Time Lapse

ACA:Sleeper · 2nd November 2009, 10:36 AM

Where I work, they are doing some major construction works, and it's fallen into my very unqualified lap to sort out a time lapse video of it.

The construction will take in the order of 12-18 months, so only looking at a few frames a day at most. Also, the location it will be mounted means I won't have a lot of access once it is setup. I can arrange for power and network.

Would a software solution and an IP camera (the wierless here uses certificates so need fixed no wifi) be best?
Or a decent camera on a timer?

VERY new to this, and advice welcome.

sgn · 2nd November 2009, 1:22 PM

Depends on the quality you need:

If you want OK webcam pic you can download an XP power toy that will take a snapshot every x secs/mins from a webcam. Just make sure you buy a good quality webcam.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/D...powertoys.mspx

If you want something really high quality you might need to look using a Canon DSLR with external power pack and then have it hooked into a PC running the EOS software or use and external plug in remote on the DLSR or some other point and shoot camera that can do the same.

I'm sure other vendor have remote capture softwre but I have a C450D and already just you can do it that way if you want.

sgn · 2nd November 2009, 1:25 PM

What's the budget you have to work to?

djnz · 2nd November 2009, 1:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACA:Sleeper

Also, the location it will be mounted means I won't have a lot of access once it is setup.

Is this an internal or external location? Do you need weatherproof casing etc for the camera? If so this will influence the price/range of products you can use.

SyN · 2nd November 2009, 4:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgn

If you want something really high quality you might need to look using a Canon DSLR

yes, you have no other choice because only canons can do high quality time lapse photos.

RyoSaeba · 2nd November 2009, 4:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SyN

yes, you have no other choice because only canons can do high quality time lapse photos.

Yup. That's right.

SyN · 2nd November 2009, 4:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyoSaeba

Yup. That's right.

shutup noob, you dont even have a canon

RyoSaeba · 2nd November 2009, 4:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SyN

you dont even have a canon

Ouch, that hurt.

ACA:Sleeper · 2nd November 2009, 10:11 PM

Thanks for the input fellas.

The position will be external, and i'm after.... decent quality. The budget is a bit of an unknown, but i might be able to swing $1,000.

wisie · 2nd November 2009, 10:56 PM

Sounds a fun project.

I'm thinking a Canon 300D or 350D, 50 1.8, interval remote and a battery system which I'm not too familiar with. I was going to recommend a fancy housing which holds the camera and battery but unfortunately I think this will be a tad out of your price range. Can you tell us more about the job? Maybe consider doing a DIY box?

csremedy · 3rd November 2009, 12:15 AM

how will the final product be used? On a dvd or compressed to hell and put on a web page?

If you don't need high quality then the IP camera will do the job fine. Some of the cheap chinese ones work surprisingly well in daylight which I assume is when you will take the photos.

jjphoto · 3rd November 2009, 7:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACA:Sleeper

Where I work, they are doing some major construction works, and it's fallen into my very unqualified lap to sort out a time lapse video of it.

The construction will take in the order of 12-18 months, so only looking at a few frames a day at most. Also, the location it will be mounted means I won't have a lot of access once it is setup. I can arrange for power and network.

Would a software solution and an IP camera (the wierless here uses certificates so need fixed no wifi) be best?
Or a decent camera on a timer?

VERY new to this, and advice welcome.

Will you know if the camera/system has failed or will you find out many months later (up to 18) when it's too late?

Will you know if there's a spider web over the lens, if the lens has fogged, if sun is flaring into it, etc etc?

If you don't have some kind of live feed then you risk failure.

You really need to do some research or just pay some pro's to do it.

JJ

XR6DAn · 3rd November 2009, 12:25 PM

We used several Canon 450D's with the kit lens in a IP66 housing from a CCTV crowd, Strongabuilt or similar. We used a laptop with the remote shutter app to do the timing and download photo's to via USB. The camera was set to Av mode. We had a small UPS to enable orderly shutdown of laptop and an external supply for the camera. We used wi-fi equipment to transfer images and also check status via RDP. We had the work server sync with the laptop at the end of the day so we had a backup of the images. We also checked the images daily to make sure no critters were making their home in front of the housing and that the images were OK.
We kept the FOV fairly wide so we could crop the full extent of the project later, unless you know exactly where it will be.
I think the shutter was set at 10min interval which gives about 3secs/day @ 24fps (working hours), which is good for weekly time lapse. For the overall project just drop images to get the desired length. Also, if there are big pours etc. the interval can be reduced to cover that event. I was better capturing more than less, can always delete images.
Temperature is a killer, so make sure all the equipment is suitable shielded from the sun and ventilated, fan forced with filters.
Placement of the camera is also important, make sure nothing is going to be built in front of the camera and the camera doesn't have to be moved.
Be prepared for a butt load of images to crunch!

Good luck.

ACA:Sleeper · 4th November 2009, 7:21 AM

Having looked into the price and complication of setting up a decent camera with timer etc etc etc.... I think I'm going to choose one of 2 paths, so any advice or experience with these would be apreciated.

Option1
Decent fixed (cert based wifi here) IP camera and some software that takes an image on a timer. (advice on camera and software please...)

Option2
Get a vendor in to set it up. Curious on others experiences and likley cost.

