Shooting Time Lapse Basics

[andrew124C41]

I have never shot any time lapse sequences. I know you set the interval... But there seems to be two other settings... I think duration and velocity. I am not sure why you would set velocity because I thought the drone is stationary.

Also, does the drone process into a video or do you need software to do that?

 

[gschulzuio]

I have never shot any time lapse sequences. I know you set the interval... But there seems to be two other settings... I think duration and velocity. I am not sure why you would set velocity because I thought the drone is stationary.

Also, does the drone process into a video or do you need software to do that?

Besides the interval, duration is how long should the finished TL be, the parameter is iirc speed which is if moving, how fast will you move, or stay stationary. Keep in mind that you can do stationary TL, however also moving (just make your moves very slow). Once the TL completes, you will find a produced video along with individual photos in the TASKxx folder. You may end up needing to slow down the produced resulting TL video to suit your needs, or, use a longer interval and longer flight time.

Here are a couple examples captured with EVO IIs

This one had a 20+ mph cross wind (see the flag on flag pole top right)

Hyperlapse Timelapse downtown sunset St Pattys Day 2021 Stillwater Minnesota on Vimeo

Here's one with not much wind:

Hyperlapse Timelapse Spring Sunset Ice Flow St Croix River Stillwater Minnesota on Vimeo

Here's one with go karts on snow/ice with light breeze:

Stillwater Minnesota Area 2021 Epic Kart Racing on Snow on Vimeo

Here's another traffic intersection with moderate breeze:

Aerial View Highway 36 Intersection Norell Washington Ave Oak Park Heights Stillwater Minnesota on Vimeo

Here's low light freeway intersection with light breeze:

Hyperlapse Timelapse Rush Hour Aerial View I694 & Highway 36 Oakdale Minnesota on Vimeo

Another traffic intersection with light breeze:

Hyperlapse Timelapse Rush Hour Aerial View Highway 36 Manning Avenue Stillwater Minnesota on Vimeo

Btw, also check your camera settings before you start your TL (especially WB, manual settings etc), or, do a short TL, check if your settings are good before doing a longer TL. Good luck.

 

[herein2021]

I have never shot any time lapse sequences. I know you set the interval... But there seems to be two other settings... I think duration and velocity. I am not sure why you would set velocity because I thought the drone is stationary.

Also, does the drone process into a video or do you need software to do that?

Just keep in mind that drones are pretty horrible at timelapses/hyperlapses although some are better than others. They typically aren't stable enough especially in windy conditions to make a commercially acceptable timelapse/hyperlapse. I have tried a few times over the years with different drone platforms and each time was disappointed with the results. Nothing beats a traditional camera on a weighted tripod.

 

[herein2021]

Besides the interval, duration is how long should the finished TL be, the parameter is iirc speed which is if moving, how fast will you move, or stay stationary. Keep in mind that you can do stationary TL, however also moving (just make your moves very slow). Once the TL completes, you will find a produced video along with individual photos in the TASKxx folder. You may end up needing to slow down the produced resulting TL video to suit your needs, or, use a longer interval and longer flight time.

Here are a couple examples captured with EVO IIs

This one had a 20+ mph cross wind (see the flag on flag pole top right)

Hyperlapse Timelapse downtown sunset St Pattys Day 2021 Stillwater Minnesota on Vimeo

Here's one with not much wind:

Hyperlapse Timelapse Spring Sunset Ice Flow St Croix River Stillwater Minnesota on Vimeo

Here's one with go karts on snow/ice with light breeze:

Stillwater Minnesota Area 2021 Epic Kart Racing on Snow on Vimeo

Here's another traffic intersection with moderate breeze:

Aerial View Highway 36 Intersection Norell Washington Ave Oak Park Heights Stillwater Minnesota on Vimeo

Here's low light freeway intersection with light breeze:

Hyperlapse Timelapse Rush Hour Aerial View I694 & Highway 36 Oakdale Minnesota on Vimeo

Another traffic intersection with light breeze:

Hyperlapse Timelapse Rush Hour Aerial View Highway 36 Manning Avenue Stillwater Minnesota on Vimeo

Btw, also check your camera settings before you start your TL (especially WB, manual settings etc), or, do a short TL, check if your settings are good before doing a longer TL. Good luck.

Its odd those videos are titled hyperlapse when not a single one is actually a hyperlapse. The windy example shows just how bad drone footage gets on a windy day when trying to shoot a timelapse and in FL its nearly always windy especially higher up which is why I gave up on shooting hyperlapses/timelapses with drones in my area. Also if I were to shoot a hyperlapse/timelapse I like to have the clouds rolling and for that you need wind as well; which of course then trashes the final result.

Autel's actual hyperlapse capabilities are pretty dismal compared to DJI, nothing comes close to what DJI can do with setting up hyperlapses; even the Mavic is light years ahead of the EVO II due to software alone in the hyperlapse department.

Here is a pretty good example of a heavier drone (better wind handling) combined with DJI's software and an experienced videographer creating some pretty incredible hyperlapses. Even in some of these hyperlapses the video can be a bit shaky and I saw where he jump cut to a different scene a few times right when the footage was falling apart.

 

[gschulzuio]

Nothing beats a traditional camera on a weighted tripod.

