Exact interval
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Start-to-start cadence
Timelapse Calculator: Interval, Frames and Shooting Time
Last reviewed: · Method and verification notes are provided below.
What do you want to find?
Enter the shooting window, desired clip length and playback FPS.
Start with a subject preset
Presets are editable starting points, not fixed rules.
Shooting duration
The total end-exclusive window during which captures begin.
Final clip target
The desired playback length after the photographs become video frames.
Total photographs
One photograph becomes one video frame.
Capture interval
Time from the start of one exposure to the start of the next.
Playback frame rate
Use the rate required by your editing timeline or delivery format.
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Camera and storage assumptions
Common presets: 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 seconds; 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minutes.
Leave blank to use half the interval for headroom.
Plan results
Camera-ready interval
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After selected rounding
Total photographs
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Actual playback duration
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Shooting duration
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Speed-up factor
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Interval × playback FPS
180° shutter guidance
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Optional guideline: half the interval
Capture headroom
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Interval − exposure − write time
Estimated storage
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Photographs × average file size
Rounded schedule timing
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Time remaining after the final capture
Enter a valid plan to see capture checks.
How the calculator treats interval and duration
Interval means start-to-start: exposure and file-writing time must fit before the next capture starts.
A frame is captured at time zero: the shooting window is end-exclusive, so a one-hour window with a 10-second cadence contains 360 capture starts, from 00:00 through 59:50.
Planning convention: interval = shooting duration ÷ photograph count. The first-to-last frame span is therefore (photographs − 1) × interval, leaving one interval slot from the final frame start to the end of the planned window. Some intervalometers instead ask for a delay after each exposure; check the camera manual before transferring the result.
Recommended timelapse interval table
These are practical starting ranges. Preview a short test because subject speed, focal length and desired motion blur all change the best cadence.
| Subject | Typical interval | Motion consideration | Practical caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast clouds | 1–3 seconds | Short gaps preserve rapidly changing shapes. | Allow enough write time for RAW files. |
| Slow clouds | 3–10 seconds | Longer intervals create stronger apparent speed. | Watch for changing exposure across the frame. |
| Sunrise / sunset | 2–10 seconds | Keep changes gradual as brightness shifts. | Use exposure ramping or careful manual adjustments to avoid flicker. |
| Traffic / crowds | 0.5–3 seconds | Short intervals reduce jumpy movement. | Long shutter times may need an ND filter in daylight. |
| Stars / Milky Way | 15–40 seconds | The exposure often uses most of the cadence. | Confirm exposure plus RAW write time fits the interval. |
| Plant growth | 1–30 minutes | Match cadence to the species and growth stage. | Keep lighting, framing and power consistent. |
| Construction | 5–60 minutes | Use shorter gaps when site activity is dense. | Plan weather protection, stable mounting, storage and long-term power. |
Timelapse formulas
Use seconds for clip length, shooting duration and interval; FPS is frames per second; file size is megabytes per photograph.
Frames
frames = clip length × FPS20 s × 24 FPS = 480 frames.
Interval
interval = shooting duration ÷ frames7,200 s ÷ 480 = 15 s.
Clip length
clip length = frames ÷ FPS480 ÷ 24 FPS = 20 s.
Shooting duration
shooting duration = frames × interval480 × 15 s = 7,200 s (2 hours).
Speed-up
speed-up = interval × FPS15 s × 24 FPS = 360×.
Storage
storage = frames × file size480 × 25 MB = 12,000 MB (about 11.7 GiB).
Worked timelapse examples
One-hour cloud sequence
Inputs: 1 hour, 15-second clip, 24 FPS, 25 MB/photo.
Math: 15 × 24 = 360 photos; 3,600 ÷ 360 = 10-second interval.
Plan: 10-second camera setting, 15-second playback, optional 5-second shutter guidance, about 8.8 GiB storage.
Two-hour sunset
Inputs: 2 hours, 20-second clip, 24 FPS, 25 MB/photo.
Math: 20 × 24 = 480 photos; 7,200 ÷ 480 = 15-second interval.
Plan: 15-second camera setting, 20-second playback, optional 7.5-second shutter guidance, about 11.7 GiB storage. Ramp exposure as light changes.
Four-hour night sky
Inputs: 4 hours, 20-second clip, 24 FPS, 25 MB/photo.
