CHDK Intervalometer/Time Lapse

[optiman]

I've used CHDK firmware on my A650 for some months and I'm very pleased with the additional features and improved existing functions. Recently I wanted to do some time-lapse pics and searched the CHDK Wikia site. The information didn't seem very clear so I searched this forum and did google searches.

Now I'm totally confused!
Is there a time-lapse firmware script for an A650?
The script appears to use video but I want better quality .jpg images.
Is intervalometer the same as time-lapse?

I'd very much appreciate some advice.

 

[Sandeman684]

There is a whole bunch of scripts available on this page:
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/UBASIC/Scripts
Just try them and see if it works.

To my knowledge, time lapse and intervalometer are (nearly) identical and are about photos. You can later make a movie from these photos.

 

[Amir5831]

I use a camera very similar to yours, A640. I have been using CHDK for over 2 years now and played with all sorts of scripts.

I have shot may timelaps (interval photos) over time and compiled them to video, Check them out and see what HD (1080) videos can be produced with our little cameras with the help of CHDK and little computer knowledge and power.

Timelaps Videos Taken with Canon A640.
http://www.vimeo.com/user475503/videos
http://www.vimeo.com/2533041

If you like what you see here the script I use, you can put into your SCRIPT folder inside your CHDK folder on your SD card and adjust the parameters to your likings.

Downlod:
http://www.mediafire.com/?tmywwywtill

 

[Mk7]

HD? how?

 

[Amir5831]

You take, lets say, 2000 interval photos. Then you resize them to (1920*1280) which are the dimensions of Full HD Video. Then compile them to 30 frame per seconds (or 24 or 60 or whatever you like) using software like VirtualDub. You can add music and color effect.

To do all that you need the following:

1. Canon Powershot with Digic 2 or 3
2. Download and install appropriate CHDK
3. Download Script for Interval/timelaps
4. Set the script to shoot every 5/10/20/30 seconds.
5. Import the images to computer'
6. Photoshop

7. Write an action for Photoshop to resize and process your full size images to size and color of your choice.
8. Use Audacity to edit music of your choice (Optional)

9. Use VirtualDub to compile the pictures to Video with Processed audio in previous stage.
10. You will get a video very siliar to mine if you had a chance to look at them

 

[Kevin D Ha]

Amir, I watched your time-lapse videos and they're great! I like the flowers in the sun the most.

But wow, over 1,000 shots just to compile a video! I'd need to buy the AC/DC power adapter for my SX10 in order to pull off that many shots.
--
There's too much blood in my alcohol system.

 

[Sean Nelson]

I'd need to buy the AC/DC power adapter for my SX10 in order to
pull off that many shots.

Disposable Lithium batteries work great for this sort of thing - I've actually gotten a couple of thousand shots out of them with my A710. That works out to over a minute of video at 30 frames/sec.

 

[Amir5831]

Well, thanks a lot. In fact I took 2000 shots in the car from Austin to Fort Worth, TX (160M/260KM) on one set of rechargeable. No need for charger AC/DC adapter.

I have taken 25,000 shots with this baby over two years, many Timelaps videos.

Amir, I watched your time-lapse videos and they're great! I like the
flowers in the sun the most.

But wow, over 1,000 shots just to compile a video! I'd need to buy
the AC/DC power adapter for my SX10 in order to pull off that many
shots.
--
There's too much blood in my alcohol system.

 

[Russel_Sprouts]

The freeware app named CombineZM

does a wonderful job of batch-processing stacks of photos into movies. Unassisted, it even performs adjustments to correct for misalignment between shots (due to wind buffeting, etc.)

http://hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZM/News.htm
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZ5/combinez5.htm

If you use a CHDK script to shoot a series "stepped focal distance" closeup shots (or you go through the hassle of shooting such a sereies manually) you can process the batch using CombineZM and it will output an apparent "continuous depth of field" shot of your subject. The result is really astounding.

=================================

By the way, re battery life:

I can't recall capturing a interval series of 2000+ shots, but have setup my A620 for interval shooting and it snapped 1300+ shots on multiple occasions. For me, the limit wound up being storage card capacity each time, not battery life.

Bear in mind that during those interval shooting sessions, LCD was off & cam was preset to manual focus. In regular use, I use the LCD but seldom use the flash; I've learned to expect 800-1100 shots from a set of 2500maH batteries. Fiddling with the zoom between shots seems to the greatest factor in how long my batteries last throughout the day.