Time lapse photography compresses hours or days of real time into seconds of video by taking still images at set intervals and playing them back at normal speed

A time lapse works because your eye perceives motion when still images play in sequence at 24 frames per second or faster. If you photograph a sunset every 10 seconds for an hour, you capture 360 images. When those play back at 24 frames per second, that hour of sunset becomes a 15-second video. The slower the real event, the longer your interval between shots needs to be.

You can shoot time lapse on any camera that lets you control when the shutter fires—a smartphone, a mirrorless camera, or a DSLR. The core technique is the same: set up your shot, lock your exposure, and take many photos at regular intervals. The main variables are how long you want to shoot, how fast you want the final video to play, and what equipment you have to automate the process.

Key Takeaways

  • Time lapse requires an interval timer or built-in intervalometer to fire your camera at regular, preset intervals—manual clicking produces unusable results.
  • Calculate your interval by dividing the real time you want to compress by the number of frames you need (usually 24 to 30 per second of final video).
  • Lock your exposure, focus, and white balance before you start, because the camera cannot adjust them between shots without creating flicker.
  • Smartphones have built-in time lapse modes, but external interval timers and camera intervalometers give you more control over speed and duration.
  • Battery life and storage space are your main constraints—a two-hour shoot can easily produce 500 to 1,000 images.

Understanding intervals and frame rates

The interval is how many seconds pass between each shot. The frame rate is how many images play per second in your final video. These two numbers determine how fast your time lapse will appear.

If you want a 10-second video at 24 frames per second, you need 240 images. If your real event lasts 2 hours (7,200 seconds), divide 7,200 by 240 to get your interval: 30 seconds. That means you take one photo every 30 seconds for 2 hours.

For slower events—clouds moving, a plant growing, a shadow crossing a wall—use longer intervals: 5 to 10 seconds. For faster events—traffic, people moving through a space, a sunset—use shorter intervals: 1 to 3 seconds. If your interval is too long, the motion looks jerky. If it is too short, you waste battery and storage on images that barely differ.

Locking exposure, focus, and white balance

Before you start shooting, switch your camera to manual mode (M on most cameras). This prevents the camera from adjusting exposure between shots. If the camera brightens or darkens each frame automatically, your final video will flicker.

Set your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO based on your lighting. For a daytime outdoor scene, try f/8 at 1/250 second with ISO 100. For an indoor scene or dusk, you may need f/2.8 at 1 second with ISO 1600. Take a test shot and check the histogram on your camera's screen to confirm the exposure is correct.

Switch your lens to manual focus (usually an MF switch on the lens barrel). Focus on the part of your scene that matters most—a building, a person, the horizon—and do not touch the focus ring again. If your camera refocuses between shots, the image will shift and shimmer.

Set white balance to a fixed setting: Daylight, Cloudy, or Tungsten, depending on your light source. Do not use Auto white balance, which shifts color from frame to frame and creates an unpleasant flicker in the final video.

Using an interval timer or intervalometer

An intervalometer is a device or feature that tells your camera when to take each shot. Most modern mirrorless cameras and many DSLRs have a built-in intervalometer in the menu system. Smartphones have time lapse modes built into the camera app. If your camera lacks one, you can buy an external interval timer that attaches to your camera's remote shutter port.

To use a built-in intervalometer, go to your camera's menu (often under Shooting or Special), find Interval Timer or Intervalometer, and enter two numbers: the interval in seconds and the number of shots you want to take. If you want to shoot for 2 hours at a 30-second interval, calculate the number of shots: 7,200 seconds ÷ 30 seconds = 240 shots. Enter 30 seconds and 240 shots, then press Start. The camera will fire automatically.

On a smartphone, open the Camera app, swipe to Time Lapse mode, and press the record button. The phone automatically chooses an interval based on how fast it detects motion. You have less control, but the result is usually usable for casual time lapses of 30 seconds to a few minutes.

