Time Lapse Calculator
Enter your shooting duration, capture interval, and target video length to instantly calculate how many frames you need, how much storage to bring, and how fast your footage will play back relative to real time. Switch between common scene presets and file formats to plan any time-lapse project.
How a time-lapse works
A time-lapse is created by shooting a series of still photos at regular intervals and then playing them back as a video. The key relationship is simple: frames x fps = video length, and frames x interval = shooting duration. If you shoot 720 frames at a 5-second interval, your camera runs for 60 minutes. Playing those frames at 24 fps gives a 30-second clip in which every real-world minute is compressed into half a second.
Choosing the right interval
The interval is the most critical setting. Too short and your camera or card cannot keep up; too long and your clip will look choppy. As a rule of thumb, fast-moving subjects like traffic or crashing waves need intervals of 1-3 seconds. Sunrises and cloud formations work well at 5-15 seconds. Very slow subjects like construction sites or plant growth often use intervals of 60 seconds to several minutes. If you are not sure, set a slightly shorter interval - you can always remove frames in post, but you cannot add them.
Storage and file format
A full-frame RAW file can easily be 40-60 MB, so a 1,000-frame sequence can fill 40-60 GB of cards. JPEG Large files at around 10 MB each will fit the same 1,000 frames into about 10 GB. RAW files give you much more exposure-correction headroom in post - especially useful for holy-grail shoots that span sunrise-to-day-to-sunset transitions - but they demand more card space and more processing time. If you are new to time-lapse, JPEG Large is a practical starting point. Bring more cards than you think you need, and always check the card is formatted before a long shoot.
Battery and power planning
A typical mirrorless or DSLR battery lasts 300-600 shutter actuations under normal shooting, but a time-lapse with 1,500 frames will exceed that. For shoots longer than about 45 minutes, plan for a battery grip with dual batteries, an AC adapter, or a USB-C power bank connected directly to the camera. Night shoots are especially power-hungry because long exposures and sensor noise-reduction both drain the battery faster. Write a pre-shoot checklist: fresh card, full battery or power supply, lens hood, and camera on a stable tripod.
Typical intervals by scene type
| Scene | Typical interval | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic / fast water | 1-3 s | Use a fast card; camera buffer must keep up |
| Moving clouds | 3-5 s | Good for dramatic sky shots |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5-15 s | Use shorter end for color that changes quickly |
| Shadows moving | 15-30 s | Works for mid-day landscape scenes |
| Night sky / stars | 20-30 s | Interval matches exposure to avoid gaps |
| Flowers blooming | 60-300 s | Power supply essential; protect from wind |
| Construction | 5-15 min | Long projects need reliable power and storage |
These are starting-point guidelines; adjust based on how fast your subject moves.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the number of frames I need?
Multiply your target clip length (in seconds) by your playback frame rate. For example, a 30-second clip at 24 fps requires 720 frames. That is all there is to it - the total frames figure drives everything else, including shooting duration and storage.
What frame rate should I use for time-lapse?
24 fps is the cinema standard and gives the most cinematic, slightly dreamlike feel. 25 fps is the PAL standard used in Europe and Australia. 30 fps is common for online video and NTSC broadcast. 60 fps is only worth using if you plan to slow the clip down further in post, as you need twice as many frames for the same clip length.
How much storage do I need for a time-lapse?
Multiply the total number of frames by the file size per image. A JPEG Large file from a modern camera is roughly 8-12 MB; a full-frame RAW file is typically 40-60 MB. If you plan a 1,000-frame sequence in JPEG Large at 10 MB per shot, that is about 10 GB. Always bring at least one extra card and keep about 10 percent headroom to avoid write errors near the card limit.
What is the speed factor?
The speed factor tells you how many times faster the footage plays back compared to real time. A speed factor of 720 means one real-world minute is compressed into one second of video. You get this by dividing total shooting seconds by total video seconds. It is a useful gut-check: a factor of 1800x means every 30 minutes of real life becomes one second of video.
How do I avoid flicker in my time-lapse?
Flicker is usually caused by the aperture blades shifting very slightly between exposures when the camera is set to automatic aperture control. The most reliable fix is to use manual mode (fixed ISO, shutter speed, and aperture) with a remote intervalometer. For scenes that change dramatically in brightness, look into holy-grail exposure-ramping techniques using bulb ramping or dedicated software like LRTimelapse.
Can I shoot time-lapse with my phone?
Yes - most modern smartphones have a built-in time-lapse or interval mode. Phone sensors are smaller and perform worse in low light, but for daytime scenes like sunsets, crowds, or plant growth they work very well. The main limitation is battery life and storage: a long shoot will drain the battery and fill internal storage quickly, so plug in if you can and make sure you have free space.