As for the quality I'd like DVD level, because I can always downgrade it for web applications. But realisticly, the main use will be on the website. So I can't really justify a huge bump in expense.

m00g · 4th November 2009, 7:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACA:Sleeper

Thanks for the input fellas.

The position will be external, and i'm after.... decent quality. The budget is a bit of an unknown, but i might be able to swing $1,000.

This guy did it with a $1k budget (US, though I think >=D)

http://www.ahousebythepark.com/journ...on-time-lapse/

And here are some more time lapse links (the first one is quite comprehensive in terms of actually doing the time lapse, not so much on hardware specifics):

http://photojojo.com/content/tutoria...e-photography/

http://www.photographyblog.com/artic...e_photography/

Hope that helps. . . . .

2nd November 2009, 10:36 AM	#1
ACA:Sleeper Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Melbourne's SE Suburbs Posts: 395	Time Lapse Where I work, they are doing some major construction works, and it's fallen into my very unqualified lap to sort out a time lapse video of it. The construction will take in the order of 12-18 months, so only looking at a few frames a day at most. Also, the location it will be mounted means I won't have a lot of access once it is setup. I can arrange for power and network. Would a software solution and an IP camera (the wierless here uses certificates so need fixed no wifi) be best? Or a decent camera on a timer? VERY new to this, and advice welcome. __________________ VMware Virtualisation Group Member #2 Last edited by ACA:Sleeper; 2nd November 2009 at 10:45 AM.

2nd November 2009, 1:22 PM	#2
sgn Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: sydney Posts: 559	Depends on the quality you need: If you want OK webcam pic you can download an XP power toy that will take a snapshot every x secs/mins from a webcam. Just make sure you buy a good quality webcam. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/D...powertoys.mspx If you want something really high quality you might need to look using a Canon DSLR with external power pack and then have it hooked into a PC running the EOS software or use and external plug in remote on the DLSR or some other point and shoot camera that can do the same. I'm sure other vendor have remote capture softwre but I have a C450D and already just you can do it that way if you want. __________________ I thought a 'Blog' was something you did after a heavy night's drinking.. Last edited by sgn; 2nd November 2009 at 1:24 PM.

2nd November 2009, 1:25 PM	#3
sgn Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: sydney Posts: 559	What's the budget you have to work to? __________________ I thought a 'Blog' was something you did after a heavy night's drinking..

2nd November 2009, 10:11 PM	#9
ACA:Sleeper Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Melbourne's SE Suburbs Posts: 395	Thanks for the input fellas. The position will be external, and i'm after.... decent quality. The budget is a bit of an unknown, but i might be able to swing $1,000. __________________ VMware Virtualisation Group Member #2

2nd November 2009, 10:56 PM	#10
wisie Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Hobart Posts: 3,074	Sounds a fun project. I'm thinking a Canon 300D or 350D, 50 1.8, interval remote and a battery system which I'm not too familiar with. I was going to recommend a fancy housing which holds the camera and battery but unfortunately I think this will be a tad out of your price range. Can you tell us more about the job? Maybe consider doing a DIY box? __________________ Alex - Portfolio - Photography Blog

3rd November 2009, 12:15 AM	#11
csremedy Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 111	how will the final product be used? On a dvd or compressed to hell and put on a web page? If you don't need high quality then the IP camera will do the job fine. Some of the cheap chinese ones work surprisingly well in daylight which I assume is when you will take the photos.

3rd November 2009, 12:25 PM	#13
XR6DAn Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Oxley Posts: 42	We used several Canon 450D's with the kit lens in a IP66 housing from a CCTV crowd, Strongabuilt or similar. We used a laptop with the remote shutter app to do the timing and download photo's to via USB. The camera was set to Av mode. We had a small UPS to enable orderly shutdown of laptop and an external supply for the camera. We used wi-fi equipment to transfer images and also check status via RDP. We had the work server sync with the laptop at the end of the day so we had a backup of the images. We also checked the images daily to make sure no critters were making their home in front of the housing and that the images were OK. We kept the FOV fairly wide so we could crop the full extent of the project later, unless you know exactly where it will be. I think the shutter was set at 10min interval which gives about 3secs/day @ 24fps (working hours), which is good for weekly time lapse. For the overall project just drop images to get the desired length. Also, if there are big pours etc. the interval can be reduced to cover that event. I was better capturing more than less, can always delete images. Temperature is a killer, so make sure all the equipment is suitable shielded from the sun and ventilated, fan forced with filters. Placement of the camera is also important, make sure nothing is going to be built in front of the camera and the camera doesn't have to be moved. Be prepared for a butt load of images to crunch! Good luck.

4th November 2009, 7:21 AM	#14
ACA:Sleeper Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Melbourne's SE Suburbs Posts: 395	Having looked into the price and complication of setting up a decent camera with timer etc etc etc.... I think I'm going to choose one of 2 paths, so any advice or experience with these would be apreciated. Option1 Decent fixed (cert based wifi here) IP camera and some software that takes an image on a timer. (advice on camera and software please...) Option2 Get a vendor in to set it up. Curious on others experiences and likley cost. As for the quality I'd like DVD level, because I can always downgrade it for web applications. But realisticly, the main use will be on the website. So I can't really justify a huge bump in expense. __________________ VMware Virtualisation Group Member #2