Good point if you need, or can be close to the ground, or atop a tall building, maybe on a scissor lift that is stable. Otoh, any recommendations for a weighted tripod with a 75-100' or higher reach that is rigid enough not to move in the wind? Have had good success with the EVO IIs doing stationary TLs in moderate wind, strong wind, sure, you can get some movement. Otoh, if you are doing a moving TL, you might not notice any movement, and you might also be able to do some post process to

Its odd those videos are titled hyperlapse when not a single one is actually a hyperlapse. The windy example shows just how bad drone footage gets in a wind when trying to shoot a timelapse and in FL its nearly always windy especially higher up which is why I gave up on shooting hyperlapses/timelapses with drones in my area.

Autel's actual hyperlapse capabilities are pretty dismal compared to DJI, nothing comes close to what DJI can do with setting up hyperlapses; even the Mavic is light years ahead of the EVO II due to software alone in the hyperlapse department.

Here is a pretty good example of a heavier drone combined with DJI's software and an experienced videographer creating some pretty incredible hyperlapses. Even in some of these hyperlapses the video can be a bit shaky and I saw where he jump cut to a different scene right when the footage was falling apart.

Lol, ah, oh, ok...

 

[herein2021]

Good point if you need, or can be close to the ground, or atop a tall building, maybe on a scissor lift that is stable. Otoh, any recommendations for a weighted tripod with a 75-100' or higher reach that is rigid enough not to move in the wind? Have had good success with the EVO IIs doing stationary TLs in moderate wind, strong wind, sure, you can get some movement. Otoh, if you are doing a moving TL, you might not notice any movement, and you might also be able to do some post process to

Lol, ah, oh, ok...

That just hasn't been my experience. I have tried a few over the years to surprise the client with a really dramatic opening shot and without fail they weren't high enough quality to include in the final project. For my projects I wanted to show the sky and clouds rolling by while the drone followed a preset hyperlapse trajectory but each time it was a disappointment so I stopped trying.

I think yes, pointed at the ground, stationary, combined with some post processing stabilization commercially viable results might be achievable at times, but to me that's not interesting enough to include in most of the types of projects that I shoot. Clouds rolling, ships moving, perspective changing (like the video sample I posted) would be impressive, but it would need better software than Autel provides and possibly a heavier drone (like the Inspire 2).

I would rather not include the results at all vs include poor quality results hence why I said a traditional camera on a weighted tripod will always be able to create high quality results. At drone altitudes; of course not, but at a quality I can use in my projects......yes.

 

[andrew124C41]

Thanks for all of this. What is the difference between TL and hyperlspse?

 

[gschulzuio]

Thanks for all of this. What is the difference between TL and hyperlspse?

Difference can be as simple as nomenclature between what vendors refer to their functionality, the other being fixed or moving. For example look at Autel Explorer app and see what the function is called vs. DJI. An other example some refer and think of TL as camera/aircraft being in a fixed position capturing over time, or HL with camera/aircraft moving while capturing over time. In the case of autel explorer, there is a function for capturing images over time where camera/aircraft can be in fixed position, or moving (same function, just different settings). With Autel, you can also set the camera/aircraft to take photo every "n" seconds or "x" feet distance traveled including during waypoint missions without having to use the HL function. It comes down to what are you trying to do, for example stay in fixed location to monitor traffic or activity or something moving? Or, doing an inspection, mapping, capturing something over a particular route either one off or recurring. For example, I use the Autel HL mode fixed for capturing traffic or other movement on one off basis, or, sometimes will use the HL mode with movement for a different effect with movement of the aircraft/camera. Otoh, I use waypoint missions to fly a particular route on a recurring basis using what Autel calls Time Lapse (TL) to take a photo every "n" seconds when flying from wpt to wpt. Note within missions Autel also supports taking a single photo, video, or photo every "x" feed traveled.

 

[herein2021]

Thanks for all of this. What is the difference between TL and hyperlspse?

As @gschulzuio mentioned the simple difference is with a timelapse a camera is stationary and with a hyperlapse the camera is moving or at least appears to be moving over time. Marketing speak likes to blur the lines between the two but there is a clear difference; if the camera is stationary it is a timelapse if the camera is moving it is a hyperlapse.

A good hyperlapse is harder to create than a timelapse because of the motion of the camera in combination with the steadiness required between shots. You can also create a "fake" hyperlapse in post processing by shooting at say 8K+ resolution then using keyframes to simulate camera movement. I still use that technique to this day in my timelapses to further engage the viewer. A lot of people crop down to the video resolution but to me that's just wasted pixels that could be put to better use and keyframing the timelapse only takes seconds.

You can blur the lines even further with both timelapses and hyperlapses by shooting video instead of images over a long period of time then speeding it up. This isn't as efficient or as high resolution as a "true" timelapse or hyperlapse but it can be useful. One scenario is where you have a camera that only shoots video but the client wants to show a 6hr setup for an event. In that scenario you could record video for 6hrs from a stationary location then speed it up until it only lasts a few seconds....very inefficient use of storage but the end result technically is a timelapse; I have used this technique as well to create timelapses and hyperlapses. One benefit of this method is there is no flicker that has to be removed unlike with "true" photography based timelapses.