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GH2 timelapse video

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Dheorl

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I've heard about using the GH2 manual video mode to do timelapses by setting a longer shutter speed. I was just wondering if there are any advantages/disadvantages to doing this compared to the other method of taking lots of still images and putting them into a movie?

Also, being a noob to timelapse here, but in what way does it actually differ from just a sped up movie?
 
Watch this.

http://www.petapixel.com/2010/05/13/beautiful-time-lapse-of-icelandic-volcano/

...and then we should have a discussion.
Dheorl said:
I've heard about using the GH2 manual video mode to do timelapses by setting a longer shutter speed. I was just wondering if there are any advantages/disadvantages to doing this compared to the other method of taking lots of still images and putting them into a movie?

Also, being a noob to timelapse here, but in what way does it actually differ from just a sped up movie?
Click to expand...
 
Nice one, thanks
Ollie 2 said:
http://www.petapixel.com/2010/05/13/beautiful-time-lapse-of-icelandic-volcano/

...and then we should have a discussion.
Dheorl said:
I've heard about using the GH2 manual video mode to do timelapses by setting a longer shutter speed. I was just wondering if there are any advantages/disadvantages to doing this compared to the other method of taking lots of still images and putting them into a movie?

Also, being a noob to timelapse here, but in what way does it actually differ from just a sped up movie?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

God is the tangential point between zero and infinity.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

God always take the simplest way.
 
You're right. That is sensational.

I don't mean to sound rude (and I appreciate that you refer to yourself as a newb) but tell me how you could mistake that for simply a sped up video? For one thing, one doesn't get movement blurring trails that you get from great TL.
Dheorl said:
Ollie 2 said:
Watch this.

http://www.petapixel.com/2010/05/13/beautiful-time-lapse-of-icelandic-volcano/

...and then we should have a discussion.
Click to expand...
Was that meant to teach me anything technical/related to myy question or just be a good timelapse video? If it was the second I personally prefer

http://vimeo.com/40802206

Nice video non the less though.
Click to expand...
 
Dheorl said:
Ollie 2 said:
Watch this.

http://www.petapixel.com/2010/05/13/beautiful-time-lapse-of-icelandic-volcano/

...and then we should have a discussion.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Why? weird.
Dheorl said:
Was that meant to teach me anything technical/related to myy question or just be a good timelapse video? If it was the second I personally prefer

http://vimeo.com/40802206

Nice video non the less though.
Click to expand...
Dheorl, there is a specific hack for timelapse video and the biggest advantage is that you essentially need to do alot of shutter actuations for time-lapse stills to video, wheras the video is just that a slow-shutter speed video? the problem is the size of the mem card and battery power! check personal-view?
 
Ollie 2 said:
You're right. That is sensational.

I don't mean to sound rude (and I appreciate that you refer to yourself as a newb) but tell me how you could mistake that for simply a sped up video? For one thing, one doesn't get movement blurring trails that you get from great TL.
Click to expand...
Seeing as your an expert on TL maybe you can help him instead of being a PITA?
Ollie 2 said:
Dheorl said:
Ollie 2 said:
Watch this.

http://www.petapixel.com/2010/05/13/beautiful-time-lapse-of-icelandic-volcano/

...and then we should have a discussion.
Click to expand...
Was that meant to teach me anything technical/related to myy question or just be a good timelapse video? If it was the second I personally prefer

http://vimeo.com/40802206

Nice video non the less though.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Well whenever I see timelapses they're normally done with a set of photos (I guess their might be a reason for this =P ). I've never seen a sped up video so have no idea what the differences would look like.

From what I've seen using the long shutter speed option on the GH2 video does get you blurred trails. With timelapse do you normally follow the rule of 1/(2x frame rate) for determining the shutter speed of the composite photos? If that's the case how would that translate to the longest shutter speed of 1/2 a second on GH2 movies when it comes to time compression. Would it get a similar look to that of the 2 videos posted in this thread speed wise or do you think they are longer intervals?
Ollie 2 said:
I don't mean to sound rude (and I appreciate that you refer to yourself as a newb) but tell me how you could mistake that for simply a sped up video? For one thing, one doesn't get movement blurring trails that you get from great TL.
Dheorl said:
Ollie 2 said:
Watch this.

