Software for making timelapse?

[CuriousMike]

I'm looking to create a timelapse on my PC from a series of photos I took this past weekend.

In the past, I've used Microsoft's own "Movie Maker", but I haven't used it in a long time and I'm wondering if there is something *better. Better = I want to make this a 4k timelapse, not 1080p and I want a little more control over "bitrate" of the final video.

Suggestions for free or (inexpensive) paid are appreciated.

 

[Syborg1211]

Do you use Lightroom for editing photos? I've made gifs in the past with it, and it wasn't so bad. I don't know what other formats and how well it handles a ton of photos, but it's worth looking into if you already have it.

 

[CuriousMike]

I use Lightroom almost extensively; I had no idea it could create GIF's.

I'm looking for something with higher production values than 256-color GIF can give.

I just googled "Lightroom Timelapse" and it looks like a fairly serious plug-in is purchasable.
I suppose I'll give the demo a shot.
https://lrtimelapse.com/

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Won't the D610 do it in-camera?

 

[CuriousMike]

The D610 will do a series of photos ( timelapse ) but it won't stitch them together as a movie internally; regardless, I want the freedom of external software to manage the building of the movie.

 

[CuriousMike]

Has anyone done timelapse before, in particular, day->dusk(night)?

I thought I'd try to ramp the shutter speed down as the light started to diminish, but that causes a "jerk" in the exposure.

This is part of why I want software beyond Windows Movie Maker - (a) go 4k and (b) do some sort of exposure blending.

OK, here is the WindowsMovieMaker moderate-bitrate, only 1080p, no exposure fixing up version as pass 1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3p_R6ee3ls

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

The D610 will do a series of photos ( timelapse ) but it won't stitch them together as a movie internally; regardless, I want the freedom of external software to manage the building of the movie.

Um, you might want to look into that a bit more. I'm fairly certain it will output an AVI file of all of the images put together into a video. That's why there are separate menu items for interval timer shooting and time lapse photography -- one delivers a bunch of images to use with third-party software, the other puts them together in-camera. I think I've actually used it once just to experiment with it, but I can't really recall.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

By the way, in any case this is also of interest to me. I'm standing by for a weather event where I can timelapse some nice large clouds rolling into Seattle on an otherwise sunny afternoon. I have a pretty good location picked out when the timing is right.

So, regardless if it can do it in camera, I'm interested in what you learn about third party software also.

Without refreshing my own memory, I seem to recall learning that Blender could do it, even if the learning curve seems to be kinda steep.

 

[CuriousMike]

Just broadly, I'm also unsure if I need to worry about manually adjusting the exposure during the timelapse.
If the timelapse is during the afternoon, I doubt anything would be necessary.

But going from day->dusk->night (which is my ultimate goal), I can't see how I could do this without adjusting the exposure. But I'm not sure how to ramp it.

 

[CuriousMike]

You are correct and I learned about another feature I won't use.
I was confusing "time lapse" with "interval shooting."

Um, you might want to look into that a bit more. I'm fairly certain it will output an AVI file of all of the images put together into a video. That's why there are separate menu items for interval timer shooting and time lapse photography -- one delivers a bunch of images to use with third-party software, the other puts them together in-camera. I think I've actually used it once just to experiment with it, but I can't really recall.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Just broadly, I'm also unsure if I need to worry about manually adjusting the exposure during the timelapse.
If the timelapse is during the afternoon, I doubt anything would be necessary.

But going from day->dusk->night (which is my ultimate goal), I can't see how I could do this without adjusting the exposure. But I'm not sure how to ramp it.

I was thinking about trying the auto ISO feature, but my fear was too much jumping around from changing conditions from cloud shadows to make it smooth in the final video. You could probably take some meter readings in the brightest and darkest conditions and mathematically interpolate a rate of change for the ISO over your period, but I have no idea how you'd automate it.

 

[CuriousMike]

OK, after watching a video on this "lrtimelapse" software, I'm convinced it's what I need.

It's pricey at $100, but it totally will normalized exposure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYeWakYqmrw

Interestingly enough, one of the top comments for the above video talks about clouds - Manual exposure is the way to go.. it's just you need to chase the exposure up/down based on if you're looking for sunset or sunrise.

 

[BrainEater]

One of the regulars at my brewery, does time lapse stuff a lot....he did a time lapse of our brewery construction.I'll dig up the link.
His latest work , is "moving time lapse"...He made an arduino controlled slide stage for time lapse.
--

Let me dig up some of his work. He's the most hardcore time lapse guy I know.
If you are interested , I'll give you his email.