Plan a timelapse: frames, interval and clip length
Leave one field empty and get it from the others: shooting duration, interval, frames or clip length at your frame rate.
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How to plan a timelapse with frames, interval and clip length
- Enter the shooting duration and the interval between frames. The number of frames is calculated.
- To work from the clip instead, leave the frame count and the duration empty and enter the clip length.
- Enter the frame rate you will export at. The clip length is the number of frames divided by it.
- Enter the exposure per frame to check it is shorter than the interval, and the file size per frame for the card space.
Duration, interval, frames and clip length
The number of frames is the shooting duration divided by the interval, rounded down to a whole frame. The clip length is the number of frames divided by the frame rate. Any three of the four timing values set the fourth. A 2 second interval over 1 hour gives 3600 ÷ 2 = 1800 frames, and at 30 frames per second that is a 60 second clip.
Exposure and interval
The interval is the time from the start of one frame to the start of the next. If an exposure is longer than the interval, the next frame cannot start on time. Many cameras and intervalometers wait for the exposure to finish, so the real interval becomes longer than the one set. The calculator warns when the exposure you enter is longer than the interval.
Card space
Card space is the number of frames multiplied by the file size of one frame. The calculator uses decimal units, with 1 GB equal to 1000 MB, as card capacities are labelled. A 12 MB frame over 1800 frames needs 21,600 MB, or 21.6 GB, before room for other files.
Tips for better results
- Choose the frame rate before the shoot, because the clip length depends on it.
- Keep the interval at least as long as the exposure plus the time the camera needs to write the file.
- Add a margin to the card space estimate, because file sizes change with the scene.
Privacy
Your entered content never leaves your device. The calculations run locally in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the number of frames rounded down?
A camera can only shoot whole frames. If the duration does not divide evenly by the interval, the last frame would start after the end of the shoot, so the calculator keeps only the whole frames that fit.
Can the clip length and frame rate be used instead?
Yes. Leave the frame count and the duration empty and enter the clip length and the interval. The frame count becomes the clip length times the frame rate, and the duration follows from the interval.
What does the exposure warning mean?
The exposure you entered takes longer than the interval, so the frames cannot come at the set rate. Lengthen the interval or shorten the exposure, for example with a higher ISO or a wider aperture.
Are the card sizes decimal?
Yes. The card space uses 1 GB equal to 1000 MB, which is how card capacities are labelled. An operating system that counts binary gigabytes shows a slightly smaller number for the same files.
Does the calculator estimate battery life or processing time?
No. It covers only the timing values, the exposure check and the card space. Battery use and the time to process the frames into a clip are not estimated.
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