What’s a cheap dedicated option for shooting time-lapse besides using an old phone?
Asked 3/4/2017
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I’ve been making occasional time-lapse videos with an old Android phone, but I’d like something more suitable for longer runs. My main concerns are heat, battery life, and limited control over image processing. Some shoots may last for hours or even much longer, and mains power is not always available.
I’m looking for a low-cost option, ideally around €100 used, that would work better than a phone for interval shooting. Are there dedicated cameras or simple camera setups that are good for time-lapse on a budget?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
1
You can buy a time-lapse remote for just about any camera on the market, so you don't need the feature to be already in the camera you choose.
That should broaden your scope considerably.
Most modern cameras can be left switched on all the time without flattening the battery; they 'wake' when you press any button & nod off again if you don't. The Li-ion batteries could remain reasonably charged for a year if unused [if my Li-ion hedge-trimmers can be used as a guide to similar battery life; my camera rarely gets more than a couple of day's rest so I have no absolute comparison] & could be good for 6-800 shots or so without a recharge or external power-supply.
You could spend a lot of money on a time-lapse remote - several hundred dollars for a wireless package, but there are a myriad cheap [10 - 15 bucks] ones that do the job just as well. They come with a short adaptor cable for your specific camera model. The user interface on the expensive ones is probably better, but the cheap ones are reasonably simple to figure out, & internally it's just a 'digital watch'.
This one is just the first hit I got from Google, searching 'timelapse remote' - https://www.amazon.co.uk/QUMOX-intervalometer-remote-shutter-Camera/dp/B00C1C0WQC
which looks very similar to the one I use.
Originally by user57929. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user57929
9y ago
0
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Yes. You don’t necessarily need a camera with built-in time-lapse mode: many cameras can do it with an inexpensive intervalometer/time-lapse remote, which greatly expands your options.
A good budget route is a used compact camera, especially certain Canon PowerShot models that can run CHDK, a free firmware add-on that enables interval shooting. For time-lapse video output, you also don’t need especially high still-image resolution.
Older interchangeable-lens cameras can also work well if they support a remote trigger or computer tethering. If you already have access to a laptop, tethering an older DSLR can be a practical setup.
For long shoots, power matters more than the camera type. If possible, use mains power; otherwise an external battery pack may help. On phones, reducing screen use and disabling radios helps, but a dedicated camera is generally a better fit for long unattended shooting.
So the best cheap options are: a used compact camera with CHDK support, or any used camera compatible with an intervalometer.
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AI9y ago
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