Photography & Video
Timelapse Calculator
Calculate shooting interval for any timelapse clip length and playback FPS.
Timelapse photography requires planning the shooting interval before you press record. This calculator ensures your final clip is exactly the right length based on your event duration and playback frame rate.
Shooting Interval
12.0 sec interval
- frames Needed
- 450 photos
- event Compressed
- 90 min → 15s clip
- storage Est
- 4500 MB estimated (at ~10MB/RAW)
Formula and method
Interval = Event Duration (sec) / (Clip Length × FPS)
Total frames needed = clip length × playback FPS. Interval = event duration / total frames. This ensures the event maps exactly to the desired clip.
Worked examples
10-second cloud time lapse
- Desired Clip Length (seconds):
- 10
- Playback Frame Rate (FPS):
- 30
- Event Duration (minutes):
- 60
Shooting Interval: 12.0 sec interval
Construction project
- Desired Clip Length (seconds):
- 30
- Playback Frame Rate (FPS):
- 24
- Event Duration (minutes):
- 480
Shooting Interval: 40.0 sec interval
Assumptions and limits
- Constant shooting interval throughout event
This tool provides an educational estimate. Rules, rates and personal circumstances can change the answer. Review the assumptions before relying on a result. Report a correction.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not charging the battery for long events — many cameras deplete in 2-4 hours during timelapse.
- Setting interval shorter than shutter speed — the shutter must complete before the next shot is triggered.
Frequently asked questions
What interval for a sunset?
A 1-2 hour sunset becoming a 30-second clip at 30fps needs 900 frames. 7200 event seconds / 900 frames = 8-second interval. For a faster-moving sky, try 3-5 seconds.