time lapse

[Gauranga]

Hello
I looking for a camera that can shot one picture a second or so and for hours at a time. I was just wondering if anyone has an experience with time lapse photography? I just busted my GL1 video camera which I was using to shot time lapse, but now I'm rethinking the whole process. Any pointers would be great. thank you.

[Longwatcher]

Apparently the TC-80N3 Timer Remote Controller for Canon's Digital SLR's will work for this to some extent. It looks like it would meet your needs as it will apparetly go in 1 sec intervals for up to 99 hours.

It works with 10D, D60, D30, 1D, 1Ds, so any of those cameras could do it. Film cameras include EOS 1 and 3 series

I have to go find me one. B&H has them listed for $130 (Technically $129.95)

Hope that helps.

[RichardtheSane]

If you have a computer in the same location as the camera then the 10d can operate as time lapse using the USB lead and software supplied.

[Gauranga]

Sounds good, but my next question is the quality of the pictures. I was checking out this program called pinetree and it works with Olympus cameras. It said it could download 1 per second for 24 hours, but at low quality. The high res pictures take three minutes to download, I guess it depends a little bit on the computer, but still not high res at 1 per second. I'll look into those camera's you mentioned. I wondering if downloading to a computer is not the way to go? I thinking maybe a external hard drive or some other storage device that would take less time to download. With your digital camera how long does it take to render? I don't think any camera could render the highest quality picture in one second? I remember watching a guy take a picture with a pro digital camera and it took maybe 10 seconds or so to come up on the lcd screen. Maybe my hopes are to high? Maybe I should stick to video? What to you think?

[RichardtheSane]

What do you call hi-res?

[Longwatcher]

I just realised that to perform the once shot per second with a 10D for a sustained period. you would probably have to use medium or small quality jpeg mode as it takes about 1.8 secs to download a large-fine jpeg and 2.4 secs for a RAW. I think you could do it at medium-fine, but not sure.

Based on a bit of math and some fudging I suspect in large fine jpeg mode you could get between 18 and 24 shots before the buffer gets in the way of the shots. You may be able to go at 1 per 2 secs in this mode though. Using RAW I suspect about 12-15 shots before buffer in the way.

I just did a bit of research and medium may still be a bit too much to keep up a 1 frame per second rate, but it would be close. Looks like something in the neighborhood of 120-150 shots before the buffer causes a skip every 10 frames or so. However, it may still work as the data was based on CF card write rates.

Just me reflecting on an interesting topic.

[Gauranga]

1600x1200 or higher would be acceptable

[Gauranga]

I've been reading about the new Olympus Camera that's coming out in September http://dp-now.com/archives/000129.html Apparently this camera will be able to hold 2 gb cards that are coming out soon, I guess. These new style of cards are like little hard drives so I'm sure more then 2 gb cards will follow. No camera out there can download jpegs to a computer fast enough for what I what to do, so I need to find a camera with a large Flash card capacity. This new Olympus sounds like the next gernation of flash storage. I don't know if I want to wait till sept. or pay $2300. I was looking to spend $1000 or less. Does Canon have a camera that can shot one per second at 1600X1200 for less then a $1000? I realise that I'll need some external control to use with the camera to make it shot one per second as well.