Sony Time Lapse App on A6000 and Long Exposure

I have the Sony A6000 and the Time Lapse App downloaded to the camera. I understand about setting up a time lapse in Custom Mode but I can't seem to set an exposure for more than 30 seconds (i.e. Bulb). Do I need a real dedicated intervalometer to do longer than 30 second exposures for a time lapse? I want to create star trails with 3-4 minute exposures and 2 second intervals. Any suggestions?

lynn1634 wrote:

I have the Sony A6000 and the Time Lapse App downloaded to the camera. I understand about setting up a time lapse in Custom Mode but I can't seem to set an exposure for more than 30 seconds (i.e. Bulb). Do I need a real dedicated intervalometer to do longer than 30 second exposures for a time lapse? I want to create star trails with 3-4 minute exposures and 2 second intervals. Any suggestions?

I use the Sony Time Lapse app with both my Sony a6000 and a7. It is a nice, but unfortnately limited, app. I don't think it currently goes beyond 30 seconds on exposures. No bulb setting. If you want to use bulb settings then you either need to tether the a6000 to a computer or get an intervalometer.

However, I use 30 sec intervals with 25 sec shutters (5 sec between shots) and take a series of images over a long period, usually at least 30 minutes. My star trails are then created using StarStaX and they look great. There really is no reason to take 3 to 4 minute exposures, unless you just want to, as much shorter exposures can be used without causing gaps. I've even used 15 sec intervals with 13 sec exposures (2 sec gaps) and that works fine.

StuartABell wrote:

Is thee an app available for the Sony A6000 that automatically snaps the shutter every 30 seconds? If I do it by hand, it seems the stars will not evenly revolve?

How long can you keep doing this before the battery in the camera dies?

Thanks

The TimeLapse app does this. It works like a built-in intervalometer. You set the interval time which is how often the shutter is activated (up to 60 seconds), and the number of shots you want to take (up to 990), and you set the shutter speed using the camera (up to 30 seconds). It is customizable so you can set the camera to Manual or Aperture mode, possibly Shutter mode also. I can easily take 750 to 1000 shots and still have battery charge left when using the TimeLapse app. But it is limited much more than an actual intervalometer.

StuartABell wrote:

Jack, this is exactly what I was looking for when I installed Timelapse a while ago. Unfortunately, when I try to couple my A6000 to the application using both Smart Remote Control and Sysc to Smart Phone, the camera hooks to PlayMemories (even though it isn't running) and TimeLapse continues to see the photo from my Android.

A 3 step tutorial would help.

Why are you trying to link your camera to a smart phone while running the Time Lapse app? Time Lapse was designed to run on just the camera, not while the camera is tethered or linked via WiFi. I'm sure you are getting all kinds of errors by trying to run an app and connect at the same time. This camera won't do multi-threading, multi-tasking like a computer.

Also note that when you link via WiFi through PlayMemories to an iPhone or iPad that the focus magnifier window never shows a clear, sharp image on the iphone screen. I'm not sure if the Android app is any better. So even when connected use the LCD camera screen to get focus sharp.

I was happy to see the Timelapse App, as I want to be as nimble as possible and not use stuff like intervalometers, Cam Rangers, TriggerTrap, etc. But the app is not very full featured. As I see it, it doesn't address the shutter speed or other settings. You do that outside the app. The app idea is great but the available apps are pretty lame.

mdspivey wrote:

I was happy to see the Timelapse App, as I want to be as nimble as possible and not use stuff like intervalometers, Cam Rangers, TriggerTrap, etc. But the app is not very full featured. As I see it, it doesn't address the shutter speed or other settings. You do that outside the app. The app idea is great but the available apps are pretty lame.

Sony does not write good software for its cameras or any other hardware I've ever owned. Not sure why, but they definitely suck at it. The time lapse app is pretty good, but it has a nightmare of a learning curve because it is anything but intuitive. And every time they update it they complicate things even more. However, if you can figure it out, which you can with time and practice, it is a decent time lapse app. But just. You will get better results with a good intervalometer. But it is nice to have this app for times you don't won't to plug in the intervalometer.