External interval timers vary by model, but most have a small screen where you enter the interval and duration, then a cable that plugs into your camera's remote shutter socket. Read your timer's manual for the exact steps, as the interface differs between brands.

Stabilizing your camera and framing your shot

Your camera must not move during the entire shoot. Even a tiny shift between frames becomes obvious in the final video. Use a sturdy tripod and tighten every joint—the head, the legs, and the ball socket. If you are shooting outdoors, add weight to the tripod legs or stake them down so wind cannot knock it over.

Frame your shot with some thought to composition. Leave space in the direction motion is heading—if clouds are moving left to right, leave more space on the right side of the frame. Avoid centering everything; use the rule of thirds to place the horizon or a key object off-center.

If you are shooting through a window or in bright sunlight, use a lens hood to reduce glare and reflections. Check your frame one more time before you start the interval timer, because you cannot adjust the shot once the camera begins firing.

Managing battery life and storage

A two-hour time lapse at a 30-second interval produces 240 images. A four-hour shoot produces 480 images. Each image takes up 5 to 50 megabytes depending on your camera and format, so a four-hour shoot can fill 2 to 24 gigabytes of storage. Bring a memory card with enough space—a 64 GB card is a safe minimum for most projects.

Battery drain is the bigger problem. Your camera fires the shutter hundreds of times, and the sensor and processor work continuously. A full battery might last 2 to 4 hours of interval shooting, depending on your camera model. For shoots longer than that, bring a second battery or an external power bank that can charge your camera via USB-C or a barrel connector.

If you are shooting outdoors in cold weather, battery life drops sharply. Keep your spare battery warm in an inside pocket until you need it. If you are shooting indoors, position yourself near an outlet so you can plug in a power bank if the battery runs low.

Assembling your images into a video

After your shoot, your camera holds hundreds of still images numbered sequentially (IMG_0001.jpg, IMG_0002.jpg, and so on). You need to import these into video editing software and play them in order at your chosen frame rate.

On a Mac, you can use the built-in Photos app: import your images, select them all, and choose File > Create > Time Lapse. On Windows, free software like DaVinci Resolve (the free version) or Shotcut can import an image sequence and export it as a video. Most editing software has an "import image sequence" option that automatically plays your numbered images in order.

Set your frame rate to 24 or 30 frames per second when you export. This is the standard for video and will play smoothly on any screen. If you set it lower (12 fps), the motion looks choppy. If you set it higher (60 fps), the video plays too fast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I shoot time lapse on my phone?

Yes. Most smartphones have a built-in Time Lapse mode in the camera app. Open the camera, swipe to Time Lapse, and press record. The phone chooses the interval automatically based on movement it detects. You get less control than with a dedicated camera, but the results are fine for short clips of 30 seconds to a few minutes.

What happens if my interval is too long or too short?

If your interval is too long, the motion looks jerky and unnatural—a person walks across the frame in one jump. If it is too short, you waste battery and storage on nearly identical images. Start with a 2 to 5 second interval for fast motion and a 10 to 30 second interval for slow motion, then adjust based on your test shots.

Do I need a special lens for time lapse?

No. Any lens works. A wide-angle lens (14–35 mm) is popular for landscapes and architecture because it captures more of the scene. A telephoto lens (70–200 mm) works well for distant subjects like the moon or clouds. Use whatever lens suits your subject and framing.

Why does my time lapse flicker?

Flicker usually means your camera adjusted exposure, focus, or white balance between shots. Switch to manual mode (M), lock your focus to manual, and set white balance to a fixed setting like Daylight or Tungsten. Take a test shot and check the exposure before you start the interval timer.

How long should my final time lapse video be?

Most time lapses work best between 10 and 60 seconds. Shorter clips (10–20 seconds) suit fast motion like traffic or clouds. Longer clips (30–60 seconds) work for slower events like sunsets or shadows. Anything longer than a minute tends to lose the viewer's attention unless the subject is particularly striking.