timelapse
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Triggertrap: nine ways to activate your DSLR with an iOS device, choose one
When we first heard about the Kickstarter-funded Triggertrap, it was a nice but nichey lab instrument of a device that could fire your DSLR with diverse stimuli, like lights or ringing phones. It wasn't the first photo-tripping idea we'd seen, but at least it could be had for a fair sum ($75.00) and be used out of the box. But now, by connecting that tech to an app and charging $19.98 for both the software and hardware, Triggertrap might open up remote snapping to a lot more folks. Running off any iPhone, iPad or iPod using iOS 5, the app uses a dongle which can be connected by cable or infrared to most DSLRs or advanced compacts. From there, you'll be able to use all of your iDevice's sensors as triggers, from motion through to facial recognition and even GPS. The app doesn't just fire the shutter, either -- it also gives you control over the focus and flash. And if you don't have a separate camera, the iPhone's built-in cam can be used instead -- which would save you from buying the $9.99 dongle, if you have the necessary accoutrements. So if you've been wondering how to get those hard-to-shoot images, or have more nefarious ideas, check the videos after the break.
See a Qbo robot built from scratch in a minute-and-a-half (time-lapse video)
Ever wondered just how fast a Qbo robot can be built from scratch? Perhaps not, but TheCorpora is happy to show you anyway. The answer is just under three hours (by a skilled engineer, of course), but the company has managed to whittle that down to a minute-and-a-half thanks to the magic of time-lapse video. Head on past the break to see it for yourself -- and, if you haven't already, catch up with some of the tricks the bot is able to do once it's fully assembled.
Insert Coin: Timelapse+ is the intervalometer you've been waiting for (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. That timelapse masterpiece you've been planning just got a whole lot less daunting thanks to Elijah Parker over at Kickstarter. Go through a few niceties, like handing over at least $99 and helping him reach his $20,000 funding target, and you'll take proud ownership of a Timelapse+ (previously called the Timelapse Pro) -- a photographer's intervalometer that does a lot to deserve its name. It'll come with a choice of adapters to match the standard cable release on your DSLR (or even SLR, if that's how you roll), and once hooked up it'll let you configure everything from delayed starts to incremental exposures and even multiple exposures per interval for a much-needed dose of HDR. The firmware will be open source to leave scope for user mods, and there'll also be the option of a Bluetooth interface for wireless controls -- although that'll require an extra $40 and a smidgen of FCC approval. The video after the break reveals more, and the source link has more+.
Ice Cream Sandwich revamps Android camera and gallery features
It's been a long time coming, but with the introduction of Ice Cream Sandwich, Android finally takes a significant leap forward in terms of camera and gallery features. The camera interface is completely new -- it's faster and easier to use with instant access from the lock screen. Shots are taken immediately thanks to zero shutter lag and continuous autofocus with automatic face detection. Touch-to-focus with exposure lock is now supported, and the UI adds a proper digital zoom slider. The camera app also includes a new sweep panorama feature. The gallery app is also significantly improved, with Instagram-like "hipster filters" and a built-in photo editor that lets you crop and rotate pictures at arbitrary angles. Any tweaks you make are saved in a separate file, keeping the original shot intact. Images can now be sorted by location (using geotagging), and by person (if manually tagged). Video also receives a serious boost in functionality with 1080p capture, continuous autofocus, and the ability to zoom while recording. Additionally, it's now possible to create time lapse videos right from your phone. It's too early to tell if all these features will trickle down to legacy devices or remain exclusive to the Galaxy Nexus, but we'll find out soon enough.
Carnegie Mellon's GigaPan Time Machine brings time-lapse to panoramas
We've already seen GigaPan technology used for plenty of impressive panoramas, but some researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have now gone one step further with their so-called "GigaPan Time Machine" project. Thanks to the magic of HTML5 and some time-consuming (but automated) photography, you can now "simultaneously explore space and time" right in your web browser -- that is, zoom in and around a large-format panorama that also happens to be a time-lapse video. If you don't feel like exploring yourself, you can also jump straight to some highlights -- like the like the construction of the Hulk statue at the CMU Carnival pictured above. Ht up the source link below to try it out -- just make sure you're in either Chrome and Safari, as they're the only compatible browsers at this time.
