OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Timelapse Recorder
Record a Webcam Timelapse With One Frame Every Second to One Minute
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How the Timelapse Recorder works
This timelapse recorder takes a webcam frame at a steady interval and turns the frames into a fast video. Point it at clouds, a build, a plant or a busy desk, start the timelapse and leave it. The stats show the speed-up and finished length as frames build up, and nothing is uploaded.
A timelapse squeezes a long, slow process into seconds. Shooting one frame every 5 seconds and playing it at 30 fps makes everything move 150 times faster, so an hour becomes 24 seconds.
How the timelapse recorder works
Start camera opens your webcam at up to 1920 pixels wide. Start timelapse captures a frame straight away and then one every interval, saving each as a JPEG in the page's memory. The button switches to Pause timelapse, so you can stop and carry on later in the same session.
Make video plays the frames onto a canvas at the frame rate you chose and records it with MediaRecorder. Building takes as long as the finished video, not the real time you recorded. The recorder stops itself at 3,600 frames, two minutes of video at 30 fps.
Choosing the interval
Speed-up equals the interval multiplied by the video frame rate.
| Subject | Interval | Speed-up at 30 fps | 1 hour becomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| People, traffic, busy room | 1 second | ×30 | 2 minutes |
| Fast clouds, cooking | 2 seconds | ×60 | 60 seconds |
| Slow clouds, a desk at work | 5 seconds | ×150 | 24 seconds |
| Sunset, shadows moving | 10 seconds | ×300 | 12 seconds |
| A day of building or painting | 30 seconds | ×900 | 4 seconds |
| Plants growing, a day outside | 1 minute | ×1800 | 2 seconds |
Work backwards from the video you want: 20 seconds at 30 fps is 600 frames, so an 8-hour day needs a frame about every 48 seconds.
Tips and pitfalls
Keep the computer awake. Turn off sleep and screen lock. Browsers slow timers in background tabs, so keep this tab visible, ideally in its own window.
Mind the light. Webcams adjust exposure all the time, which can cause flicker between frames. Steady artificial light gives the smoothest result.
Memory adds up. Each 1080p frame is roughly 150 to 300 KB, so 3,600 frames can use around 1 GB of browser memory. Use a longer interval for very long sessions.
How to read the result
The stats show the frames captured, the real time covered, the length of the finished video, the speed-up and the frame size. After Make video, play the preview and press Download.
FAQ
What interval should I use for a timelapse?
Match it to how fast the subject changes. Use 1 to 2 seconds for people and traffic, 5 to 10 seconds for clouds and sunsets, and 30 seconds to 1 minute for slow things like plants or a long build. The stats show the speed-up for your choice.
How long will my timelapse video be?
Divide the frames by the video frame rate. Recording for one hour at a 5-second interval gives 720 frames, which is 24 seconds at 30 fps or 30 seconds at 24 fps. The Video length stat updates live.
Is my timelapse uploaded anywhere?
No. Frames are kept in your browser's memory and the video is built on your own device. Nothing is sent to a server, so make the video and download it before you close or reload the tab.
Why did my timelapse skip frames?
Browsers slow down timers in hidden tabs and stop them when the computer sleeps. Keep the tab visible in its own window, plug the laptop in and turn off sleep, and frames will arrive on time.
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