Time Lapse Cameras

A time-lapse camera is capable of capturing a long-duration event, such as the whole day, week, or even year in a short video. It is an ideal option for slow-moving processes and summarizing the whole event. In security cameras, it summarizes the whole day and displays all events in a minimal amount of time. It enables the monitoring of a long timeline without wasting time and storage space.

Time lapse comes in all shapes all sizes, including DSLRs and modern security cameras, to capture small events, action sports, and even detailed cinematics.

A time-lapse camera captures still images at a regular interval, such as every 5 or 10 seconds. It stores all these frames in a storage. Finally, it combines all frames of the desired duration and plays at an extremely fast rate. Thus, it compresses a longer duration into a short video that viewers can easily watch and get the gist of the event.

Image Quality: The image quality must be exceptional if you want a smooth and clear time-lapse. A 4K camera would be the best option as it captures intricate details.

Power Supply: The camera needs to operate continuously for an extended period, so it requires a reliable power source. Wired cameras are suitable for this purpose, and battery-powered cameras with sufficient battery capacity and solar compatibility can also be effective.

Sufficient Storage: For recording time-lapse videos, sufficient storage is required. Check the maximum local storage that the camera supports. A microSD card, HDD, or other local storage options are better. Additionally, you can also opt for cloud storage.

Outdoor Use: The camera should be suitable for outdoor use. Make sure it is made from durable material that can withstand harsh weather condition. It is preferable to have an IP-rated device to ensure protection from water and dust.

Video Processing: Video processing plays an important role in time-lapse cameras. The camera should record videos in a suitable format and codec. At the same time, it should utilize compression to conserve space without compromising quality.

Construction Projects: You can use time-lapse cameras on construction sites. You can view a summary of the entire construction process from start to finish in a short video. You can also see short videos of the whole day's activities.

Wildlife Observation: To monitor wildlife, a lapse camera is a great option. It saves time by capturing moments at an interval and merging the frames into a short video. Users can easily look for the desired event.

Plant Growth: Plants grow slowly, so a normal camera wouldn't work in this case. Its growth can be monitored through time-lapse. From the seedling to the fruits or flowers, the time lapse will show everything in a quick video.

Sunrise/Sunset: People often record sunrise and sunset videos through time-lapse. They capture the mesmerizing moment and the natural beauty.

Security Monitoring: For security monitoring, a time-lapse camera is a great option. It allows you to quickly navigate through a long video to find a specific event or view the entire day.

Beginners can check out the detailed guide on setting up a Reolink camera with Time Lapse. Here are the quick steps.
Step 1: Open the Reolink app. Go to Device Settings > Time Lapse.
Step 2: Tap Try Now. You'll see a list of scenes for time-lapse capture. Select one.
Step 3: Customize settings, such as duration, time, interval, quality, and file type. Once everything is done, the time lapse is ready, and it will start according to the selected time.

It depends on the interval between photos and the playback frame rate. But if you select a 5-second interval for image capture and play the video at 30 fps, a 30-minute video can be covered in just a 12-second time-lapse video.