Plan a time lapse in seconds: enter how long the event lasts, your shooting interval and the playback frame rate to get the number of photos, the final clip length and the memory card space you need. Or work backwards to find the right interval or shooting time.
Last updated:
Solve for
Event
h
min
s
s
Time between the start of one photo and the next.
Video & storage
s
MB
About 20–60 MB for RAW, 5–15 MB for JPEG.
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Time Lapse Calculator
Choose what to solve for: the number of shots and clip length, the interval, or how long to shoot.
Enter the event duration (for example a 1-hour sunset) or your desired clip length.
Set the interval between photos and the playback frame rate of your video.
Enter the size of one photo to see how much card space the sequence needs.
Compare other intervals in the table to pick the one that gives the clip length you want.
Time lapse formulas
Shots = ⌊event duration ÷ interval⌋ + 1 (the extra frame is the first photo at 0 seconds)
Speed-up factor = interval × fps (how many seconds of real time pass in one second of video)
Storage = shots × size of one photo
Example: a 2-hour event shot every 5 seconds gives ⌊7,200 ÷ 5⌋ + 1 = 1,441 photos. At 30 fps that is 1,441 ÷ 30 ≈ 48 seconds of video, 150× faster than real time. At 25 MB per RAW file it needs about 36 GB.
Typical intervals by subject
Subject
Typical interval
1 hour gives (30 fps)
Fast clouds, traffic, crowds
1–2 s
3,601–1,801 shots · 2:00–1:00
Slow clouds, city scenes
3–5 s
1,201–721 shots · 40–24 s
Sunset or sunrise
3–10 s
1,201–361 shots · 40–12 s
Stars and Milky Way
15–30 s
241–121 shots · 8–4 s
Plants growing, construction
5–30 min
13–3 shots (shoot for days)
These are starting points, not rules. Faster subjects need shorter intervals to stay smooth; slow subjects need longer ones to show visible movement.
Frequently asked questions
How many photos do I need for a time lapse?
Multiply the clip length you want by the playback frame rate. A 20-second clip at 30 fps needs 20 × 30 = 600 photos. To capture them over a 2-hour event, shoot one every 7,200 ÷ 599 ≈ 12 seconds.
How do I calculate the time lapse interval?
Interval = event duration ÷ (number of frames − 1), where frames = clip length × fps. The calculator's Interval mode does this for you and also shows the speed-up factor.
What interval should I use?
Fast-moving subjects such as clouds, traffic and crowds look good at 1–3 seconds. Sunsets and sunrises are often shot at 3–10 seconds, construction or plants at minutes, and night skies at 15–30 seconds or longer so each exposure fits inside the interval. The interval must always be longer than the shutter speed plus the time the camera needs to save the photo.
How long will my time lapse video be?
Clip length = number of shots ÷ fps. For example 1 hour at a 5-second interval gives 721 shots, which plays for about 24 seconds at 30 fps.
Why does the calculator add one shot?
If you shoot for exactly 60 seconds at a 10-second interval, the camera fires at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 seconds: 7 photos, not 6. The calculator counts the first frame at time zero.
How much storage does a time lapse need?
Storage = number of shots × size of one photo. 1,000 RAW files of 25 MB each need about 25 GB. Shooting JPEG or a smaller RAW size uses much less, but RAW gives more room for smoothing exposure changes later.
Should I edit at 24, 25 or 30 fps?
Use the frame rate of the project you will deliver: 24 fps for a cinematic look, 25 fps in PAL regions and 30 fps for most web and phone video. Higher frame rates need more photos for the same clip length.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.