Time Lapse in the parks

[chartle]

Has anyone tried to do a real time lapse movie while touring a park.

I searched and did find a Time Lapse Trip Report but what I'm talking about is me wearing a camera that would take a pic every 45 seconds or so.

I'm thinking of using something like this for the camera.

Its a "spy" camera that looks like a key fob. I would most likely remove the case and have to replace the battery, which I have already figured out. For the time lapse circuit I can put together a timer chip and a relay to fire the shutter no problem.

Virtual Dub can take the stream of photos and create a movie file with lots of options.

Here is an example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=s3XGzzqp7iA#at=18

Issues:

#1

Not sure how to "hold" the camera I'm thinking of clipping it to my backpack strap. In fact I may use another type of camera that already has a clip on it like this.

What I don't want is something like this. Though it would be perfect.

If I could rewire the camera element I could put it any where, but that takes some very very fine soldering skills.
​

#2

I'm worried about being for lack of a better word "creepy". I somehow feel like I may be like the guy with really shinny shoes that my mother would have warned my sister about. Kind of like some sort of invasion of privacy. I'm sure taking the photos is OK because everyone is in public and the right of privacy is not assumed but I don't know. Of course the rig would be turned off in bathrooms and the like. Am i over thinking this?​

If you want any more info about these cameras you can check this out. http://www.chucklohr.com/808/

 

[pgowder]

I've done some some star trail shots in the park. The setup is basically the same. I've converted a few I did at the Contemporary to videos.

I setup my tripod and D700 to do these. No one seemed to care!


Startrails over Carousel of Progress by Paul Gowder, on Flickr


Magic Kingdom Star Trails by Paul Gowder, on Flickr


Star Trails over the Castle by Paul Gowder, on Flickr

Videos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96077153@N00/5323753000/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/96077153@N00/5239433149/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/96077153@N00/5294892736/

 

[chartle]

I setup my tripod and D700 to do these. No one seemed to care!

But I'm planning on wearing the camera all day.

Like I posted before, I may be over thinking this.

 

[pgowder]

But I'm planning on wearing the camera all day.

Like I posted before, I may be over thinking this.

Put your tripod in a locker and go get it when you want to do time lapse.

 

[chartle]

Put your tripod in a locker and go get it when you want to do time lapse.

OK, the camera will be on me pointed forward and running for around 12 hours. There is no tripod.

I have figured out that at one frame per 20 seconds. It would make around 2,000 pics.

 

[mmcxiiad]

OK, the camera will be on me pointed forward and running for around 12 hours. There is no tripod.

I have figured out that at one frame per 20 seconds. It would make around 2,000 pics.

I was thinking about doing something like this too. I have been looking at a gopro camera, although battery life to make it all day may be a concern.

 

[beachclub]

each trip we do I find a new spot to do a 10 minute still video, Not a walking around type thing.
I do it at the parks and resorts.
Its nice to have as a screen saver type of thing when I am home.

Much like the Sunrise earth series, except not an hour long.
MY favorite one i have is a timelapse from the Beach Club beach
Focused on the Yacht Club, the dock with a bit of the boardwalk in the back and the swan.

 

[chartle]

I was thinking about doing something like this too. I have been looking at a gopro camera, although battery life to make it all day may be a concern.

The other issue is the size.

My sons play for the University of Pittsburgh Marching Band. They have 3 or 4 photographers and videographers follow them around all the time. One of the student videographers has one attached to his hat and even though the go pro is small it looks really funny. I think all your shots would be people looking at you like you had a camera growing out of your head.

Thats why I want to kind of hide the camera, I just received one of the cameras I ordered. Its the one that doesn't look like a key fob. while its small I don't know how to carry it so its always pointed forward and isn't one something that gets removed like a backpack strap or a hat.

Maybe I should wear my lederhosen and attach it to the front.

The thing is super tiny about the size of a matchbox. As for power I have a bunch of 1,000 mah batteries cell phone batteries and hacked on of the old phones into a hold of sorts.

For the other one, if I removed the case and the battery pack and reconfigured the camera element it would be around 1/4" inch thick and the size of a couple of quarters.

Here is article about using 3 NIMH batteries as a power source for this little camera.

http://www.chucklohr.com/808/#TimeLapseRelayMod

While I'm ok hacking my $11 camera I wouldn't do it on a more expensive go pro.

It looks like the go pro has its own extra power.

http://gopro.com/hd-hero-accessories/battery-bacpac/

 

[mmcxiiad]

The other issue is the size.

My sons play for the University of Pittsburgh Marching Band. They have 3 or 4 photographers and videographers follow them around all the time. One of the student videographers has one attached to his hat and even though the go pro is small it looks really funny. I think all your shots would be people looking at you like you had a camera growing out of your head.

http://gopro.com/hd-hero-accessories/battery-bacpac/

There are other ways to mount the gopro. You can get a chest mount strap, a wrist strap or a variety of other mounts. I agree, I am not going to walk around WDW with a camera on my head. My biggest concern would be power. I like the idea of AAA batteries in the SD version. Because then I could be assured that i could recharge them all every night.

But on the HD version, it uses a cell phone type battery. As of now, there is no external charger. If the batteries get 2 - 2.5 hours, then I would need 5 or 6 to get through a day.... which means that I would need to figure out a way to charge them all overnight to be ready to use the next day. For somplicity SD is really seeming to be the better way to go....

.... but i really want to figure out a feasible way to make the HD one work. I think I am going to call goPro and see what they think.

 

[chartle]

OK I think I figured it out for my homemade time lapse camera.

I think I can fit everything camera, time lapse circuit and two batteries, one for the camera an one for the time lapse, in a box this size.

http://www.allelectronics.com/index.php?page=item&id=MBU-906&extra=a%3A2%3A{i%3A0%3Bs%3A40%3A%2203823345592a403b2f4a37a59384e7ab28f02be1%22%3Bi%3A1%3Bs%3A0%3A%22%22%3B}

I could put a clip on the back and put it on my belt or maybe in a shirt pocket.

Before I was thinking of having the camera separate from the power source. But I think it being all self contained will make it work.

As for your powering your go pro I found some references to powering ith through the USB port.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=6222952&postcount=4

If thats possible you could use something like this.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/9000ma...r-with-cell-phone-adapters-black-silver-54978

 

[seashoreCM]

If you will be walking and taking one frame every 20 to 30 seconds, you are probably better off being a photographer and stopping to hand shoot each frame. With a camera strapped to your hat or chest, you will get too many ill framed or blurry shots (unless the scene is bright enough for 1/250'th second or faster shutter).

 

[chartle]

Well I won't find out until I try. May i'll do some sort walk for 20 seconds stop, walk for 20 seconds stop. Until my family can't take it anymore. I also plan to shot the ride down. 1,001 miles in around 2 minutes.

So expect some kind of results second week in May.

Even if it doesn't work I'll have a self contained Time Lapse camera for about $20.