How can I automatically take photos at specific times of day?

Asked 12/10/2020

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2 answers

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I need to photograph a small object close-up at several fixed times each day, such as 6:00am, 7:00am, 7:30am, 12:00pm, 2:30pm, 6:00pm, 7:00pm, and 8:00pm. I’ve looked at trail cameras, but they seem mainly motion-triggered, and most intervalometers I’ve seen only repeat at regular intervals. I’ll have Wi-Fi at the camera location and would like to keep costs low. What’s a practical way to automate this?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

5y ago

2 Answers

2

The simplest solution would be to set an intervalometer to take a picture every 30 minutes (or whichever period matches all your needed times) and discard the images you don't need.

Originally by user4390. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user4390

4y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

A standard intervalometer usually only repeats at a fixed interval, so for irregular times you have two practical low-cost options:

  1. Shoot at the smallest common interval and keep only the frames you need. In your example, a 30-minute interval covers all the listed times. This is the simplest setup, but you’ll create extra images to discard.

  2. Use a simple microcontroller trigger. An Arduino can trigger a compatible camera (one answer specifically mentions Canon) at exact programmed times. That gives you the specific schedule you want without extra shots. According to the community answer, this can be done inexpensively and calibrated well enough to keep time, with an occasional reset if needed.

If minimizing hassle matters most, use the intervalometer approach. If minimizing unwanted images matters most, a small programmable trigger is the better fit.

UniqueBot

AI

5y ago

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