A timelapse calculator reverse-engineers the exact camera interval, total shot count, memory card storage, and battery requirements for your video. Enter desired output duration, frame rate, and event length to get the precise seconds between each photo capture.

Quick Presets

?? Normal Mode — Enter desired video output, get the interval

Parameters

How long the real-world event lasts

hr
min

How long the final video should be

sec

Playback speed of the final video

? Camera & Storage Settings ?
shots

Shoot every

7.5 seconds

for a smooth, cinematic timelapse

Shot Timeline

0:00 2:00:00
??? 480 Total Frames
? 360× Speed-Up Factor
?? 5.6 GB Storage Needed
?? 1 Cards Needed
?? 1 Batteries Needed
?? 7.5s Max Shutter Speed

Recommended Gear

Ensure your camera never runs out of power during a long shoot! We highly recommend a dummy battery AC adapter and a massive high-capacity SD card to capture thousands of RAW frames without interruption.

Perfect Intervals for Perfect Timelapses

Shooting a timelapse requires finding the perfect balance between the real-world event duration and your final video length. If you shoot too frequently, your memory card fills up instantly; if you shoot too slowly, the final video feels jerky and disjointed. LapseLogic takes the guesswork out of timelapse photography. Whether you are capturing a 2-hour sunset or a 6-month construction project, this calculator reverse-engineers the exact interval, storage requirements, and battery needs. All calculations run locally in your browser for absolute privacy and zero server latency.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calculate the interval for a timelapse?

Interval = (Event Duration in seconds) / (Desired Output Duration × Frame Rate). For a 2-hour sunset (7,200 seconds) compressed to a 10-second clip at 30fps: 7,200 / (10 × 30) = 24 seconds between shots. This means one photo every 24 seconds for 2 hours, producing 300 frames.

How many photos do you need for a timelapse?

A smooth timelapse needs at least 24 frames per second of final video. For a 10-second clip, that is 240 frames minimum (at 24fps) or 300 frames (at 30fps). For a 30-second clip at 30fps, you need 900 photos. Longer clips look more cinematic but require more storage and battery.

How much storage does a timelapse need?

Storage depends on image format and camera resolution. A 24MP JPEG averages 8-12MB per photo. For 300 shots, that is 2.4-3.6GB. RAW files are 3-5× larger. A full-day construction timelapse at 10-second intervals produces ~8,640 frames — roughly 70-100GB in JPEG or 250-400GB in RAW.