Time Lapse worry about shutter actuations

Hi,

I know the shutter on my 550D should last years, I've read 100,000 as an average life mentioned in places.

But I'm kinda into shooting time lapse video where I might shoot a shot every 5 seconds for several hours, putting a few thousand shutter actuations on the clock every time.

Is that something I should worry about? Is shooting for time lapse a real big strain on cameras? I feel like I'm taking years off the camera's life just shooting small couple minute videos...

What do others use for time lapse? Is a DLSR a bad idea?

Thanks.

You don't need a mega camera to shoot timelapse videos. And using the 550D is definately an overkill. Keep in mind that a Full HD video is 1920x1080 pixels which means 2 mega-pixels. So using an 18megapixel camera is as I said before, overkill.

I personally wouldn't strain my new SLR just for that. Which, I'm assuming, you're only doing for fun/experimenting. Buy a second hand 300D for that.

Cheers,
Christakis
--
http://blog.christakisphoto.com/
(Updated every Monday and Friday)

Hi, Chris.

Thanks, I thought as much, it was uncomfortable listening to the shutter clicks endlessly for hours wondering if i'm aging the camera before it's time.

I completely understand that full HD/24p (which is what I was compiling to) is just 2MP and I was taking small fine jpegs from the camera to minimise work for the computer rendering the video. Yes, just for fun/experimenting.

I've got a rubbish old P&S but it doesn't have proper exposure controls so it'd raise ISO and slow shutter speed which wouldn't work for what I was doing (filming sunset sky through a tree's silhouette).

I'll knock it on the head for now, my iPhone 4 does pretty neat time lapse vids, but again, no proper exposure controls... As it's just for fun, I'll sod it.

Cheers.

I'm not that worried, though I don't shoot time lapses much. I wish canon would allow the shutter to be up all the time so it wouldn't wear out as quickly. Liveview is not really an option as it would drain the batteries in no time.

Mike Tansey said:

Hi,

I know the shutter on my 550D should last years, I've read 100,000 as an average life mentioned in places.

But I'm kinda into shooting time lapse video where I might shoot a shot every 5 seconds for several hours, putting a few thousand shutter actuations on the clock every time.

Is that something I should worry about? Is shooting for time lapse a real big strain on cameras? I feel like I'm taking years off the camera's life just shooting small couple minute videos...

What do others use for time lapse? Is a DLSR a bad idea?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

--
Kind regards
Imqqmi



http://www.pbase.com/imqqmi

The DSLR jargon cheatsheet:
http://www.jmbfoto.nl/dslrcheatsheet.pdf

Sunset blending tutorial:
http://www.jmbfoto.nl/tutorial/blendingTutorial01a.pdf

imqqmi said:

I'm not that worried, though I don't shoot time lapses much. I wish canon would allow the shutter to be up all the time so it wouldn't wear out as quickly. Liveview is not really an option as it would drain the batteries in no time.

Click to expand...

Having the shutter open for so long would damage the sensor. That's why liveview automatically deactivates after some time.

Christakis

http://blog.christakisphoto.com/
(Updated every Monday and Friday)

Could you configure the camera for the Mirror lock up when shooting like this? I know you can do this for long exposures to reduce vibration, not sure if it works with timelapse. Are you controlling the camera from a pc then? My old P&S had a mode where you could configure timelapse. Just curious how you are doing this with your DSLR.

TJTigger said:

Could you configure the camera for the Mirror lock up when shooting like this? I know you can do this for long exposures to reduce vibration, not sure if it works with timelapse. Are you controlling the camera from a pc then? My old P&S had a mode where you could configure timelapse. Just curious how you are doing this with your DSLR.

Click to expand...

Some SLRs (Pentax, Nikon) have a time-lapse functionality built in. Canon doesn't but you can do it in several ways:

• Connect it to a laptop and use the Canon EOS utility
• Get a wired remote which has timelapse functionality
• If you are good with electronics you can create your own shutter release with many many MANY options... But it's more for advanced users.

Mirror lockup mode can be used (at least with 3rd option) but it really wont make much of a difference unless you are shooting in super macro range which you wouldn't normally need a timelapse.

--
Christakis

http://blog.christakisphoto.com/
(Updated every Monday and Friday)

Hi,

My question was about shutter actuations, not mirror actuations, but I guess they'll both wear out at some point. Mirror lockup will only lock the mirror up, it still cycles the shutter to take pictures.

I do use a laptop connected to run time lapse, and I did try to enable mirror lockup, just so it's not so noisy. The button for time lapse in EOS Utility fades to disabled if you have mirror lockup enabled. I had to disable mirror lockup to use EOS Utility time lapse feature.

I think remote shutter release cables that have intervalometer functions built in would work with mirror lockup, but every other "shutter release" from the device would lock the mirror up, then the second would take the picture.

So if you wanted a shot every ten seconds, you'd have to have the intervalometer take a shot every 5 seconds, so every other shutter press equals locking the mirror up ready for the following shutter release to take a shot... If ya get me...

Mike Tansey said:

Hi,

My question was about shutter actuations, not mirror actuations, but I guess they'll both wear out at some point. Mirror lockup will only lock the mirror up, it still cycles the shutter to take pictures.

I do use a laptop connected to run time lapse, and I did try to enable mirror lockup, just so it's not so noisy. The button for time lapse in EOS Utility fades to disabled if you have mirror lockup enabled. I had to disable mirror lockup to use EOS Utility time lapse feature.

I think remote shutter release cables that have intervalometer functions built in would work with mirror lockup, but every other "shutter release" from the device would lock the mirror up, then the second would take the picture.

