# Clouds, my first serious time-lapse!



## gabrielezanon (Mar 16, 2013)

Hi guys, i'm new on this forum, and to introduce myself there's a time-lapse!

Clouds on Vimeo

The technique of time-lapse has always fascinated me a lot, and I decided to create my own, which shows the world where I was born and where I live, where I take refuge when I want to spend some relaxing time with these landscapes that have nothing to envy to any place on earth.

I tried to look with different eyes.
I tried to remember the most beautiful places I know, then I have searched for new ones.
I waited for the right day and the right time for each shot.
I spent more than 5 hours to take pictures manually, without the intervallometer.
I took 3205 pictures in RAW, for a total of 55Gb.
I spent over 20 hours on the computer to process RAW files and to assemble the video sequences.
I spent three days listening to hundreds of audio tracks to find the right one.

This is the result.

For photos I use a 5D Mark II mounted on a Manfrotto 055XB Aluminum Tripod with Manfrotto 701HDV video head with the following lenses:
Canon EF 17-40mm f / 4 L USM
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

Music:
"The Time To Run" by Dexter Britain (dexterbritain.co.uk)

Thank you for watching 

Follow me on Facebook: facebook.com/ZanonGabrielePhotography
or on my official website: gabrielezanon.com
for info: [email protected]


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## Haydn1971 (Mar 16, 2013)

Could I ask what software you used ?

...also, given the fabulous results, any chance of a quick tutorial ?


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## wayno (Mar 16, 2013)

Brilliant mate! Great music for it, too.


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## Northstar (Mar 16, 2013)

gabrielezanon said:


> Hi guys, i'm new on this forum, and to introduce myself there's a time-lapse!
> 
> Clouds on Vimeo
> 
> ...



Very nice!


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## RGF (Mar 16, 2013)

GREAT work!! Based upon the number of raw images and the 5 hours you spent shooting, I guess there was 6 seconds (or so) between shots


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## FallsGuy (Mar 16, 2013)

Unfortunately, I am getting a vimeo "error loading message" in three different browsers.


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## Click (Mar 16, 2013)

FallsGuy said:


> Unfortunately, I am getting a vimeo "error loading message" in three different browsers.



Same here.


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## paul13walnut5 (Mar 16, 2013)

Great first attempt.

There is some aperture stepping though (the soft contrast flicker) apart from the visual artefact this will also wear out your aperture diaphragm electronics and blades.

Easy fix for next time.

Set your shooting aperture, depress the aperture preview button then de-couple your EF lens and twist it 1/3rd away from the lock.

This breaks the contact with the lens, locks your iris in position yet the lens is still mounted.

Obviously AF and IS are also disabled, but these should be switched off for timelapse anyway.

Also, don't bother shooting RAW. Way to time consuming.

I also find that the 180 rule works very well in timelapse, so that your interval between shots is double the exposure time. 

I like to use 0.5 or .8s (just before the NR kicks in, I could disable NR but knowing me I would forget to re-activate for my stills) and an interval of 1 or 2s.

This really helps soften the subject motion, I thought the ripples closest to the camera were just a little crisp for timelapse.

I'm really not having a go, your first attempt is 10x better than mine was. Hopefully some of the stuff I've learned the hard way -partiuclarly with EF system quirks- can help your progression, and I look forward to seeing your next attempts.


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## Click (Mar 16, 2013)

OK I tried the link at the bottom of the video and it works.

Very nice first attempt. Great job!


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## rcarca (Mar 16, 2013)

I thought that was just great. You are inspiring me to try, but i might have to see my daughters both at university and get divorced before I could find the time... 

Richard


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## Axilrod (Mar 16, 2013)

Not bad for a first try, but dude did you seriously sit there for 5 hours being a human intervalometer? You have nice lenses, is there a reason you wont buy an intervalometer? Because it will make your life A LOT easier. I wish I could make "a lot" even bigger to stress how much easier. And you can get them cheap and I think there are even a few DIY methods that would be close to free. Please for the love of god get an intervalometer. 

Are you struggling with money at the moment? If so let me know, I seriously might buy you one. The thought of you standing there with a stopwatch in one hand and and your other hand on the camera is killing me.


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## sanj (Mar 16, 2013)

paul13walnut5 said:


> Great first attempt.
> 
> There is some aperture stepping though (the soft contrast flicker) apart from the visual artefact this will also wear out your aperture diaphragm electronics and blades.
> 
> ...



Well said! yeah the exposure jumps distract...


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## tombu (Mar 16, 2013)

Can't watch the video, but if you really took these pictures without intervalometer, why not download Magic Lantern? 
http://www.magiclantern.fm/


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## FallsGuy (Mar 16, 2013)

Thank you Click. 
For others who are also getting error messages, if you go to (and click on) "Clouds on Video" at the bottom left of the screen (underneath it actually), the very interesting time lapse video will play. I thought the music selction went superbly well with what was a delightful "first effort". I certainly hope to see many more.


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## bvukich (Mar 16, 2013)

Axilrod said:


> Are you struggling with money at the moment? If so let me know, I seriously might buy you one. The thought of you standing there with a stopwatch in one hand and and your other hand on the camera is killing me.



Yeah, that's painful to even think about. I'll pay for half that intervalometer if you want to go dutch on it.


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## bvukich (Mar 16, 2013)

paul13walnut5 said:


> Set your shooting aperture, depress the aperture preview button then de-couple your EF lens and twist it 1/3rd away from the lock.



Good tip! Why didn't I ever think of that?


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## bwfishing (Mar 16, 2013)

tombu said:


> Can't watch the video, but if you really took these pictures without intervalometer, why not download Magic Lantern?
> http://www.magiclantern.fm/



+1 for Magic Lantern as it is FREE and works GREAT! I use it on my 5D Mark II for more than just a intervalometer, but it is one of the more useful features. The sunset about a little more than minute in is awesome! Great mirror effects off the boat towards the end. Thanks for sharing!


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## rpt (Mar 17, 2013)

gabrielezanon said:


> Hi guys, i'm new on this forum, and to introduce myself there's a time-lapse!
> 
> Clouds on Vimeo
> 
> ...


It was lovely! I loved the clouds and the sun. What did you use for editing it?


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## PhotographAdventure (Mar 17, 2013)

bvukich said:


> paul13walnut5 said:
> 
> 
> > Set your shooting aperture, depress the aperture preview button then de-couple your EF lens and twist it 1/3rd away from the lock.
> ...



Is this different than shooting full manual? Does decoupling save battery power?


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## paul13walnut5 (Mar 17, 2013)

PhotographAdventure said:


> bvukich said:
> 
> 
> > paul13walnut5 said:
> ...



It will save battery power I suppose but thats not the main reason.

Even if you shoot on full manual the iris is stopping down each time, and it may not be exact every single time, so you get a slight exposure step, can be 1/10th of a stop, but this will be visible on your timelapse.

By de-coupling the lens with the aperture set as described the aperture is closed and thats it. It will be the same for each shot because it is effectively locked.

Another reason is that a 10s timelapse may be 250 or 300 shots. Thats 250 or 300 opening and closings on your aperture diaphragm and electronics that your lens could probably do without.

NB> If you use adapted manual lenses or zeiss cine or samyangs with a mechanical iris then this won't be an issue.


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