Z7 or S270 for a week filming timelapse? I need to do it in an industrial location and plan on shooting half a second every 10 minutes in DV, recording it to the CF card as well as tape. I'm going to power the camera from a mains adapter. Any things I should know about before doing the timelapse? Should I check on the cameras from time to time?

December 6th, 2010, 06:17 AM	#4
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,442	I would suggest doing a test to see if you are going to like the results. Personally, I know a timelapse with 15-frame captures would be totally unacceptable to me. You're going to get a 1/2 second of motion . . . then a time jump . . . a 1/2 second of motion . . . then a time jump . . . etc. In order for a timelapse to look good, it really needs to be captured ONE frame at a time. I would follow John's advice and use an SLR. Many of the newer Nikons have the interval function built right in, and power adapter doesn't cost much. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

December 6th, 2010, 11:53 AM	#6
Wesley Cardone Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chelsea, Michigan Posts: 104	Matt, Get Doug Jensen's DVD on the Z7. In the DVD he shows you an example of why time lapse video work on the Z7 does not work. As a test I would run something for just a few minutes so that you don't burn up a lot of time only to discover you blew the whole week. __________________ Wesley Cardone www.WCardoneProductions.com, Detroit and Lansing, Michigan

December 1st, 2010, 05:31 PM	#2
John Wiley Trustee Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Byron Bay, Australia Posts: 1,155	Have you considered using a DSLR? If you set up an intervalometer, you can pretty much leave the camera to it's own devices. Plus a DSLR will let you use a longer shutterspeed which will help to even out any flickering due to changing ambient lights, and give it some motion blur to smooth things out so it doesn't look stuttery. It will actually be easier to work with stills in post because all you need to do is import all the images as a sequence - no putting clips together or adjusting speed. With all the extra resolution you also get the option of panning in post which can really add an extra dynamic to the time-lapse.

December 2nd, 2010, 01:55 AM	#3
Matt Bigwood Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gloucester UK Posts: 223	Hi John, thanks for the suggestion, but I don't own a mains power supply for my Nikon and the battery won't last a week. I'm planning on using the video camera as I have all the necessary equipment already.

December 6th, 2010, 07:54 AM	#5
Matt Bigwood Major Player Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gloucester UK Posts: 223	Thanks All, It's in progress, with a Z7, an S270 and a Nikon D3 shooting from different angles.