Do you want to create beautiful time-lapse movies with your iPhone, but you don't know where to start? In this tutorial, you will learn how to make beautiful time lapses without having any knowledge of photography..
What is time lapse?
Time-lapse or accelerated video is an increasingly popular photographic process, especially on social networks. You have certainly seen such a video on Facebook or Twitter. Sunset, construction of a building, aurora borealis or road traffic, these contents in very short format offer an attractive spectacle.
Now let's see how we produce a time-lapse. As you most certainly know, a camera records 24 frames per second. This high cadence makes it possible to offer spectators a fluid animation..
During the recording of a time lapse, the iPhone camera will capture a certain number of images at regular intervals and then assemble them into a standard video (24 images per second). It is this process that will give the film an accelerated effect. Note that the longer the interval between each image capture, the faster the video will appear.
Why create a time lapse?
This type of video offers the possibility of highlighting a generally very long process that it is not always possible to view with the naked eye. It could be for example the blooming of a flower, the movement of people in public transport, the melting of the ice or the scrolling of the stars..
It allows you to tell in a few minutes events that could not be observed in real time. It is then up to you to choose the phenomenon to accelerate. Please note the quality of the result will depend on the speed of movement of the objects to be filmed and the interval between each shot.
Unfortunately Apple does not give any precise figures on how the iPhone achieves a time lapse. However, several studies have shown that the iPhone captures 2 frames per second when the video lasts less than 10 minutes and one frame per second for animations of 10 to 20 minutes.
Create a time lapse with an iPhone
Here we will explain how to make a time lapse video with an iPhone using the time lapse mode of its camera. Here you will find additional information on how to edit a movie with an iPhone.
- Launch the photo app on your iPhone
- Scroll through the small menu above the shutter button
- Highlight the Time Lapse option
- The record button will change appearance
- Press the button to start capturing the video
Note that all time lapses created from an iPhone never exceed 40 seconds, regardless of the duration of the recording. This is explained very simply. The longer the recording of the scene, the less the iPhone will capture images. We can thus go from 2 images per second for a recording of less than 10 minutes to only 1 image every 8 seconds for shootings exceeding one hour.
The equipment necessary to record a time-lapse video
Good news, time lapse requires very few accessories. However impossible to ignore the tripod. Indeed, during the shooting, your iPhone will have to remain in the same position without moving for a long time.
As you can see the investment to make this type of video remains minimal. You just have to be patient and offer your iPhone the best possible stability. In fact, the slightest movement risks ruining your time lapse.
Take the time to place your smartphone correctly and choose the best possible framing. Once the video capture has started, it is no longer possible to modify anything. Remember that the interest of a time lapse and to highlight the movement. You will need to use fixed objects (such as mountains) to bring out moving objects (clouds).