Time lapse video panning techniques

[nscherneck]

Hello all,

I’m getting back into producing independent movies after a few years out of the game. I’ll soon be purchasing an HDR-FX1000. I am planning a project which will include quite a bit of time lapse. I’m interested in how this film maker used panning techniques..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xMz2SnSWS4

Any tips?

Thank you,

Nathan

[CraftersOfLight]

The stationery pan and tilts may have been done with something like this.

http://www.kesslercrane.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=300&Itemid=121

I would like to know how those awsomelonger traveling shots were done myself as they go beyond any key-framed editing pans/scans that I can tell.

[birdcat]

Very well done – Some of the zooms and pans could be done in post. You could use a motorized trip like the kind used for telescopes (click here) to do the smooth pans/tilts with the time lapse.

If I had to guess, I’d say it was done with one of these tripods plus a bunch of work in post.

[Rob]

A DSLR with a motorized telescope tripod (which birdcat mentioned) seems to be a common solution. You’ll also want to buy an interval timer, which is what makes your camera shoot a photo automatically. You would also want to shoot on fully manual settings. If you shoot on auto, changing light and varying distances from objects will ruin the timelapse.

[Thomas]

Beautiful work! Thinking the motorized tripod did a bit of those pans. Love how the fog flows through the city.

Thomas Rohe

Pres.

SunSpots Productions Voice Talent Agency and Creative Audio Post

[nscherneck]

Another question about this. For the time-lapse shots shot over an entire day wht media is being used to record to? Also, I assume the frame/sec is reduced…correct?

[birdcat]

I would think that the camera is shooting slower than 29.97 fps,

I used to do this with a cable release and a super 8mm movie camera (back around 1970) – would time it for one frame every five seconds for a while. Much easier today when you can program frame rates to one fps and just let it run.

[smeals]

NICE VERY NICE

[composite1]

“You would also want to shoot on fully manual settings. If you shoot on
auto, changing light and varying distances from objects will ruin the
timelapse.”

Rob,

That would be a yes and no. Yes on full auto that would be true. However, depending on lighting conditions (i.e. sunrise to sunset and reverse) you would want to use either aperture priority or shutter priority. Also, if there is any man-made lighting around or drastically changing lighting conditions AWB is also an auto setting which can be utilized. Full manual is great for day or night shots with fairly constant lighting.

Yes also to the motorized tripod/dolly setup and intervalometer/timer remote control for getting motion in your time-lapse scene. You can do it all manually (good luck with that) with an old school shutter release and a dolly track with the interval spacing marked off for you to move the rig during the time between the image processing. You’ll have to be ‘mechanically’ proficient and move like clockwork for hours at a time to get a good run doing it all by hand.

[Charles]

They could have used a chart recorder that has been modified to perporm the panning which would have give a very smooth pan as they make one full cycle in a 24 hour period. They can be purchased on e-bay for rather inexpensively. Here is what one looks like http://www.instrumart.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=33337&gpe=1&ctype=2&gclid=CP70q7f9gKYCFQTrKgodIg0pnAAll you would have to do is weld a plate of some form to the center pin and remove the pen device. Just an idea for doing on the cheap.

[Eugene]

Nathan,

The Kessler site is worth a visit.

http://www.kesslercrane.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=299&Itemid=122

This may well be what you are looking for.

[cthompson@nosheepdesigns.com]

I've run across this slider that can do most (if not all) of what you're referring to. Too rich for my blood, but hope it helps! http://ditogear.com/products/omnislider/

[Author]

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