Time-lapse Calculator

Enter the interval, the event duration and your playback FPS — get how many photos you need, the final clip length and the storage, in real time.

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Your time-lapse

Calculate
Interval between shots (s)
Playback FPS
Format
Megapixels per photo
Final clip length
0
You will need an intervalometer (or the camera's built-in one) for the automatic shots.
0shots needed
0storage
0playback fps
0hours shooting
Quick scenarios

How a time-lapse is calculated

A time-lapse is many photos played back as video. Two simple sums:

Photos=event durationinterval+ 1·Clip=photosfps

The number of photos is the event duration divided by the interval between shots (whole shots only) plus 1, the opening shot; the clip length is those photos divided by the playback FPS. Storage comes from multiplying the photos by the weight of each one (based on megapixels and JPEG/RAW). In “Shooting time” mode it works the other way round: photos = clip × fps (rounded up), and the time needed is (photos − 1) × interval.

Time-lapse example of a sunset

You shoot for 2 hours with a shot every 5 s, at 24 fps, 24 MP JPEG photos:

  • Photos = 7200 ÷ 5 + 1 = 1441 shots.
  • Clip = 1441 ÷ 24 = 60.04 s ≈ 1 min of video.
  • Storage ≈ 1441 × 7.2 MB ≈ 10.4 GB.

Switch to RAW and the same time-lapse needs about 45 GB.

Time-lapse FAQ

How many photos do I need for a time-lapse?
Divide the event duration by the interval between shots and add 1, because the first shot is taken at second 0. For example, 2 hours (7200 s) with a shot every 5 s = 7200 ÷ 5 + 1 = 1441 photos. The calculator does it for you.
How long will the final video be?
The number of photos divided by the playback FPS. 1441 photos at 24 fps = 60.04 seconds of clip (1 min). More FPS or fewer photos = a shorter clip.
What interval should I use?
It depends on how fast the scene moves: clouds 3-5 s, sunsets 3-8 s, stars 20-30 s, construction 30-60 s or more. Try the presets in the tool.
How much space do the photos take?
In JPEG, ~0.3 MB per megapixel; in RAW, ~1.3 MB per megapixel. The calculator estimates total storage from your MP and format.
Do I need an intervalometer?
Yes: many cameras have one built in, or you can use an external one or a timer remote to take the photos automatically at regular intervals.