iStopMotion adds tilt-shift effect to animation tool
For hobbyists and weekend filmmakers, playing around with stop motion and timelapse image capture is an enticing way to create memorable movies. On the Mac, the most user-friendly and accessible app for these projects is iStopMotion from Boinx. Starting at US$49 for the basic Home version, iStopMotion makes it easy to animate your furniture, Legos, kitchen items or anything else you happen to have lying about. In the 2.5 version of the product, released this week, Boinx has added one marquee feature that's going to be showing up in a lot of timelapse projects: tilt-shift. You've probably seen some spectacular videos using this effect, which simulates the fine control over focus that was traditionally available only with specialized lenses on still cameras. When the selective focus effect of lens tilt is applied to timelapse footage, the scene appears to be acted out in miniature (check out the work of directors Sam O'Hare and Keith Loutit for great examples). It took Jim Clark weeks of effort to create 30 seconds of tilt-shift music video footage a few years ago, but now you can do something similar on a tabletop. Boinx has also added compatibility with new Canon still camera models and a 'Send to iMovie' option in this version. In the Express and Pro versions of the app, color correction options are now included. Express, at $99, includes several additional features such as rotoscoping, a soundtrack and continuous capture; Pro, at $499, adds the option of full high-definition. Compatible cameras are listed here, and I've had good results with both an old iSight and an IPEVO p2v USB camera. You can see a video demo of 2.5 in the second half of this post. If you're a pro animator or effects artist and iStopMotion isn't powerful enough for your needs, you may want to check out Dragon Stop Motion; it's designed for professional work, with an interface and feature set to match. The $275 app can control lighting, shoot in 3D and more; it even comes with its own USB keypad for fast access to key commands. Happy animating!
Timelapse game programming brings you from concept to final boss in 06:38
We only managed to take a couple of programming classes in high school before we realized that you couldn't do Friendster and code the next Super Mario Bros. 3 at the same time--so we decided to become bloggers. Luckily, some folks stuck with it long enough to be able to show off what a strictly limited social networking policy can do for the gaming world. Many of the competitors in the annual 48-hour Ludum Dare 18 competition took time-lapse videos of their coding experiences, and they're almost as entertaining as the games themselves: check after the jump for the thrillingly compressed making-of documentary for Notch's addictive Metagun. SPOILER ALERT: Apparently, Notch had time to sleep and eat. Bummer.
Macworld 2010: The show floor in 56 seconds
Have a spare 60 seconds? Want to see the entire Macworld Expo 2010 show floor? Take a look at the above video, which is a time lapse of a walkaround of the show floor this morning before the Expo opened. This was taken with an iPhone 3GS and the iTimeLapse app, so the quality leaves a little bit to be desired. Remember, if you're at Macworld Expo 2010 in San Francisco, be sure to drop by booth #654 and say hello to the TUAW team.
Timelapse Garden Video Camera keeps tabs on plant growth / death
For those of you looking to prove just how green your thumb really is, have a gander at the Timelapse Garden Video Camera. Offered up at the always intriguing Hammacher Schlemmer, this weatherproof garden tool engages in the tedious task of taking snapshots of your flora in customizable intervals and then weaving them together into a single 1,280 x 1,024 AVI video. The lens can focus as close as 20-inches away, and with the bundled 2GB USB flash drive, upwards of 18,000 photos can be stored at a time. Amazingly, we're told that it can operate for up to four months using four AA cells, and it even turns itself off at night and back on in the morning in order to not waste capture space and battery life. It's shipping now to hedgers, groundkeepers and everyday plantsmen for $159.95.[Via OhGizmo]
App makes time lapse photography easy for iPhone
iPhone TimeLapse Test from digitalurban on Vimeo. Here's a fun application. TimeLapse [App Store link] uses your iPhone's camera to take photos at regular intervals. You can have one photo snapped as infrequently as every 24 hours, or as often as every 10 seconds, which is about as fast as it can snap and store a photo. After you've collected all of your photos (I told it to stop after 300), you can easily dump them into iMovie or QuickTime Pro and make a simple time lapse movie. Neat! You can set a delay before it takes a shot, which means you can also use TimeLapse as a timer to allow the photographer to get in the frame. Additionally, it could work as a rudimentary surveillance camera. While it's running, a display lists when it started, the time of the last picture taken and the approximate time of when it will stop. Here are a couple of things I learned while briefly playing with it this afternoon. First, mute your iPhone before beginning or you'll have to hear the camera's "capture" noise over and over again, which is kind of annoying. Also, enable Airplane Mode or an incoming call will interrupt your photoshoot. For $0.99US, TimeLapse is fun. [Via Digital Urban]
WoW Moviewatch: The evolution of a Warlock
Inspired by Noah Kalina, the Brooklyn photographer that took his picture every day for six and a half years, DerangedTaco captured a photo of his Warlock every time he changed gear. The resulting timelapse is a journey from roughly level 20, all the way up to level 70. He worked his way from level 70 blues, and then progressed into S1 and S2 items. Due to the upcoming release of Wrath of the Lich King, he doesn't plan to get anymore upgrades, but the video is still pretty interesting!If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ...
