An intervalometer is a device that photographers can take advantage of to improve the quality of their time-lapse photography with ease and convenience. Intervalometers are sophisticated but easy-to-use remote time-lapse devices that provide readings of the interval time of time-lapse shots. As a photographer, you’ll definitely want to try this as it can be highly functional without having to undergo complicated steps just to achieve your time-lapse goals.
This article will give you a step-by-step guide on how to use an intervalometer in time-lapse photography as well as a brief description of the way it works.
Functions of An Intervalometer
An intervalometer can be used to take photos that cover a wide range of periods and it records the length per count/second between each shot. It is a piece of remote time-lapse equipment that operates by connecting to a digital camera.
The reason an intervalometer is a useful device for time-lapse photography is that it can help you capture frames at the right timing without losing the quality of the image such as when the sunlight is shining directly on the subject. It also helps capture motion shots of very distant objects as the camera automatically moves between shots once it detects movement. If you need to shoot multiple frames at different speeds, the software will allow you to combine them into a single frame. This will result in a much more dynamic range in the final photographs than with only one slow-mo shot taken at each speed.
Benefits of Using an Intervalometer For Time-Lapse Photography
One of the biggest advantages of using an intervalometer in time-lapse photography is that the shots taken within the intervals have time recordings of specific images, including the way details affect the other objects in different time frames. For example, if you wanted to find out the effect of the sunlight on trees in between periods of the day, you can capture different images in various hours. You will then see the effects of certain distances as the light would fall on the trees.
Another major advantage of using an intervalometer for remote time-lapse equipment is that they help you achieve high-quality shots at minimum cost. Most of these devices can be purchased at affordable prices and are ideal for several different purposes. You can equip your camera to capture slow or fast action clips that you can use for your hobby, work, or business. When it comes to choosing the best model, you need to be very careful about the features and the reliability of time recordings. You should always invest in good photography equipment that helps you take top-notch images every time.
Ultimately, intervalometers help capture motion shots between long intervals with consistent frames. If you need to shoot images at different speeds, the device will allow you to deconstruct the time frames into multiple single shots. This will result in a much more dynamic range in the final photographs than with slow-mo shots taken at each speed.
How Do You Use A Time-Lapse Intervalometer?
Many people often wonder how complicated using remote time-lapse equipment can be, like choosing specific settings for time-lapse photography is something that you must be aware of when using an intervalometer.
There are indeed certain settings that you have to consider in using remote time-lapse equipment such as an intervalometer. However, it does not have to be complicated.
For example, different settings can be used for a longer duration of time such as a few minutes, hours, or days. Different settings can be used for each different area of the picture such as the sky or a specific landscape feature. These are all important factors that you will want to consider before you go ahead and change any settings on your camera.
Many features can be used in a time-lapse photography session and some of these features can really make a difference in how long a photo takes or how many unique shots it can take. But there are only several steps you need to follow to incorporate an intervalometer in shooting a time-lapse.
Here’s a quick and simple step-by-step guide on how to use an intervalometer to shoot time-lapse photography.
- Set your camera setting to single-shot.
- Plug the intervalometer cable into the camera slot.
- Set a delay at the start of a time-lapse in your intervalometer. (optional)
- Set the interval time in the intervalometer.
- Attach the intervalometer to your tripod, or any stable position where it won’t get blown by the wind or minor movements.
- Press the start button of the intervalometer.
- Calculate the waiting time for the camera to get the amount of shot you need for the time-lapse.
- When you’re done with the shoot, hit the stop button.
The intervalometer is usually mounted on the tripod during time-lapse shoots. When the setting is changed to multiple single shots, the intervalometer enables you to use slow shutter speeds through advanced remote shutter release technology. This works in the same way as a digital camera timer would, only that the shutter counts are controlled by the intervalometer to capture certain frame intervals.