So if you wanted a shot every ten seconds, you'd have to have the intervalometer take a shot every 5 seconds, so every other shutter press equals locking the mirror up ready for the following shutter release to take a shot... If ya get me...

Click to expand...

The Promote remote control system will do everything you want including mirrow loch, expensive tho.

http://www.amazon.com/Promote-Systems-Control-Digital-Cameras/product-reviews/B002CTLJFC
--
Brian Schneider

As I mention earlier, if you have the technical know how you can do one of your own. It's not very difficult but probably an Arduino is a good start.

Here's a rig I setup for high speed flash photography, a timelapse meter would be very very similar in terms of the work required (Not much if you know what you're doing).

http://playground.christakisphoto.com/?p=94#more-94

--
Christakis

http://blog.christakisphoto.com/
(Updated every Monday and Friday)

Mike Tansey said:

But I'm kinda into shooting time lapse video where I might shoot a shot every 5 seconds for several hours, putting a few thousand shutter actuations on the clock every time.

Is that something I should worry about?

Click to expand...

In my opinion, NO, you should not worry about that kind of useage.

Consider the other end of the spectrum where someone uses the shutter as 5 per second for 5-ish seconds. Here the shutter motor gets a serious workout (i.e. gets hot). This simply has to be much harder on the mechanism than the same number of shots taken with 25 times as much time between actuations.
--
Mitch

Christakis said:

imqqmi said:

I'm not that worried, though I don't shoot time lapses much. I wish canon would allow the shutter to be up all the time so it wouldn't wear out as quickly. Liveview is not really an option as it would drain the batteries in no time.

Click to expand...

Having the shutter open for so long would damage the sensor. That's why liveview automatically deactivates after some time.

Click to expand...

How would it be damaged? I think it's rather to conserve energy. If it's pointed at the sun with a fast long lens I could agree with you

No I meant for shooting time lapse lockup the mirror and open the shutter without turning on the sensor, only when the timer sends a pulse.

--
Kind regards
Imqqmi



http://www.pbase.com/imqqmi

The DSLR jargon cheatsheet:
http://www.jmbfoto.nl/dslrcheatsheet.pdf

Sunset blending tutorial:
http://www.jmbfoto.nl/tutorial/blendingTutorial01a.pdf

Nice! I've (re)built my own time lapse timer too, based on a PIC16F1827. Works like a charm

Christakis said:

As I mention earlier, if you have the technical know how you can do one of your own. It's not very difficult but probably an Arduino is a good start.

Here's a rig I setup for high speed flash photography, a timelapse meter would be very very similar in terms of the work required (Not much if you know what you're doing).

http://playground.christakisphoto.com/?p=94#more-94

--
Christakis

http://blog.christakisphoto.com/
(Updated every Monday and Friday)

Click to expand...

--
Kind regards
Imqqmi



http://www.pbase.com/imqqmi

The DSLR jargon cheatsheet:
http://www.jmbfoto.nl/dslrcheatsheet.pdf

Sunset blending tutorial:
http://www.jmbfoto.nl/tutorial/blendingTutorial01a.pdf

Get a cheap compact camera for time lapse photography
An Ixus (digital elph) will be ok.

--
Feel free to visit my photo sites:
http://tom.st , http://www.foto.tom.st

I tend to disagree with the folks who recommend using a cheaper camera to do time lapse with. I do a good amount of time lapse work with my 550D and I have found that using the full 18 megapixel resolution, coupled with my collection of sharp lenses, is a great way to make maximum use of the time that I put into time lapse photography.

Creating a single time sequence can take an hour or more. Finding a good location, coupled with good lighting, is as challenging as with any photographic project. Additionally, spending an hour dedicated to one sequence is a major creative commitment. However, if the result is a super sharp series of 18 megapixel images, you then have a lot of creative options that simply would not be available with a cheaper camera and lesser lenses.

For example, I render my sequences in 1080p HD using Sony Vegas. Just as in still photography, having an 18 megapixel image gives me a lot of room to crop. Since 1080p has a resolution 1920x1080 pixels, I have a lot of room to crop and pan through an 18 megapixel time lapse sequence which, in effect, results in multiple video sequences derived from the same time lapse. With a bit of foresight when you set up your shot, there can be multiple 1920x1080 pixel areas in your image that result in beautiful time lapse sequences. Showing selected areas of your time lapse, or panning through sections of your time lapse, followed by the full frame version, can be very compelling. A 30 second 18mp time lapse can result in 60 or 90 seconds of usable HD footage.

Just as in still photography, if you have a great location and lighting by all means use the best camera that you have available. If you are just experimenting with the technique, then a lesser camera may be all that is called for.

I believe Canon rate the shutter to 50,000 actuations, though obviously cameras can last anywhere from five shots to 150,000 (I have a 400d currently on 60,000 for example). So read that as you will.

I guess my answer is 'it depends on how much you do it' - for a once in a while play, sure it will wear the shutter faster than shooting normal stills, but if it is not done regularly you camera should still last a considerable time based on spec. If this is something you want to do often, then it might be worth keeping the 550d for photography, and getting something cheaper and less overspecced to shoot the video with - even a 300d or 350d has more than enough resolution to crop to 1080p standard, full manual control and should be available relatively cheaply second hand. The other option would be an older compact of some form too, I know there have been a range of them over the years offering varying levels of control, certainly I have had older Olympus models like the early C series or Canons like the G series that could work with some form of adapter for the battery.
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You could always draw a picture and keep all your cameras in the box!

Seriously though.... why not use the best tool you have for what you want to do and don't worry about it. You could drop it, have it stolen, fall with it, have it die a premature death... upgrading and adding another camera are also likely scenarios.

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