How To Make An Amazing Time-Lapse

video How To Make An Amazing Time-Lapse

In this Instructable I will be showing you how to take an amazing time-lapse.
I will show you the perfect timings to make it look as though you are flying through time.

1. Please Watch The Time-Lapse Video Above To See If This Is What You Are Looking For.

1.5. You need a time-lapse function on your camcorder/camera.

2. Choose a day with a blue sky and thick white clouds, this will make sure you can really see the movement of the sky.

3. Go to your settings and select time-lapse.

4. It should give you the option 1 photo per... The best choice is 1 photo every 3 seconds. This isn't too fast or too slow. So you wont get bored watching time fly by.

5. Set your camcorder/cameras ISO setting to 400 (My camcorder has ISO auto, 800, 1600 so I assume auto is 400). A low ISO stops the photos being grainy.

6. Set your Camcorder/Camera on a tripod either outside or pointing out a clear window. If your camcorder/camera is not water proof then I advise not putting it outside unless you are sure it wont get wet.

7. Make sure your camcorder/camera is not facing an eye sore such as someone sunbathing in their garden.

8. Make sure your camcorder/camera is fully charged (I suppose I should have mentioned that at the start).

9. Now here's the tricky bit... press RECORD. Ok not so hard really.

10. Now just go and watch tv or something while your camcorder/camera speeds up time.

11. I advise RECORDING for about two hours or longer.

Check out my video. ( and like I said earlier don't make the mistake I made pointing it over someone's garden where you can see them hanging up washing).

(Wide angle lens is best)

Watch The Video Above To See The ResultsI

thegeeke says: Apr 27, 2012. 6:26 PM

Isn't this just a copy of the instructable you posted a few days ago?

Chris98 (author) in reply to thegeekeApr 28, 2012. 1:32 AM

Yes its just because I couldn't find how to change my picture. So I just made a new one with a cool pic. :)

thegeeke in reply to Chris98Apr 28, 2012. 5:30 AM

Ahh... I see. To change your picture, scroll to the top, and to the right there should be a box that says "author options". In there, click "edit", then on your first step scroll down to the pictures and click "remove" under the picture. You should be able to upload another picture then the same way you did the first one.

I had some trouble with the uploader yesterday, but I think it had something to do with the computer I was on. If you have any problems, simply click "you" at the top of the page, click "image library" under your profile picture, and from there you should be able to use an older version of the uploader that works fine. Then go back to edit your instructable and attach an image by clicking the "your library" tab, find the picture (probably the first one you see), and click "add file".

When you are done with either of those methods, click the orange "save now" button. Depending on how busy the site is, it might take a minute to make the changes, but normally it happens right away.

Chris98 (author) in reply to thegeekeApr 30, 2012. 9:36 AM

Thanks, I was looking for a little thumbnail option where you could change it. I was just wondering if you have any ideas of tutorials I could do with my new camcorder because its fun seeing that people have looked at what I put on :)
My camcorder is a basic toshiba camileo s30 (hd). Any ideas?

thegeeke in reply to Chris98Apr 30, 2012. 4:56 PM

Well, what do you enjoy using it for? Personally, I like to do theater videos... so I would do that if I were to do something on cinematography... you could do some research on how to do the timelapse videos in post production and do a tutorials on how to do that, how to use music in it, but just be sure to do it legally... it's pretty hard to get the right copyright permissions to use regular music, but production music is generally meant specifically for use like this. :)