http://www.petapixel.com/2010/05/13/beautiful-time-lapse-of-icelandic-volcano/

...and then we should have a discussion.
Click to expand...
Was that meant to teach me anything technical/related to myy question or just be a good timelapse video? If it was the second I personally prefer

http://vimeo.com/40802206

Nice video non the less though.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Dheorl said:
I've heard about using the GH2 manual video mode to do timelapses by setting a longer shutter speed. I was just wondering if there are any advantages/disadvantages to doing this compared to the other method of taking lots of still images and putting them into a movie?
Click to expand...
Timelapses: Photo vs Video advantages:

Using Photo
  • Higher resolution, higher DR, better IQ overall.
Using Video
As you might notice, there is a big IQ advantage on using a Photo approach, however some of the disadvantages are overwhelming (especially #1: SHUTTER WEAR ). Now with that in mind, there is a mixed approach which is still a Photo approach, but uses the High Speed Shutter (HSS) mode. This mode does not use the physical shutter, it uses the electronic shutter instead, writes JPEG photos at 4MP and here are the minus/pluses:

Using HSS:

Plus:
  • No shutter wear
  • Image resolution is noticeably superior to Video
  • silent
  • little battery drain
  • uses less card space than Photo
Minus:
  • Possible rolling shutter artefacts on footage.
  • Image resolution is noticeably inferior to Photo and DR is also not as good.
  • Workflow more complicated than Video
  • no 360º shutter angle is possible
  • uses more card space than Video
  • needs extra hardware (wired remote or intervalometer)
So, my take is this:
  • If ultimate IQ is your target, money is no object and you don't mind an early death on your camera, you should really go Photo. Still IQ will be absolutely invincible.
  • If your subject has little linear motion and you don't mind the possibly "animated" film look, but you want more resolution than Full HD gives you, and have plenty of card space to share, then go HSS.
  • Now if (like most people), you have lots of linear motion in your footage (people walking, light trails at night), need to be able to record for long times, don't have an intervalometer, don't want to deal with animated photo sequence workflow and are satisfied with Full HD resolution, then with no doubt you should go with Video.
--
Duarte Bruno
 
Seeing the Yosemite video I've just remembered 2 limitations on using video:
  • You can't use shutter speeds slower than 2.5fps (1/2.5s).
  • Probably the camera can't adjust exposure automatically as lighting changes (I shoot Video always on Manual Movie Modes, I haven't tried the Auto Video Modes and Auto ISO, so I'm not 100% sure)
--
Duarte Bruno
 
duartix said:
Seeing the Yosemite video I've just remembered 2 limitations on using video:
  • You can't use shutter speeds slower than 2.5fps (1/2.5s).
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, I meant 2fps (1/2s).

Because of my cravings for a fluid 360º shutter angle, I hardly ever used 2fps and I settle for 2.5fps which is pretty close and FLUID.

--
Duarte Bruno
 
duartix - Thanks for your post regarding GH2 timelapse. Can you direct me to info on how to set up the GH2 using the HSS (high speed shutter) technique? Does this require a hack for the GH2, or will the stock setup do this? I am concerned about premature shutter wear, so I'd like to try this HSS method, but I'm not sure how to do it.
 
davidp158 said:
? I am concerned about premature shutter wear, so I'd
Click to expand...
No need to use the focal plane shutter if you can live with the limitations of this -

Set the camera to SH burst mode. Plug in a cable release/ interval timer set to fire the shutter at the intervals you require. This uses the electronic shutter.

The lowest shutter speed you can use is /40th sec - this may or may not matter according to what you are doing.

The auto exposure does work when using this technique. I've only messed about with it with stuff like here, 24 hours (give or take) of the view from my house in France. Don't go on the quality I have here - just messing, as I said. Time lapse video

It's with the camera powered from the mains and firing every 10 seconds. I've edited out part of the day and night where nothing changes, of course.
 
I have a GH2: I will be shooting a timelapse tonight of LAs vegas! As most would agree, time is precious, and this hobby takes so much of it. I want to make ure I have my facts straight to ensure the least amount of time waisted if I am to mess up! SO:




What can you suggest for a sunset to night city timelapse? I do hope this message finds you well!




Chris Jordan

[email protected]
 
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