Time-lapse video

  1. G button
  2. C photo shooting menu

The camera automatically takes photos at selected intervals to create a time-lapse video.

OptionDescription
[Start]Start time-lapse recording. Shooting starts after about 3 s and continues at the interval selected for [Interval] for the time selected for [Shooting time].
[Interval]Choose the interval between shots, in minutes and seconds.
[Shooting time]Choose how long the camera will continue to take pictures, in hours and minutes.
[Exposure smoothing]Selecting [On] smooths abrupt changes in exposure.
  • Large changes in subject brightness during shooting may result in apparent variations in exposure. This can be addressed by shortening the interval between shots.
  • Exposure smoothing will not take effect in mode M if [Off] is selected for [ISO sensitivity settings] > [Auto ISO sensitivity control] in the photo shooting menu.
[Silent photography]Select [On] to silence the shutter and eliminate the vibrations it produces during shooting.
  • Selecting [On] does not completely silence the camera. Camera sounds may still be audible, for example during autofocus or aperture adjustment, in the latter case most noticeably at apertures smaller (i.e., at f-numbers higher) than f/5.6.
[Frame size/frame rate]Choose the frame size and rate for the final video.
[Interval priority]
  • [On]: Enable interval priority to ensure that frames shot in modes P and A are taken at the chosen interval.
    • Select [Release] for Custom Setting a2 [AF-S priority selection] when AF-S is selected for focus mode and for Custom Setting a1 [AF-C priority selection] when AF-C is selected.
    • If [On] is selected for [ISO sensitivity settings] > [Auto ISO sensitivity control] and the time chosen for [Minimum shutter speed] is longer than the interval, the time selected for the interval will take priority over the selected shutter speed.
  • [Off]: Disable interval priority to ensure that photos are correctly exposed.
[Focus before each shot]If [On] is selected, the camera will focus between shots.

Recording time-lapse videos

Before shooting

  • Time-lapse videos are shot using the video crop.
  • Take test shots and check the results in the monitor.
  • Before proceeding, select [Time zone and date] in the setup menu and make sure that the camera clock is set to the correct time and date.
  • To ensure that shooting is not interrupted, use a fully-charged battery or an optional charging AC adapter.
  1. Highlight [Time-lapse video] in the photo shooting menu.

    Press 2 to select the highlighted item and view the [Time-lapse video] menu.
  2. Adjust time-lapse video settings.
    • Choose the interval between shots.
      Highlight [Interval] and press 2.
      Choose an interval (in minutes and seconds) and press J.
      • Choose an interval longer than the slowest anticipated shutter speed.
    • Choose the total shooting time.
      Highlight [Shooting time] and press 2.
      Choose a shooting time (in hours and minutes) and press J.
      • The maximum shooting time is 7 hours and 59 minutes.
    • Enable or disable exposure smoothing.
      Highlight [Exposure smoothing] and press 2.
      Highlight an option and press J.
      • Selecting [On] smooths abrupt changes in exposure.
    • Enable or disable silent photography.
      Highlight [Silent photography] and press 2.
      Highlight an option and press J.
    • Choose the frame size and rate.
      Highlight [Frame size/frame rate] and press 2.
      Highlight an option and press J.
    • Choose an interval priority option.
      Highlight [Interval priority] and press 2.
      Highlight an option and press J.
    • Choose whether the camera focuses between shots.
      Highlight [Focus before each shot] and press 2.
      Highlight an option and press J.
      • If [On] is selected for [Focus before each shot], the camera will focus before each shot according to the option currently selected for focus mode.
  3. Highlight [Start] and press J.
    • Shooting starts after about 3 s.
    • The display turns off during shooting.
    • The camera takes pictures at interval selected for [Interval] for the time selected for [Shooting time] in Step 2.

Ending shooting

To end shooting before all the photos are taken, press J or select [Time-lapse video] in the photo shooting menu, highlight [Off], and press J. Note that the menus may not be displayed when the G button is pressed if the time selected for [Interval] is very short.

  • A video will be created from the frames shot to the point where shooting ended and normal photography will resume.

Calculating the length of the final video

  • The total number of frames in the final video can be calculated by dividing the shooting time selected in Step 2 by the interval, rounding up, and adding 1.
  • The length of the final video can then be calculated by dividing the number of shots by the frame rate selected for [Frame size/frame rate] (for example, a 48-frame video recorded with [1920×1080; 24p] selected for [Frame size/frame rate] will be about two seconds long).
  • The maximum length for time-lapse videos is 20 minutes.
    1Frame size/frame rate
    2Length recorded/maximum length
    3Memory card indicator

Picture review

The K button cannot be used to view pictures while shooting is in progress. The current frame will however be displayed for a few seconds after each shot if [On] or [On (monitor only)] is selected for [Picture review] in the playback menu. Note that other playback operations cannot be performed while the frame is displayed. The current frame may not be displayed if the interval is very short.

Time-lapse videos

  • Sound is not recorded with time-lapse videos.
  • The shutter speed and the time needed to record the image to the memory card may vary from shot to shot. As a result, the interval between a shot being recorded and the start of the next shot may vary.
  • Shooting will not begin if a time-lapse video cannot be recorded at current settings, for example if:
    • The value selected for [Interval] is longer than that selected for [Shooting time]
    • [00:00'00"] is selected for [Interval] or [Shooting time]
    • [On] is selected for both [Silent photography] and [Interval priority] and [00:00'0.5"] is selected for [Interval]
    • The memory card is full
  • If time-lapse video recording cannot start at current settings, for example because shutter speed is set to “Bulb” or “Time”, a warning will be displayed.
  • The K button cannot be used to view pictures while time-lapse recording is in progress.
  • For consistent coloration, choose a white balance setting other than 4 [Auto] or D [Natural light auto] when recording time-lapse videos.
  • Regardless of the option selected for Custom Setting c3 [Power off delay] > [Standby timer], the standby timer will not expire while recording is in progress.
  • Shooting may end if camera controls are used, settings are changed, or an HDMI cable is connected. A video will be created from the frames shot to the point where shooting ended.
  • The following end shooting without a beep sounding or a video being recorded:
    • Removing the battery
    • Ejecting the memory card

During shooting

The memory card access lamp lights while shooting is in progress.

Settings between recordings

Shooting and menu settings can be adjusted between time-lapse video recordings. Note, however, that the monitor will turn off and shooting will resume in about 2 seconds before the next shot is taken.

Time-lapse videos: Restrictions

Time-lapse video recording cannot be combined with some camera features, including:

  • video recording,
  • long time-exposures (“Bulb” or “Time”),
  • the self-timer,
  • bracketing,
  • HDR (high dynamic range),
  • multiple exposures,
  • interval-timer photography, and
  • focus shift.

When [On] is selected for [Silent photography]

Selecting [On] for [Silent photography] disables some camera features, including:

  • ISO sensitivities of Hi 1 and Hi 2,
  • flash photography,
  • exposure delay mode,
  • long-exposure noise reduction, and
  • flicker reduction.