GDC08: A time-lapse farewell
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/GDC_2008_as_seen_in_time_lapse_photography'; GDC 2008, we were just beginning to get to know you. After a week of hectic posting, you're already gone. While we're still catching up with final posts from the show, we bid San Francisco farewell with this time-lapse video. Because nothing captures the bittersweet end of a tradeshow like time-lapse. Shots include the crowd filling into the Fable 2 and Portal sessions, respectively. Plus, you'll see attendees swarm through the lunch area and might catch a glimpse of your favorite bloggers. For the full effect -- especially if you're trying to spot people in the crowds -- be sure to watch the HD original in full-screen.Music: "After the Curtain" by Beirut
WoW Moviewatch: Olibith gets old
Machinimators have quickly learned that if they want special 3D animations or sets done, Pinkhair is the man for the job. Previously known for his Warcraftmovies Christmas Spirit Contest entry that narrowly missed being in the top three, he has helped artists such as BaronSoosdon and Ian Beckman in his spare time.In honor of Olibith receiving double platinum on WCM for "I'm only sleeping", Pinkhair finished a timelapse of the saucy filmmaker using Lightwave. He has stated that if there is interest in learning how to do it, he may post a tutorial. If you would like to see a tutorial, join #machinima on Quakenet IRC and let him know! [Via Warcraftmovies.com]Previously on Moviewatch ...
DIY time lapse intervalometer saves dough, improves creativity
We know you've had plenty of time to recreate that shutter release hack, and if you found yourself impressed with the results, you're bound to adore this one. Eagleapex has struck again with yet another swank camera mod, this time giving DSLR owners an easy (and affordable) method for handling time lapse photography. Granted, this creation isn't the simplest to build, and there's still a few notable limitations that keep it from supreme greatness -- namely the inaccurate interval setting and the occasionally problematic short output pulse -- but neither of those quirks are ones that pros can't remedy when concocting their own. Check out a video of the results after the jump, and don't ever say that watching ice melt is a bore.
Timelapse of iSight wakeup captures
A few months back, we wrote about reader Dylan's iSight autocapture project-- he rigged up the code to have his iSight on his MacBook Pro snap a photo every time the lid was opened (and even released all of his work as open source). At the time, he mentioned eventually combining all of the photos together into a timelapse video, and seven months later, here it is.Unfortunately, he says the Sleepwatcher daemon he was using doesn't work as of 10.4.10, so the project is over until it gets updated, if ever. But he did share with us how he compiled the images together into a timelapse-- he punched out a Perl script (which is reprinted after the jump) to rename all of the pictures into sequenced filenames, and then squished them together with Quicktime's "image sequence" feature. Very nice.
She said yes!
Remember the dude that proposed via Apple's time lapse video outside the new Fifth Avenue Apple Store? Kottke.org received an email from his fiancé, Uschi Lang. That's right, she said yes! James, that's the name of the man in the photo, had been meaning to drop the big question for months before he had an idea when he was waiting with Uschi outside the Apple Store. He sneaked back whilst she was sleeping and stood in front of the camera for 15 minutes with his proposal signs to ensure that the time lapse would pick him up. A few days later James led Uschi down a row of candles leading up to his G5 and showed her the video and of course, she said yes. Congratulations you two!Now, about that row of candles leading up to his Mac. Is it normal to do that when you're not proposing? What?! I'm just asking...
Gawker updated with more camera support, desktop time-lapsing
Gawker, the clever app for recording, sharing and combining time-lapse movies, has been updated to version 0.70 with some unique features. It is now compatible with non-iSight cameras, including even DV cameras, and can record from up to four cameras simultaneously (when you consider the power of using other cameras through Bonjour, this gets pretty interesting). The ability to capture desktops as well as a countdown timer have also been added.Gawker is an open source project and available from its home at SourceForge.
Proposal via Apple's website
I don't think this is what Apple had in mind when they decided to put up that website with time lapse photos of the grand opening of the Fifth Avenue Apple store. Some enterprising young geek (I'm assuming he's a geek) took three signs with him down to the store at around 5:30am, and proposed to his girlfriend (see picture to the right).This is either totally awesome, or totally geeky (I think it is both). I wonder if she said yes.Check out another picture after the jump.Update: Jonathan sent in this direct link to the time lapse movie.
