Which compact cameras can shoot time-lapse with a built-in interval timer?
Asked 7/18/2016
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I’d like a compact camera for time-lapse work instead of putting lots of actuations on my DSLR. I’m specifically looking for a model that can shoot automatically at set intervals, ideally using an electronic shutter or otherwise minimizing wear. Which compact cameras offer a native interval timer, and are there any workarounds for models that don’t include it built in?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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The feature you are looking for is Interval Timer. For most cameras this means choosing the number of shots, an interval and a start delay. Some cameras also allow multiple shots at each intervals but I have only seen that in high-end models.
To find which compact camera supports this, use the Camera Search page at Neocamera (FD: The digital camera site I've been running since 2005). The trick is to select Interval Timer from the Refine Results column after searching for cameras with your other criteria. Here are compact cameras with interval timer. By default this returns current cameras but you can expand the search to discontinued ones too.
From the above results, there are 11 models currently. Two of them particularly stand out from the rest, the Panasonic ZS100 which I reviewed here. It has a larger 1" CMOS sensor with 10X optical zoom. Also the Ricoh GR II which has an APS-C sensor with a fixed 28mm-equivalent prime.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
10y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The feature to look for is usually called an interval timer or intervalometer. On cameras that support it, you typically set the interval between shots, the total number of shots, and sometimes a start delay. Some higher-end models also let you take multiple frames at each interval.
There isn’t one universal compact-camera answer, because support varies by model. A practical way to narrow it down is to search compact cameras specifically for “interval timer” support.
If you’re open to Canon point-and-shoots, CHDK (Canon Hack Development Kit) can add intervalometer functionality to many supported Canon compact cameras, even if the feature isn’t built in. That makes certain Canon models a flexible option for time-lapse.
So, in short: yes, some compact cameras do support native time-lapse shooting, and for Canon compacts, CHDK is a well-known workaround when native interval shooting is missing.
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