One piece of advice for using this app. You might think that it would be logical to set up your camera with the desired setting, then run the app. However, Sony being illogical as usual will use the last settings that you setup while running the app. So best practice is to get the camera settings like you want them, then remember what they are. Start the app. Whatever settings were last used when the app was running will now overwrite the settings you just determined were best for this shoot. So reset the settings to those you previously determined were best for this shoot. A royal PITA, but what can I say other than Sony writes sucky software!

W5JCK wrote:

mdspivey wrote:

I was happy to see the Timelapse App, as I want to be as nimble as possible and not use stuff like intervalometers, Cam Rangers, TriggerTrap, etc. But the app is not very full featured. As I see it, it doesn't address the shutter speed or other settings. You do that outside the app. The app idea is great but the available apps are pretty lame.

Sony does not write good software for its cameras or any other hardware I've ever owned. Not sure why, but they definitely suck at it. The time lapse app is pretty good, but it has a nightmare of a learning curve because it is anything but intuitive. And every time they update it they complicate things even more. However, if you can figure it out, which you can with time and practice, it is a decent time lapse app. But just. You will get better results with a good intervalometer. But it is nice to have this app for times you don't won't to plug in the intervalometer.

One piece of advice for using this app. You might think that it would be logical to set up your camera with the desired setting, then run the app. However, Sony being illogical as usual will use the last settings that you setup while running the app. So best practice is to get the camera settings like you want them, then remember what they are. Start the app. Whatever settings were last used when the app was running will now overwrite the settings you just determined were best for this shoot. So reset the settings to those you previously determined were best for this shoot. A royal PITA, but what can I say other than Sony writes sucky software!

Your 2nd paragraph just drives me nuts.  I can't count the number of shots I've ruined because I forgot that the dang apps for some god forsaken reason use their own settings instead of the camera's.  What point in the world could there possibly be to making me set white balance or image quality from within the app when using something like the touchless shutter app.  Just absurd.

As to the first point, I don't know why Sony didn't just make this open platform a la the app stores on iphones or android.  People would have come up with some really cool, camera-selling stuff by now.  Such a waste of a good idea.

Unfortunately the Sony time lapse software is very limited.   Some of the intervalometer apps for smart phones have more features and a much nicer interfaces than the dedicated intervalometers.  I use DSLR.Bot on an old iPhone with a headphone to IR adapter.  Very nice interface with features like long exposures and free run.

;rob

W5JCK wrote:

mdspivey wrote:

I was happy to see the Timelapse App, as I want to be as nimble as possible and not use stuff like intervalometers, Cam Rangers, TriggerTrap, etc. But the app is not very full featured. As I see it, it doesn't address the shutter speed or other settings. You do that outside the app. The app idea is great but the available apps are pretty lame.

Sony does not write good software for its cameras or any other hardware I've ever owned. Not sure why, but they definitely suck at it. The time lapse app is pretty good, but it has a nightmare of a learning curve because it is anything but intuitive. And every time they update it they complicate things even more. However, if you can figure it out, which you can with time and practice, it is a decent time lapse app. But just. You will get better results with a good intervalometer. But it is nice to have this app for times you don't won't to plug in the intervalometer.

One piece of advice for using this app. You might think that it would be logical to set up your camera with the desired setting, then run the app. However, Sony being illogical as usual will use the last settings that you setup while running the app. So best practice is to get the camera settings like you want them, then remember what they are. Start the app. Whatever settings were last used when the app was running will now overwrite the settings you just determined were best for this shoot. So reset the settings to those you previously determined were best for this shoot. A royal PITA, but what can I say other than Sony writes sucky software!

There is an alternative Remote Time Lapse App for Sony that is not written by Sony.  I find it in the Android Play Store and its call TimeLapse.  Its written for Sony, and it works well with the Sony Wireless.  It doesn't have the A6300, but selecting A6000 works fine when using the A6300.

This App expects you to do all the camera setups in the camera and doesn't override anything you have done.  It simply triggers the shots.