How Many Photos Do You Need for a Time-Lapse?
Photos = clip length (seconds) × frame rate (fps). Each photo becomes one frame of the video. The time lapse photography calculator turns that count into an interval and a card-space estimate.
| Clip length | 24 fps | 25 fps | 30 fps | 60 fps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 s | 120 | 125 | 150 | 300 |
| 10 s | 240 | 250 | 300 | 600 |
| 15 s | 360 | 375 | 450 | 900 |
| 20 s | 480 | 500 | 600 | 1200 |
| 30 s | 720 | 750 | 900 | 1800 |
| 60 s | 1440 | 1500 | 1800 | 3600 |
Example
A 10-second clip at 30 fps needs 300 photos. At a 5-second interval that takes 300 × 5 = 1,500 seconds, which is 25 minutes of shooting.
Shoot a little extra
Take more frames than the table. You can trim the start and end, stabilise (which crops), or slow the clip slightly. An extra 10–20% is a common buffer.
Which frame rate?
24 fps looks cinematic, 25 fps is used in PAL regions, and 30 fps is common for online video. 60 fps needs twice the photos of 30 fps for the same length. Pick the fps of the project the clip will be edited into.
Turn this into a shooting plan with the interval calculator, check card space, or use the time lapse photography calculator.
Related tools and guides
Frequently asked questions
How many photos for a 1 minute time-lapse?
At 30 fps a 60-second clip needs 1,800 photos. At 24 fps it needs 1,440.