Time-Lapse Calculator

About this calculator

This calculator plans a time-lapse shoot by finding the total number of frames — shoot duration divided by the interval between shots — and the final clip length once those frames are played back at a chosen frame rate (frames ÷ fps = clip seconds). Because a time-lapse compresses a long real-world duration into a short clip, getting the interval and frame rate right in advance avoids ending up with either a clip that's seconds too short or a memory card full of unnecessary frames.

Photographers and filmmakers use this to plan sunset, cloud, star-trail, and construction time-lapses, where shoot duration can range from minutes to months and the right interval depends entirely on how fast the subject changes. Content creators and YouTubers planning a plant-growth or build video, and anyone setting up an intervalometer on their camera, use this calculator beforehand to know exactly how many frames they'll need to capture and how long the finished clip will run.