How to use this timelapse calculator
Pick the mode that matches what you already know. Clip-first answers the most common question: you know you want a 10 second finished clip at 30 fps and the event (sunset, construction day, star window) lasts a certain time, so it tells you how many photos to shoot and the interval to set. Interval-first works from the camera side: choose an interval that suits the scene and enter how long the real event lasts to learn the resulting clip length. Event mode is for planning a fixed shot list — enter the number of frames and the interval to see how long the camera will run and how long the finished video will be.
Every mode also estimates memory card usage for JPEG and RAW files, the number of batteries to pack, and — if you enter your exposure length — checks that the interval is physically long enough for the exposure plus card write time.
How the timelapse formulas work
All three modes are rearrangements of the same three relationships:
photos = clip length (s) × fps— each frame of the finished video is one still photo.interval = shoot time (s) / photos— the real time divided evenly between every shot.shoot time (s) = photos × interval— how long the camera stays running.
For example, a 10 second clip at 30 fps needs 300 photos. Spreading those 300 photos over a 2 hour (7200 second) event gives an interval of 7200 ÷ 300 = 24 seconds. Reversing it, 1440 photos shot every 5 seconds cover 7200 seconds of real time and play back as 1440 ÷ 30 = 48 seconds of video. Photo counts are rounded to whole frames because cameras only shoot whole photos, and storage is converted with 1024 MB per GB.
Practical tips for shooting timelapse
- Choose the interval by scene speed. Fast clouds and crowds need 1–3 second gaps; sunsets suit 2–5 seconds; stars need 15–30 seconds; plants and construction are measured in minutes. The reference table above gives starting values for all of them.
- The interval must exceed exposure plus buffer. With a 5 second exposure the camera also needs roughly 1 second to write the file, so anything under a 6 second interval causes dropped frames. This is the number one reason night and star timelapses fail — the calculator flags it in red automatically.
- Fight flicker in manual mode (M). Lock aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus and white balance manually. Auto exposure re-metering frame to frame is the main cause of brightness flicker; aperture flicker from the camera's mechanical diaphragm is avoided by using a manual aperture lens or a fixed-adapter trick on DSLRs.
- Shoot RAW for mixed light. A sunset or day-to-night transition spans far more dynamic range than JPEG can hold; RAW lets you even out exposure across the sequence in post. Budget about 30 MB per 24 MP frame with the storage estimate above.
- Turn off everything that drains power: image review, sensor stabilisation, sleep is fine (intervalometers wake the camera), and Wi-Fi. For shoots longer than one battery, use a battery grip or a dummy battery on a USB-PD power bank.
- Frame rate is a delivery choice. Use 24 fps for a cinematic look, 25 fps for PAL projects and 30 fps for web and social media. Keep it consistent for every sequence in one edit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many photos do I need for a 10 second timelapse at 30 fps?
300 photos. The number of photos always equals clip length in seconds multiplied by the playback frame rate: 10 seconds times 30 frames per second is 300 frames, and in a timelapse each frame is one still photo. At 24 fps the same 10 second clip needs 240 photos.
What interval should I use for a sunset timelapse?
A 2 to 5 second interval is the standard starting point for sunsets and sunrises, with 3 seconds being a safe middle ground. Faster changing light and moving clouds suit 2 seconds; a longer, calmer golden hour works well at 5 seconds. The table above lists experience-based ranges for clouds, crowds, stars, plants and construction sites.
Should I shoot RAW or JPEG for a timelapse, and how much storage does each use?
RAW gives far more room to balance exposure and white balance across hundreds of frames, but a 24 MP RAW is roughly 30 MB versus about 10 MB for a fine JPEG, so 300 RAW frames need around 9 GB while JPEG needs about 3 GB. A 36 MP RAW is roughly 45 MB per frame. The figures in this calculator are industry-typical estimates; exact file size varies with detail and ISO.
How long a timelapse can I shoot on one battery?
Most mirrorless cameras deliver roughly 300 to 500 stills per fully charged battery in timelapse use, so the calculator defaults to 400 photos per battery. Long exposures, cold weather and LCD review reduce this. For 1000 frames you should plan for ceil(1000 divided by 400) = 3 batteries. Disable review, turn off stabilisation and use a dummy battery for all-day shoots.
What frame rate should I choose: 24, 25 or 30 fps?
Use 24 fps for a cinematic look that matches film and most YouTube exports, 25 fps if your project is PAL video or 50 Hz territory, and 30 fps for smooth social media and online video. The choice only changes how many photos you need and the resulting clip length, not the shoot itself, so pick it once and stay consistent within a project.
Why must the interval be longer than my exposure?
After every frame the camera must write the file to the memory card before the next shot begins, so the interval must be greater than exposure time plus buffer time (about 1 second on most cameras). Shooting 5 second exposures with a 4 second interval is impossible, frames will be skipped or the timer drifts. Night and star timelapses at 20 to 30 second exposures therefore need at least 22 to 32 second intervals.