Hi everyone, it’s Eri. Have you ever seen a video which looks like it’s played at fast speed on TV or on the Internet? A video that can’t imagine how it’s recorded but something really attracts you and something magical; suddenly a flower starts blooming or a pupa becomes a butterfly. Here is an example.
Everio GZ-HM330 Time-Lapse Rec Banksia Rose
Many of these moving images which remind you of fast forward videos are shot by a unique technology; Time-Lapse Recording. With this technology, although you play back the movie in normal speed, it comes out as watching a video on fast-forward when you shoot slow moves in a long period of time; for example clouds floating in the sky or growth of plants. Recently, you can search with the word "time lapse" and there are many videos on YouTube and other video-sharing sites.
Then how can we shoot these unique videos on our own? Actually, Time-Lapse Recording mode is a standard feature for 2010 Everios. No need for special software. Just go through the video mode menu and select "TIME-LAPSE RECORDING", choose the interval you prefer and shoot. That’s all. It seems very simple. However Time-Lapse videos are provided by delicate processing in the camera. This time we asked our engineers to show us the underside of the technology of Time-Lapse Recording.
It’s quite technical but this is how it works. For normal videos, the moving picture consists of 30 still pictures per second in NTSC format (broadcast system adopted in North America and some countries in Asia) and 25 still pictures per second in PAL format (broadcast system mainly for Europe and Asia). In case of NTSC system, if you shoot a video in 30 frames per second and play back the video in the same speed, it will be shown as a normal clip. On the other hand, when using Time-Lapse Recording mode, the camera is controlling the interval of the shots, or how many frames will be shot in one second. Here is an example. When you choose the 5-second interval mode, a 5-second scene which normally consists of 150 pictures comes out by only one picture. Then, if you play back this video in normal speed, the flow of time in the video looks 150 times faster than real life. In this way, it is possible to record fantastic, sometimes mysterious, movies when you shoot subjects which move very slow.
This might be a little too technological. For your reference, this is a figure of the processing done in the camera.
Processing of Time-Lapse Recording
The footages won’t get jumpy and the moves come out quite smooth. Here are two clips recording the same subject one in normal Auto mode and the other one in Time-Lapse Recording mode.
Everio GZ-HM330 Auto Mode Ferris Wheel
Everio GZ-HM330 Time-Lapse Rec Ferris Wheel
Aren’t they interesting?
2010 Everios allows you to choose from 7 modes of recording interval. Select longer intervals when shooting subjects change slowly and then you can confirm smooth continuous process. Choose 40-second or 80-second interval when shooting blooming or emergence of an insect. On the other hand, subjects which look fast in an ordinary situation like traffic or a crowd might be interesting shooting in 1-second or 2-second interval.
At actual shooting, the time course which is indicated on the LCD will be useful information for you. They are shown in two different time course on the LCD, one is the actual recorded time of the video and the other is elapsed time after recording started.
Indications during Time-Lapse Recording
In case 12 hours had passed in 40-second interval mode, the actual video is only 24 seconds (for NTSC). It might be really exciting to watch the footage.
Additionally when the recording interval is set longer than 20 seconds, the camera switches to the power-saving mode so Time-Lapse Recording is available only using battery power.
In the next two weeks, we are thinking to post special articles of Time-Lapse videos shot by members inside JVC. You might find new sides of everyday life.
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