Math: 20 × 24 = 480 photos; 14,400 ÷ 480 = 30-second interval.
Plan: 30-second camera setting, 20-second playback, optional 15-second shutter guidance, about 11.7 GiB storage. Verify RAW write clearance.
30-day construction project
Inputs: 30 days, 30-second clip, 30 FPS, 15 MB/photo.
Math: 30 × 30 = 900 photos; 2,592,000 ÷ 900 = 2,880 seconds.
Plan: 48-minute camera setting, 30-second playback, optional 24-minute shutter guidance, about 13.2 GiB storage. In daylight, use a practical shorter exposure instead.
Practical capture guidance
Keep the image consistent
Use manual exposure where conditions allow, lock manual focus, and fix white balance instead of leaving it on auto. These steps reduce frame-to-frame flicker. Disable lens or sensor stabilization when the camera is firmly mounted on a tripod unless the manufacturer specifically recommends leaving it enabled.
Plan changing light
Sunrise and sunset may exceed one fixed exposure. Use a tested exposure-ramping workflow or make small, controlled manual changes that can be smoothed in post-production. The 180-degree value shown above is only a motion-blur guideline; it is not mandatory and may be impractical in bright light or very long-interval projects.
Leave real capture headroom
Interval is not exposure time. Because this calculator uses start-to-start intervals, the exposure plus autofocus, noise reduction, processing and file-writing allowance must be shorter than the interval. RAW files can take longer to write, especially on slower cards. The headroom result warns when the planned cadence leaves no clearance and missed frames may result.
Prepare for the full shoot
Use external power for long sessions, confirm card capacity, protect equipment from weather and condensation, and secure every cable. Before committing, record a short test at the planned cadence and check motion, flicker, focus, heat and write performance.
Timelapse calculator FAQ
How do I calculate a timelapse interval?
Multiply the desired clip length in seconds by playback FPS to get the required photographs, then divide the shooting duration in seconds by that photograph count. This calculator uses a start-to-start interval and treats the shooting window as end-exclusive.
How many photos do I need for a timelapse?
Multiply the final clip length by the playback frame rate. A 20-second clip at 24 FPS needs 480 photographs. At fractional frame rates, the calculator also shows the non-integer exact frame requirement and rounds up to a usable whole photograph.
What interval should I use for a 30-second timelapse video?
It depends on the shooting duration and FPS. At 30 FPS, a 30-second video needs 900 photographs; divide the available shooting time by 900. A two-hour shoot would use an 8-second interval.
What FPS should I choose?
Use the frame rate required by the delivery timeline. Common choices are 24 FPS for cinema-style projects, 25 FPS for PAL-region workflows, 29.97 or 30 FPS for general video, and 50 or 59.94 FPS when smoother playback is required.
How much storage does a timelapse require?
Multiply the number of photographs by the average size of one image. Enter an average JPEG or RAW file size in megabytes and the calculator reports an estimate; leave it blank if the file size is unknown.
Does the 180-degree shutter guideline apply to timelapse?
It is an optional creative guideline, not a requirement. An exposure near half the interval can add motion blur, but subject movement, light, camera limits and write time may require a shorter exposure.
How should I plan a GoPro timelapse?
Choose a subject preset, set the available shooting time and select an interval the GoPro supports. Check the recalculated photograph count, playback duration, battery needs and storage before recording.
How should I plan a construction timelapse?
Use days in the duration control, choose a long interval that captures meaningful change, and budget for power, storage and weather protection. Test the cadence first and plan how batteries or files will be managed over the project.
Methodology and review
Starlight Tools’ editorial team, which maintains this library of browser-based technical calculators, prepared and reviewed this page using the relationships shown in the formula section. The calculator runs entirely in the browser and does not upload the values entered here.
- Physical photograph counts are whole numbers. A fractional requirement is shown exactly, then rounded up so the target playback length is not shortened.
- Rounded-cadence photographs use capture starts at time zero and before, but not at, the end of the shooting window.
- Verification cases include 3,600 seconds ÷ 360 photos = 10 seconds; 7,200 seconds ÷ 480 = 15 seconds; and 480 photos ÷ 24 FPS = 20 seconds.
- Storage is an estimate based on the average file size supplied; actual JPEG and RAW sizes vary by detail, camera and compression.